The Schedule

This post lays out the schedule of works from now to a running Proxmox installation, and the broader milestones beyond that. Time is limited and deliberate, so the plan reflects reality rather than optimism.

Overview

Phase 1: Pre-build preparation (now through Tue 12 May)

Everything that can be done before the hardware goes together should be done before the hardware goes together. The build day itself is already a finite window. Arriving at it having made decisions, downloaded what needs downloading, and cleared a proper workspace makes the difference between a productive day and a frustrating one.

Before 13 May:

• Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO and write it to a USB drive
• Confirm BIOS update path for the ASUS ROG Strix B550-F and download if needed
• Review the ZFS pool design and decide on the layout before the drives are in the case
• Clear the workspace and have tools, cable ties, and thermal paste to hand
• Review the HBA driver situation for Proxmox ahead of time, not the moment it becomes a problem

Phase 2: Physical build (Wed 13 May)

One day. The Fractal Design Define 7 XL gives plenty of room to work, which helps, but eight drives, an HBA, and dual NIC still adds up to a meaningful amount of cable management.

The order of play:

1. Install CPU and cooler to motherboard before the board goes in the case
2. Install RAM
3. Mount motherboard
4. Install PSU
5. Install HBA in PCIe slot
6. Install GPU
7. Mount and connect the eight HDDs
8. Mount and connect the two SSDs
9. Install NVMe drives
10. Route and connect all power and data cables
11. Connect dual NIC
12. First power on, enter BIOS, verify all hardware is detected
13. Update BIOS if required, re-verify
14. Power off, tidy cables, close case

The BIOS verification step matters. Eight drives and an HBA is exactly the kind of configuration where one loose cable or one misconfigured slot stays invisible until Proxmox is installed and the pool will not assemble. Catching it in the BIOS costs ten minutes. Catching it later costs much more.

Phase 3: Proxmox installation and initial configuration (Thu 14 May through Sun 17 May)

The physical build and the OS installation are deliberately separated. The build day is long enough without adding software configuration to it. A clean break means starting the Proxmox work with a fresh head.

Target: Proxmox installed and base configuration complete by end of Sun 17 May.

Thu 14 May:

• Boot from USB, run Proxmox installer
• Configure networking during installation
• First login to web interface, verify all hardware visible
• Configure updates to use community repository

Fri 15 May:

• Configure storage: ZFS pool across the eight HDDs
• Configure SSD and NVMe for VM and container storage
• Set up UPS monitoring via APC NUT
• Configure email notifications for system alerts

Sat 16 May:

• Network configuration: VLANs, bridge interfaces
• Set up first LXC container as a test
• Configure backup destination
• Begin DNS and hostname planning for services

Sun 17 May:

• First VM, confirm GPU passthrough is viable for the GTX 1080
• System health check: temperatures, drive status, UPS communication
• Document the build state as-completed
• February is operational

Phase 4: Services and beyond (from Mon 18 May)

What comes after the 17th is a longer story, told in its own posts as it unfolds. The working principle remains LXC containers where possible, VMs where necessary, and patience about scope creep in the early weeks.

Flight stays operational throughout. There is no hard cutover date. Services migrate from Flight to February gradually, tested and confirmed before anything gets switched over. The two machines can run side by side for as long as that makes sense.

A schedule is a statement of intent, not a guarantee. If something takes longer than planned, the date moves. The only thing that does not move is the commitment to documenting what actually happened rather than what was supposed to.