Creating an Ubuntu 25.04 Cloud Template in Proxmox

Setting up cloud-init templates in Proxmox can significantly streamline your VM deployment process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to create an Ubuntu 25.04 cloud template that you can clone and customize quickly.

Prerequisites

  • Proxmox VE environment
  • Access to the Proxmox command line interface
  • Basic familiarity with Proxmox VM management

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Download the Ubuntu Cloud Image

First, download the Ubuntu 25.04 cloud image from the official repository:

# Navigate to the ISO directory
cd /var/lib/vz/template/iso/

# Download the Ubuntu 25.04 cloud image
wget https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/plucky/current/plucky-server-cloudimg-amd64.img

Note: The cloud image will be stored in /var/lib/vz/template/iso/ when downloaded directly on your Proxmox host.

2. Create the Base VM

Create a new VM with the following specifications:

qm create 9001 --memory 4096 --cores 4 --name ubuntu-25.04 --net0 virtio,bridge=vmbr0

This command creates:

  • VM ID: 9001
  • Memory: 4GB RAM
  • CPU: 4 cores
  • Network: VirtIO adapter on default bridge

3. Import and Configure the Disk

Import the downloaded cloud image as a disk:

qm importdisk 9001 plucky-server-cloudimg-amd64.img local

Configure the imported disk:

qm set 9001 --scsihw virtio-scsi-pci --scsi0 local:9001/vm-9001-disk-0.raw

4. Set Up Cloud-Init

Create the Cloud-Init drive:

qm set 9001 --ide2 local:cloudinit

5. Configure Boot Settings

Make the SCSI disk bootable:

qm set 9001 --boot c --bootdisk scsi0

6. Add Serial Console Support

Enable serial console for better troubleshooting:

qm set 9001 --serial0 socket --vga serial0

7. Create the Template

Important: Do not boot the VM before creating the template!

  1. In the Proxmox web interface, navigate to your VM (ID: 9001)
  2. Right-click on the VM and select “Convert to template”
  3. Confirm the conversion

Using Your Template

Once created, you can:

  • Clone the template to create new VMs
  • Customize each clone with Cloud-Init settings (SSH keys, user accounts, network configuration)
  • Deploy multiple instances quickly with consistent configurations

Additional Configuration

After cloning from the template, configure Cloud-Init settings in the Proxmox UI:

  • Set user credentials
  • Add SSH public keys
  • Configure network settings
  • Set hostname and domain

References

This template approach saves significant time when deploying multiple Ubuntu instances and ensures consistency across your infrastructure.