Import Custom VMs to Proxmox VE

This section will walk you through importing your custom VMs from VMWare ESXi to Proxmox VE.

Note

In this example, the PVE server is host22. The ESXi host we are transferring VMs from is host10. You will connect directly to the ESXi host, NOT the vCenter Server.

Warning

You should import all Custom VMs to your Management Server ONLY! Distribution to the host servers comes from the management server.

Prepare ESXi VMs

Before importing VMs from ESXi, you MUST prepare them by installing qemu-guest-agent.

Critical Pre-Import Requirement

You MUST install qemu-guest-agent on your VMs BEFORE importing them to Proxmox VE.

While you can enable the guest agent setting in Proxmox after import (see “Set Options” section below), the guest agent software must be installed INSIDE the guest operating system while the VM is still running on ESXi, or immediately after import while the VM is running.

Without qemu-guest-agent:

  • VMs will NOT gracefully start up or shut down (risk of data corruption)

  • Memory usage will show >90% even when idle (memory ballooning fails)

  • VM performance and reliability will be severely impacted

Learn more: Proxmox QEMU Guest Agent documentation

Install qemu-guest-agent for your operating system:

For each VM you plan to import:

  1. Start the VM on ESXi

  2. Log into the guest operating system

  3. Install qemu-guest-agent according to your OS (see links above)

  4. Verify the guest agent service is running

  5. Shut down the VM cleanly before proceeding with import

Note

You can verify guest agent installation later in Proxmox by checking the “IPs” column in the VM list. If guest agent is working, you’ll see the VM’s IP addresses listed.

Setup ESXi datastore

Using your navigation panels, in the Resource Tree, navigate to Datacenter. In the Content Panel, select Storage.

Storage

Click the Add > ESXi.

Add > ESXi

In the Add: ESXi popup window, enter an ID in the ID field. This is temporary while importing VMs and will be removed when completed.

Enter the IP Address of your ESXi host server in the Server field.

Enter your username of your ESXi host server in the Username field.

Enter your password of your ESXi host server in the Password field.

Click the checkbox for the Skip Certificate Verification field.

Confirm the settings are correct and click the Add button.

Add: ESXi

To confirm connectivity, using your navigation panels, in the Resource Tree, navigate to Datacenter > host10. In the Content Panel, select Virtual Guests.

Virtual Guests

Confirm the VM(s) you plan to import are listed before continuing.

Import VM

In the Virtual Guests pane, select the VM you wish to import.

Click the Import button.

In the Import Guest popup, enter a unique ID in the VM ID field.

Adjust the Name field. (Some characters are not valid in Proxmox VE and are automatically omitted)

Set the CPU Type field to host.

Confirm the Default Storage field is set to NETLAB1.

Set the Default Bridge field to SAFETY_NET.

Import Guest

Click on the Advanced tab.

Set the SCSI Controller field to VirtIO SCSI single.

For each Network Interface, set the Model field to VirtIO (paravirtualized).

Confirm the settings are correct and click the Import button.

Advanced

Depending on the size of the VM and the network speed, this may take several minutes.

Post Import Settings

Using your navigation panels, in the Resource Tree, navigate to Datacenter > your_server > your_imported_vm. In the Content Panel, select Hardware.

Hardware

GUI VMs

Confirm the Processors has a minimum of 2 cores. If not, increase by clicking on Processors > Edit button and adjust.

Click on Display > Edit button.

In the Edit: Display popup window, set Graphic card field to SPICE.

Enter 32 in the Memory (MiB) field.

Click on the Advanced checkbox.

Set the Clipboard field to VNC.

Click the OK button.

Edit: Display

Modify Disks

Click on Hard Disk (scsi0) > Edit button.

In the Edit: Hard Disk (scsi0) popup window, click the checkbox for Discard and IO thread.

Click the OK button.

Edit: Hard Disk (scsi0)

Repeat these steps for each disk on the VM.

Set Options

In the Content Panel, select Options.

Click on QEMU Guest Agent > Edit button and adjust.

In the Edit: Qemu Agent popup window, click the checkbox for Use QEMU Guest Agent.

Click the checkbox for Run guest-trim after a disk move or VM migration.

Click the OK button.

Edit: Qemu Agent

Take Initial Snapshot

In the Content Panel, select Snapshots.

Click the Take Snapshot button.

Enter GOLDEN in the Name field.

Click the Take Snapshot button.

Create Snapshot

When the Task viewer popup shows TASK OK you can close the window.