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Enterprise-Grade Home Lab: Multi-Tenant Network Simulation with Proxmox

Proxmox

Having fun with Proxmox

Company: Personal Project

Architected a Proxmox-based home lab utilizing Software Defined Networking (VNETs) to simulate complex, multi-subnet enterprise environments for testing high-availability clusters and network security protocols.

The Vision

To stay ahead of the curve, I designed and deployed a high-availability virtual laboratory. The goal was to move beyond simple virtualization and create a production-mimic environment where I could safely test complex deployments, security protocols, and network architectures.

The Architecture: Proxmox VE

I chose Proxmox Virtual Environment as the backbone for this project due to its robust KVM and LXC capabilities. This setup allows for:

  • Rapid Deployment: Using templates and linked clones to spin up testing environments in seconds.

  • Resource Management: Fine-tuning CPU pinning and memory ballooning to maximize hardware efficiency.

  • Storage Optimization: Utilizing ZFS for snapshots, allowing for "fail-fast" experimentation—if a configuration breaks, I can roll back the entire state instantly.

Advanced Networking: VNETS & Subnetting

A true lab isn't just about servers; it’s about how they talk. I implemented SDN (Software Defined Networking) within Proxmox to create a multi-zone environment:

  • VNET Implementation: Created isolated virtual networks to simulate different geographic branches or departmental silos.

  • VLAN Tagging & Routing: Mastered complex networking concepts by routing traffic between subnets, simulating real-world firewall rules and traffic flow.

  • Scalability: The architecture is designed to scale from a single node to a clustered environment without reconfiguring the core network logic.

Key Expertise Demonstrated

  • Hypervisor Management: Proxmox VE, KVM, LXC.

  • SDN & Virtual Networking: VNETs, Linux Bridges, VLANs, and Subnetting.

  • Systems Administration: Linux/Unix environment configuration and hardware resource allocation.

  • DevOps Mindset: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) readiness and rapid prototyping.