How to Create a Proxmox Cluster
Build a Proxmox cluster with pvecm: create and join nodes, understand corosync and quorum, set up shared storage, live-migrate VMs, and add a QDevice for two nodes.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 28, 2026 9 min read
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Sysadmin Desk
Infrastructure & Cloud
Hands-on guidance for infrastructure, virtualization, and containers — Hyper-V, VMware, Docker, and the day-to-day operations work that keeps environments running.
26 guides
Hyper-V Generation 1 vs Generation 2 VM: Which Should You Use?
Hyper-V asks you to pick Generation 1 or Generation 2 when you create a VM, and you can't change it later. Here's how the two differ and which to choose.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 27, 2026 8 min read
How to Run WordPress with Docker Compose
Run WordPress with Docker Compose: a working wordpress + MySQL stack with named volumes for persistence, env vars, ports, a reverse proxy note, and backups.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 26, 2026 8 min read
How to Fix the Proxmox Local-LVM Full Issue
Fix a full Proxmox local-lvm: see why the thin pool fills, check usage with lvs and df, delete unused disks and snapshots, move storage, and stop it recurring.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 21, 2026 10 min read
How to Fix VirtualBox VM Running Very Slow on Windows 11
VirtualBox crawling on Windows 11? Hyper-V, Memory Integrity, and WSL2 steal VT-x. Learn what to disable, how to allocate resources, and enable nested paging.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 20, 2026 8 min read
How to Back Up Docker Volumes
Back up Docker named volumes the reliable way: tar a volume via a temp container, restore it, dump databases properly, schedule it, and move data between hosts.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 19, 2026 8 min read
How to Migrate VMware VMs to Proxmox VE
Move VMware VMs to Proxmox: export OVF/VMDK, import with qm importovf and importdisk, convert VMDK to qcow2, fix VirtIO drivers, and boot the migrated guest.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 14, 2026 8 min read
How to Merge Hyper-V AVHDX Checkpoint Files
Stuck with orphaned AVHDX files after a failed backup or checkpoint? Learn what AVHDX is and two safe ways to merge the chain back into your VHDX without data loss.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 13, 2026 8 min read
How to Fix Cannot Connect to the Docker Daemon
Fix the 'Cannot connect to the Docker daemon' error: check the service is running, fix socket permissions, start Docker Desktop, and verify DOCKER_HOST.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 12, 2026 8 min read
How to Back Up and Restore Proxmox VMs
Back up and restore Proxmox VMs with vzdump: snapshot vs suspend vs stop modes, scheduled jobs, storage targets, restoring to a new VMID, and retention rules.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 7, 2026 9 min read
How to Fix Hyper-V Checkpoint Failed
Hyper-V checkpoint failed? Fix it by checking disk space, VHDX permissions, VSS writers, and production vs standard checkpoints — with the AVHDX chain explained.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 6, 2026 8 min read
How to Install Docker Desktop on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Install Docker Desktop on Windows 10 or 11 with the WSL2 backend: enable virtualization, run the installer, verify, and fix the common setup errors.
Sysadmin Desk Jul 5, 2026 8 min read
Proxmox LVM vs LVM-Thin vs ZFS: Which Storage Should You Use?
Compare Proxmox storage options: LVM, LVM-Thin, and ZFS. How each handles thin provisioning, snapshots, RAM/ARC use, and performance, plus which to pick for your setup.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 29, 2026 7 min read
How to Install Windows 11 in VirtualBox
Install Windows 11 in VirtualBox the right way: enable TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot in EFI, set VM specs, mount the ISO, handle the requirement bypass, and add Guest Additions.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 28, 2026 7 min read
How to Run an Nginx Reverse Proxy with Docker
Set up an Nginx reverse proxy with Docker Compose: route multiple apps on one host, configure proxy_pass, use Docker networks, and add TLS.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 27, 2026 9 min read
How to Configure the Proxmox Network Bridge vmbr0
Understand and configure vmbr0, the Proxmox Linux bridge: how it works, editing /etc/network/interfaces, attaching VMs, adding a second bridge, and fixing no-internet issues.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 22, 2026 8 min read
VMware Snapshots Explained: Why They Are Not Backups
How VMware snapshots and delta disks really work, why they grow and slow your VMs, the 72-hour rule, and why a snapshot is not a backup. Practical guidance.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 21, 2026 7 min read
Docker Volumes Explained: Bind Mount vs Named Volume
Bind mount vs named volume in Docker: how they differ, when to use each, where data lives, permissions, backups, and the down -v data-loss trap.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 20, 2026 9 min read
Pillar Guide
Proxmox VE vs VMware ESXi: Which One Should You Use?
An honest Proxmox VE vs VMware ESXi comparison after the Broadcom changes: licensing and cost, features, clustering, backup, hardware support, and who each one fits.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 15, 2026 7 min read
How to Fix Hyper-V Virtual Machine Has No Internet
Hyper-V VM has no internet? Work through the virtual switch type, NAT setup, VM adapter, host firewall, and DNS to get your guest back online for good.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 14, 2026 8 min read
How to Fix Docker Error: Port Is Already Allocated
Fix the Docker 'port is already allocated' error: find what's using the port with docker ps, ss, and lsof, then free it or change the mapping.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 13, 2026 8 min read
Pillar Guide
How to Install Proxmox VE on a Bare Metal Server
Install Proxmox VE on a physical server from scratch: write the ISO to USB, boot the installer, pick ext4 or ZFS, set the network, and reach the web GUI on port 8006.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 8, 2026 10 min read
How to Create an External Virtual Switch in Hyper-V
Create an external virtual switch in Hyper-V the right way. Switch types compared, Hyper-V Manager and New-VMSwitch steps, and how to avoid losing host network.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 7, 2026 8 min read
Pillar Guide
How to Install Docker on Ubuntu Server Step by Step
Install Docker on Ubuntu Server the right way: add the official apt repo and GPG key, install docker-ce plus the Compose plugin, and verify it works.
Sysadmin Desk Jun 6, 2026 9 min read
Pillar Guide
Docker Compose Beginner Guide: Run Multiple Containers with One File
Learn Docker Compose from scratch: write one YAML file to run multiple containers, with a working WordPress + MySQL example and the core up/down commands.
Sysadmin Desk May 26, 2026 10 min read
How to Fix VirtualBox VT-x Is Not Available (Conflict with Hyper-V)
VirtualBox says VT-x is not available (VERR_VMX_NO_VMX)? Here's how to free your CPU virtualization from Hyper-V, Memory Integrity, and WSL2 — and fix it for good.
Sysadmin Desk May 24, 2026 11 min read