Rename a Proxmox node #

Introduction #

Changing the hostname of a conventional Linux machine is pretty straightforward: Change the name in /etc/hosts and /etc/hostname, reboot, and you’re done.

If the host is a Proxmox node, the process is a little more complicated. In addition to /etc/hosts and /etc/hostname, you must update the names of a few directories used to store configuration and data for the node. If the node is in a cluster, you’ll also need to update your Corosync configuration or risk bringing your entire cluster down.

This page has instructions for both renaming a standalone node and renaming a node in a cluster.

Instructions #

Rename a standalone node #

Access the node’s console via SSH or the Proxmox web GUI.
If needed, log in as root:
```
$ sudo su
```
Update the hostname in /etc/hosts and /etc/hostname.

Create a new directory for time series data related to the node:

$ mkdir /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-node/<new-name>
$ cp -p /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-node/<old-name> /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-node/<new-name>

Create a new directory for time series data related to the node’s storage:

$ mkdir /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-storage/<new-name>
$ cp -p /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-storage/<old-name>/* /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-storage/<new-name>

Create a new directory for qemu-server config files:

$ mkdir -p /etc/pve/nodes/<new-name>/qemu-server
$ mv /etc/pve/nodes/<old-name>/qemu-server/* /etc/pve/nodes/<new-name>/qemu-server

Remove the directories that reflect the old node name:

$ rm -Rf /etc/pve/nodes/<old-name>
$ rm -Rf /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-node/<old-name>
$ rm -Rf /var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-storage/<old-name>

Reboot the node:
```
$ reboot
```

Rename a node in a cluster #

If your node is in an active cluster, you’ll also have to stop Corosync, force pmxcfs into local mode, and update the Corosync configuration.

Follow steps one through seven of Rename a standalone node.
Stop the cluster and force local mode so you can update the cluster configuration:
```
$ systemctl stop pve-cluster
$ systemctl stop corosync
$ pmxcfs -l
```

Create a copy of corosync.conf:

$ cp /etc/pve/corosync.conf /etc/pve/corosync.conf.new

Update the following in /etc/pve/corosync.conf.new:
- The node’s name
- The config_version, incrementing it by 1

Create another copy of corosync.conf as a backup:

$ cp /etc/pve/corosync.conf /etc/pve/corosync.conf.bak

Restart the cluster:

$ killall pmxcfs
$ systemctl start pve-cluster