View source for Renaming a PVE node

== Introduction ==

Proxmox VE uses the ''hostname'' as a nodes name, so changing it works similar to changing the host name.
This must be done on a empty node.

== Change Hostname ==

Rename a standalone PVE host, you '''need''' to edit the following files:
* /etc/hosts
* /etc/hostname

You can use pre-installed editor like <code>nano</code> (easy) or <code>vi</code> (advanced), for example:

 nano /etc/hosts

In the above files replace all occurrences of the ''old name'' with the '''new one'''. Ensure that <tt>/etc/hosts</tt> has an entry with the hostname mapped to the IP you want to use as main IP address for this node.

There are other files which you may want to edit, they are not important for the functions of Proxmox VE itself.
* /etc/mailname
* /etc/postfix/main.cf

If your node is in a cluster, where it is not recommended to change its name, adapt <tt>/etc/pve/corosync.conf</tt> so that the nodes name is changed also there.
See https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/chapter-pvecm.html#pvecm_edit_corosync_conf

== Cleanup ==

The SSH keys don't need to be edited unless you really want to (and if you do, make sure you make the corresponding change on every other machine that SSH public key appears on).

Now move the configuration files, as the ''pmxcfs'' has a few restrictions to ensure consistency you cannot rename non empty folders. Thus if you have VMs or Containers on the node, which is not recommended when changing a nodes name, you have to recreate the folder structure and copy files per folder level.

Also copy the contents of <tt>/var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-{node,storage}/''old-hostname''</tt> to <tt>/var/lib/rrdcached/db/pve2-{node,storage}/''new-hostname''</tt> and remove the old directory.

== References ==

* [https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-node-name-change.14327/ Forum Post]

[[Category: HOWTO]]