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Sites

A site is the top-level organizational unit that groups Proxmox nodes, defines network configuration, and manages container networking. You must create at least one site before adding nodes or deploying containers.

What is a Site?​

A site represents a physical or logical cluster location with its own:

  • Network subnet and DHCP configuration
  • Proxmox node(s)
  • Container deployments
  • External domain mappings

Sites enable you to manage multiple independent Proxmox clusters from a single management interface.

Site Properties​

When creating a site, you must configure:

Basic Information​

  • Display Name: A human-readable name for the site (e.g., "Production Cluster", "Development Lab")

Network Configuration​

  • Internal Domain Name: The DNS domain for the cluster's internal network

    • Recommended: cluster.yourdomain.tld
    • If you don't own a domain, use IANA-defined local domains like .internal, .local, or .home.arpa

  • DHCP Range: The IP address range for automatic container assignment

    • Must be within the site's subnet
    • Format: 192.168.1.100-192.168.1.200

  • Subnet Mask: The network subnet mask (e.g., 255.255.255.0 or /24)

  • Gateway IP: The default gateway for the network (typically your router)

  • DNS Forwarders: Upstream DNS servers for resolving external domains

    • Can specify multiple servers separated by commas
    • Example: 8.8.8.8,1.1.1.1

Creating a Site​

Follow these steps to create your first site:

1. Access Site Management​

  1. Log in to the administration interface
  2. Navigate to Sites in the main menu
  3. Click Create New Site

2. Configure Basic Settings​

  1. Enter a descriptive Display Name
  2. Set your Internal Domain Name (e.g., cluster.example.internal)
Domain Selection

If you own a domain, using a subdomain like cluster.yourdomain.tld allows you to create valid SSL certificates. For purely internal deployments, .internal is recommended per RFC 8375.

3. Configure Networking​

Configure the network settings based on your infrastructure:

Example Configuration:

DHCP Range: 192.168.100.100-192.168.100.200
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0 (or /24)
Gateway IP: 192.168.100.1
DNS Forwarders: 8.8.8.8,1.1.1.1
Network Isolation

Ensure the DHCP range does not conflict with:

  • Static IPs assigned to Proxmox nodes
  • The management container's IP address
  • Any other static infrastructure devices

4. Save and Verify​

  1. Click Save to create the site
  2. Verify the site appears in the sites list
  3. Check that network settings are correct

DHCP and IP Management​

The cluster management system handles DHCP for containers automatically:

  • When a user creates a container, an IP is automatically assigned from the DHCP range
  • IP assignments are tracked to prevent conflicts
  • Containers receive DNS configuration pointing to the internal DNS server
  • The gateway and subnet mask are automatically applied

Static IP Addresses​

While containers typically use DHCP, you can configure static IPs outside the DHCP range for:

  • Load balancers
  • Database servers
  • Other infrastructure components requiring fixed addresses

DNS Configuration​

The internal DNS server provides:

  • Name resolution for containers within the site: container-name.cluster.example.internal
  • Forwarding for external domains to the configured DNS forwarders
  • Automatic DNS record creation when containers are deployed

Multiple Sites​

You can create multiple sites to manage separate clusters:

  • Geographical separation: Different physical locations
  • Environment separation: Production vs. Development vs. Testing
  • Network isolation: Different security zones or network segments

Each site operates independently with its own:

  • Network configuration
  • Nodes and containers
  • External domain mappings

Next Steps​

After creating a site:

  1. External Domains: Configure domains for exposing HTTP services (optional)
  2. Nodes: Import your Proxmox nodes into the site
  3. Containers: Begin deploying containers on your nodes

Troubleshooting​

DHCP Range Exhausted​

If you run out of DHCP addresses:

  1. Edit the site configuration
  2. Expand the DHCP range (ensure no conflicts)
  3. Save changes

DNS Resolution Issues​

If containers can't resolve external domains:

  • Verify DNS forwarders are reachable from the Proxmox nodes
  • Test DNS resolution: dig @8.8.8.8 google.com
  • Check that the internal DNS server is running

Gateway Unreachable​

If containers can't reach the internet:

  • Verify the gateway IP is correct
  • Ensure Proxmox nodes can reach the gateway
  • Check firewall rules on the gateway device