qm-cloudinit-dump

Generate a cloudinit file for a specific configuration type

$ qm [[clou|cloudinit]] [[d|dump]] [virtual_machine_id] [meta|network|user]

qm-cloudinit-dump <vmid>

<vmid>
    The unique numerical identifier of the virtual machine or container for which the cloud-init configuration should be dumped.

qm-cloudinit-dump is a utility command provided by Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE) as part of its management toolkit.

Its primary function is to retrieve and display the user-data configuration that has been generated or set for a specific virtual machine (VM) or container (CT) using Proxmox's integrated cloud-init functionality.

Cloud-init is an industry-standard mechanism for cross-platform cloud instance initialization. Proxmox leverages it to automate initial setup tasks such as setting hostnames, configuring network interfaces, injecting SSH keys, and executing custom scripts during the first boot of a VM or CT.

This command is invaluable for administrators to verify precisely what user-data cloud-init will consume on the guest. This aids significantly in troubleshooting cloud-init related issues or validating that the intended configuration is being passed to the VM/CT upon its first boot.

The output typically presents the user-data in a human-readable format, usually YAML, reflecting the settings configured either through the Proxmox web UI or via command-line tools like qm set.

This command requires the VM or container specified by <vmid> to exist and have cloud-init enabled or previously configured.

It only dumps the user-data that Proxmox itself generates or stores for cloud-init. It does not interact with the running guest OS or show what cloud-init has actually executed or consumed inside the VM/CT.

The output format is typically YAML.

Execution usually requires root privileges or sudo access on the Proxmox host.

The output produced by qm-cloudinit-dump is standard cloud-init user-data, typically presented in YAML format. This format is widely recognized and can be easily parsed by other tools or used for documentation and verification purposes.

While not a configuration tool itself, qm-cloudinit-dump serves as an essential diagnostic utility. It helps Proxmox administrators quickly ascertain the exact cloud-init configuration that Proxmox intends to provide to a guest, which is crucial for debugging provisioning failures or unexpected guest behavior.

qm-cloudinit-dump emerged as part of the Proxmox Virtual Environment suite, developed in conjunction with PVE's enhanced cloud-init integration features. This integration became a more prominent and stable feature in Proxmox VE versions 5.x and 6.x onwards, aiming to streamline and automate the deployment and initial configuration of virtual machines and containers.

qm(1), pct(1), cloud-init(1), cloud-init-config(5)