Step 1: Create the LXC Container in Proxmox

1. Log into Proxmox VE web UI (https://your-proxmox-ip:8006).
2. Click Datacenter > your-node > Storage > local (or your ZFS pool if using a dataset for CTs).
3. Download a template: Click CT Templates > Templates, search for "Ubuntu 24.04 standard" (Ente recommends Ubuntu; Debian 12 works too). Download it.
4. Click Create CT (top-right).
   • General: Hostname (e.g., "ente-server"), Password (strong root pw).
   • Template: Select the Ubuntu 24.04 template.
   • Root Disk: Size 500GB+ (on your ZFS pool for efficiency).
   • CPU: 4 cores.
   • Memory: 8192MB (8GB).
   • Network: Bridge (vmbr0), static IPv4 (e.g., 192.168.1.100/24), Gateway (your router IP). No IPv6 unless needed.
   • DNS: Use host settings.
   • Confirm: Check "Start after created."
5. Start the CT, open Console, and log in as root.
6. Update the system: apt update && apt upgrade -y && apt install sudo curl git -y.
7. Create a non-root user (e.g., "enteadmin"): adduser enteadmin && usermod -aG sudo enteadmin.
8. Switch to new user: su - enteadmin (use sudo for root tasks hereafter).

Step 2: Install Dependencies

In the LXC console (as enteadmin):

1. Install base tools: sudo apt install -y build-essential pkg-config libssl-dev postgresql postgresql-contrib golang-go nodejs npm yarn minio.
   • Go (for server/CLI): If version <1.22, install latest: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:longsleep/golang-backports && sudo apt update && sudo apt install golang-go.
   • Node.js (for web apps): Ensure v20+: sudo npm install -g n && sudo n stable.
   • Enable corepack for Yarn: corepack enable.
2. Set up PostgreSQL:
   • Start service: sudo systemctl start postgresql && sudo systemctl enable postgresql.
   • Create DB/user: sudo -u postgres psql

     CREATE DATABASE ente_db;
     CREATE USER ente WITH PASSWORD 'strongpassword';
     ALTER USER ente WITH SUPERUSER;
     GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE ente_db TO ente;
     \q
     

3. Set up MinIO (local S3 storage):
   • Create data dir: mkdir ~/minio-data.
   • Run MinIO: minio server ~/minio-data --console-address ":9001" & (test; later systemd).
   • Access console at http://lxc-ip:9001, create access key/secret (e.g., key: minioadmin, secret: miniopass).
   • Create bucket: Use mc CLI (sudo apt install minio-client), mc alias set local http://127.0.0.1:9000 minioadmin miniopass, mc mb local/ente-bucket.

Step 3: Build and Configure Ente Services

Ente has a monorepo. Build the server (Go) and web apps (Node).

1. Clone repo: git clone https://github.com/ente-io/ente.git && cd ente/server.
2. Configure:
   • Create credentials.yaml (for admin OTP/email):

     admins:
     - youradmin@email.com
     otp: 123456  # Temporary; change after setup
     

   • Create museum.yaml (config; adjust paths):

     db:
       host: localhost
       port: 5432
       name: ente_db
       user: ente
       password: strongpassword
     s3:
       are_local_buckets: true
       use_path_style_urls: true
       local:
         key: minioadmin
         secret: miniopass
         endpoint: http://127.0.0.1:9000
         region: us-east-1
         bucket: ente-bucket
     internal:
       disable-registration: false  # Allow signups
     

3. Build server: go build -o museum ./cmd/museum.
4. Run server (test): ./museum -c museum.yaml (runs on port 8080).
5. Build web apps (in ../web):
   • cd ../web/apps/photos && yarn install && yarn build.
   • Repeat for accounts, auth, cast if needed (Photos is main).
   • Serve web statically (later with Caddy).

For production, use systemd for services.

• Create /etc/systemd/system/ente-museum.service:

  [Unit]
  Description=Ente Museum Server
  After=network.target postgresql.service
  
  [Service]
  User=enteadmin
  WorkingDirectory=/home/enteadmin/ente/server
  ExecStart=/home/enteadmin/ente/server/museum -c museum.yaml
  Restart=always
  
  [Install]
  WantedBy=multi-user.target
  

• Similarly for MinIO, PostgreSQL (already enabled), and web (use Caddy to serve builds).

Reload: sudo systemctl daemon-reload && sudo systemctl enable ente-museum && sudo systemctl start ente-museum.

Step 4: Set Up Caddy Reverse Proxy

1. Install Caddy: sudo apt install -y debian-keyring debian-archive-keyring apt-transport-https curl && curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/gpg.key' | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/caddy-stable-archive-keyring.gpg && curl -1sLf 'https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/caddy/stable/debian.deb.txt' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/caddy-stable.list && sudo apt update && sudo apt install caddy.
2. Configure /etc/caddy/Caddyfile:

   yourdomain.duckdns.org {
       reverse_proxy /api/* http://localhost:8080  # API
       file_server / {
           root /home/enteadmin/ente/web/apps/photos/dist  # Web build dir
       }
       tls {
           dns duckdns your-duckdns-token  # For DNS-01 challenge (get token from DuckDNS)
       }
   }
   

3. Reload: sudo systemctl reload caddy.
4. DuckDNS updater: Create script ~/update-duckdns.sh: curl "https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=yourdomain&token=your-token&ip=". Cron: crontab -e, add */5 * * * * ~/update-duckdns.sh.

Port forward 80/443 on router to LXC IP.

Step 5: User Management and Quotas

1. Install Ente CLI: go install github.com/ente-io/ente/cli/cmd/ente@latest.
2. Make yourself admin: ente admin make-admin youradmin@email.com.
3. For each user (after they sign up via app at https://yourdomain.duckdns.org):
   • Set quota: ente admin update-subscription --user-email user@email.com --storage 107374182400 --validity infinite (100GB in bytes). (For infinite, use --validity -1; adjust as needed).

Step 6: Final Setup and Testing

• Access web: https://yourdomain.duckdns.org (sign up as admin first).
• Apps: Download Ente Photos app, set custom endpoint to your domain.
• Move server: Update DuckDNS IP, restart Caddy if cert fails (it auto-renews).
• Monitor: Use top/htop for resources; expand LXC if needed via Proxmox UI.
• Backup: Snapshot LXC in Proxmox; backup DB (pg_dump) and MinIO data.

ALSO:

Follow the instructions at https://help.ente.io/self-hosting/installation/manual as well, as to make sure these steps worked as detailed.

This was completed on a ubuntu version 24.04 LXC running inside of proxmox ve v8.4 This was run on a HP ProLiant DL380 Gen 7, running non-hardware-based Proxmox ZFS in Raid10 with x6 600GB HDDs.