Building Containers (LXC) & Templates

LXC containers are a lightweight alternative to full VMs. They are ideal for running Linux services with minimal overhead. However they are running as rootless, so there is little more risk to compromising hypervisor itself as it shares kernel, unlike VM. Best for internal only apps. 
Note: Privileged containers run as root and have more hardware access. Unprivileged containers are more secure and recommended for most use cases.
Download Container Template
 
In the web console, navigate to your node > local storage > CT Templates
Click Templates
Browse the template library, select a distro (e.g., Ubuntu 22.04), and click Download
 
Create an LXC Container
 
Click Create CT in the top right corner
General tab:
    • Node: your node
    • CT ID: auto-assigned
    • Hostname: e.g., ubuntu-ct
    • Password: set the root password for the container
    • SSH public key: optionally paste your public key for key-based access
Template tab: select the downloaded template
Disks tab:
    • Storage: local-lvm
    • Disk size: 8 GB is often sufficient for light services
CPU tab:
    • Cores: 1–2 (containers share host CPU efficiently)
Memory tab:
    • Memory: 512 MB – 1024 MB for most services
    • Swap: 512 MB
Network tab:
    • Bridge: vmbr0
    • IPv4: DHCP or set a static IP/CIDR (e.g., 192.168.1.101/24)
    • Gateway: your router IP
DNS tab: leave default or set your preferred DNS server
Confirm and click Finish
 
Start the Container
 
Select the container, click Start
Click Console to open a terminal session
Alternatively, SSH into the container using its IP address
Update the container:
apt update && apt upgrade -y
Creating Container Template
Just like VM templates, you can convert a configured LXC container into a template for rapid reuse.
Preparing the Container
Configure your container as desired (install packages, set configs)
Clean up the container:
apt clean && apt autoremove -y
Shut down the container from the web console or:
poweroff
 
Converting to a Template
Right-click the container in the web console
Select Convert to Template and confirm
 
Cloning a Container Template
Right-click the template, select Clone
Set a name and target storage for the clone
Click Clone
Before starting the clone, update the hostname and network settings if needed