Before you start
- A working Proxmox host.
- A Debian ISO uploaded to local storage.
- A reserved IP or DHCP reservation ready for the VM.
- A place to store notes outside the VM.
Suggested VM settings
| Setting | Starter value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 cores | Enough for light services and updates |
| Memory | 2-4 GB | Small but usable for admin tooling |
| Disk | 32-64 GB | Room for packages, logs, and a few containers later |
| Network | VirtIO bridge | Simple, fast, and standard for Proxmox VMs |
Baseline commands
After Debian is installed and you can SSH in, run a small baseline pass.
sudo apt update
sudo apt -y upgrade
sudo apt -y install curl git vim htop qemu-guest-agent unattended-upgrades
sudo systemctl enable --now qemu-guest-agent
sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/New_YorkDocument it
Save this outside the VM, even if it is just a markdown note at first.
Name: utility-vm
Purpose: admin tools, monitoring experiments, documentation
IP address:
Proxmox node:
Backup schedule:
Important ports:
Restore notes:Validation checklist
- Reboot the VM and confirm SSH returns.
- Confirm the Proxmox summary shows the guest agent IP.
- Create one Proxmox snapshot before installing extra services.
- Run one backup job and confirm it appears in your backup target.