Clustering

A Proxmox cluster groups multiple Proxmox nodes together, enabling centralized management, live migration (moving VMs between nodes), and high availability. When second node is connected to a cluster, it will assume primary cluster roles and authentication.

Pre Requisites:

• All nodes must be running the same or compatible version of Proxmox VE
  
• All nodes must be able to communicate over the network (low latency preferred)
  
• Odd number of nodes recommended (3+) for quorum
  
• Shared storage is recommended (but not required for basic clustering) for High Availability

Note: Creating a cluster on an existing node will reset some configurations. Set up clustering before deploying production VMs.

Creating the Cluster on Primary Node

1. On the primary node, go to Datacenter > Cluster
2. Click Create Cluster
3. Enter a Cluster Name (e.g., homelab-cluster)
4. Set the Cluster Network (the network ring used for cluster communication)
5. Click Create
6. Click Join Information and copy the join token

Adding Additional Nodes

1. Log into the second Proxmox node's web console
2. Go to Datacenter > Cluster
3. Click Join Cluster
4. Paste the join information from the first node
5. Enter the root password of the first node when prompted
6. Click Join — the node joins the cluster

Afterr joining, all nodes appear in the left panel of any node's web console. You can manage all VMs and containers across all nodes from a single interface.

Live Migration

1. Right-click a VM on any node
2. Select Migrate
3. Choose the target node
4. Click Migrate — the VM moves to the other node (live, with minimal interruption if using shared storage)