From single-node install to cluster?

[rungekutta]

Hi, first time poster, and new Proxmox user.

So I just migrated from ESXi and in the process created/moved 14 VMs and LXCs while at the same time moving to new hardware (Ryzen 5950x / 128GB RAM). My data store remains as before on a separate TrueNAS (bare metal), accessed by Proxmox via NFS. Homelab environment. All has gone well and I'm very happy with the power and flexibility of Proxmox, having spent a fair bit of time learning and setting it all up.

My next step was going to be looking at adding another node to create a a cluster, and here I realize that I may have messed up. Documentation seems to say you can't move a node to a cluster without losing all config - even the first one (that created the cluster in the first place)...? I don't fancy reconfiguring everything...

Did I understand this correctly, and if so, what are your thoughts on the easiest way from here to a cluster setup with 2 nodes?

Many thanks.

Edit: spelling

 

[steven99]

You can create a new cluster on existing setup but you can't join a cluster on existing IIRC. Though if you plan on using Ceph, you will need other drives to use as OSDs.

 

[rungekutta]

Ah, that’s great (and logical). So just to be very clear - I can keep all my current config including VMs/LXCs when I turn my current install into the first cluster node (by creating the cluster) - only subsequent nodes that join the cluster will get their config overwritten?

 

[rungekutta]

PS I won’t be using Ceph - will continue to use the same NAS and NFS even though it’s single point of failure.