Proxmox LXC template

Create Proxmox LXC Templates using Debian Appliance Builder (DAB)

Creates a Container Template

• Create Debian Templates: squeeze, wheezy, jessie
• Installs DAB
• Creates the template and makes it available to Proxmox
• Then you can create a container based on this template
• It should create Ubuntu Templates: trusty, vivid (but does not return from 'DAB Bootstrap' task)

Debian Jessie minimal Template features

• based on Debootstrap minimal install
• adds Python for use with Ansible for example
• removes Postfix to make room for an alternate mail server
• temporarily permits root login with password for easy initialisation
  • intended to receive proper SSHD settings and keys via Ansible
• small 117 MB compressed template
• consumes about 250 MB on disk for a running container

Requirements

Proxmox 4.0

Role Variables

variables for template creation

• lxctemplate_make: true (to create a template)

• lxctemplate_keepcached: true to keep the package cache directory

• lxctemplate_distro: squeeze debian-6.0, wheezy debian-7.0, jessie debian-8.0, ubuntu-trusty, ubuntu-vivid

• lxctemplate_bootstrap_options: use --minimal for the smallest possible image

• lxctemplate_install: additional packages to install in template (by default include python for ansible)

• lxctemplate_remove: packages to remove (by default removes postfix to make room for an alternate mail server)

• lxctemplate_builds: directory where templates are built

• lxctemplate_storage: the new template will be moved here (default is local storage)

• lxctemplate_dir: name of the working directory that has the DAB template files

This creates the dab.conf file (see man dab)

• lxctemplate_dab:
  • suite: choice of squeeze|wheezy|jessie|trusty|vivid
  • architecture: amd64 or i386
  • name: minimal or standard
  • version: a version number based on the OS (example for jessie 8.2-1)
  • maintainer: name and email of maintainer
  • infopage: link with more info about the template
  • description_short: example: Debian Jessie 8.2 (minimal)
  • description_extended: example: A minimal Debian Jessie system including all required and important packages.

variables for container creation

• lxctemplate_container: true (to create a container)
• lxctemplate_vmid: "1" to "255" Container VM id
• lxctemplate_hostname: hostname of the container
• lxctemplate_password: password of the container
• lxctemplate_description: the description of the container VM
• lxctemplate_storeon: where the container is stored (local is default; don't use local for ZFS)
• lxctemplate_file: filename of the container (Proxmox expects a specific file name format)

All defaults see defaults/main.yml

Example Playbook

    - hosts: servers
      vars_files:
      - vars/main.yml

      roles:
         - chriswayg.lxctemplate

vars/main.yml

## Example for Debian Squeeze:
lxctemplate_distro: debian-6.0
lxctemplate_dab:
  suite: squeeze
  architecture: amd64
  name: minimal
  version: 6.0-1
  maintainer: User <[email protected]>
  infopage: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Debian_Appliance_Builder
  description_short: Debian Squeeze (minimal)
  description_extended: A minimal Debian Squeeze system including all required and important packages.

## Example for Debian Wheezy:
lxctemplate_distro: debian-7.0
lxctemplate_dab:
  suite: wheezy
  architecture: amd64
  name: minimal
  version: 7.0-1
  maintainer: User <[email protected]>
  infopage: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Debian_Appliance_Builder
  description_short: Debian Wheezy (minimal)
  description_extended: A minimal Debian Wheezy system including all required and important packages.

## Example for Debian Jessie:
lxctemplate_distro: debian-8.0
lxctemplate_dab:
  suite: jessie
  architecture: amd64
  name: minimal
  version: 8.2-1
  maintainer: Christian Wagner <[email protected]>
  infopage: https://github.com/chriswayg/proxmox-templates/tree/master/debian-8.2-minimal-64
  description_short: Debian Jessie 8.2 (minimal)
  description_extended: A minimal Debian Jessie system including all required and important packages.

## Example for Ubuntu Trusty:
lxctemplate_distro: ubuntu-trusty
lxctemplate_dab:
  suite: trusty
  architecture: amd64
  name: minimal
  version: 14.04-1
  maintainer: User <[email protected]>
  infopage: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Debian_Appliance_Builder
  description_short: Ubuntu Trusty (minimal)
  description_extended: A minimal Ubuntu Trusty system including all required and important packages.

## Example for Ubuntu Vivid:
lxctemplate_distro: ubuntu-vivid
lxctemplate_dab:
  suite: vivid
  architecture: amd64
  name: minimal
  version: 15.04-1
  maintainer: User <[email protected]>
  infopage: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Debian_Appliance_Builder
  description_short: Ubuntu Vivid (minimal)
  description_extended: A minimal Ubuntu Vivid system including all required and important packages.

References

• Proxmox LXC templates
• Proxmox Linux Container
• Proxmox Debian Appliance Builder
• Proxmox Build your first DAB Appliance Template
• Git Repo of Proxmox Templates

License

GPLv2 or later