Able to ditch costly licenses and complicated setups? Platform9 simply dropped one thing big: the Platform9 Personal Cloud Director (PCD) Neighborhood Version—and it’s free without end.
This isn’t a crippled demo or a 30-day trial. You’re getting full-featured, enterprise-grade virtualization with no cut-off dates. When you’ve received a homelab, dev atmosphere, otherwise you simply wish to attempt the perfect VMware different on the market—that is your second.
Let’s break down what it’s and the right way to run it in minutes.
It’s a community-supported, single-region model of Platform9’s Personal Cloud Director. You get the identical trendy personal cloud tech that powers large-scale enterprise virtualization—simply with out the value tag.
Right here’s what you get out of the field:
- VM Excessive Availability
- Dwell Migration
- Dynamic Useful resource Balancing
- Software program-Outlined Networking
- Works along with your current x86 {hardware}
- No lock-in, no licenses, no nonsense
It’s an enormous win for:
- Dev/take a look at labs
- Homelabs
- POCs or sandboxing production-like environments
Why Ought to You Care?
As a result of legacy virtualization instruments are getting costlier, extra bloated, and fewer developer-friendly. PCD Neighborhood Version flips that script.
You’ll be operating VMs with cloud-native UX, on the spot scalability, and self-service provisioning—with out the complexity.
Additionally Learn: Platform9 Introduces Associate Program to Speed up VMware Migration
What You Must Get Began
Earlier than you soar in, right here’s the gear you’ll want.
Minimal Necessities:
- 12 CPUs (16 beneficial)
- 32GB RAM
- 50GB disk house (100GB most popular)
- Ubuntu 22.04 AMD64 picture
- Virtualization enabled in BIOS (particularly in the event you’re utilizing nested virtualization)
When you’ve received an honest lab server or a mid-tier workstation, you’re good to go.
On Linux/macOS? Tremendous easy
Open a terminal and run:
curl -sfL https://go.pcd.run | bashThe script handles all the things—downloads, dependencies, deployment. As soon as it finishes, it’ll present:
- A completely certified area identify (FQDN)
- Admin login credentials
When you’re not utilizing DNS, add the next to your /and so on/hosts file:
echo " pcd-community.pf9.io" | sudo tee -a /and so on/hosts
echo " pcd.pf9.io" | sudo tee -a /and so on/hostsAs soon as the set up finishes, hearth up your browser on the identical machine and head to:
https://pcd-community.pf9.io
When you added guide DNS entries, it’ll resolve simply high quality. Because the Neighborhood Version makes use of self-signed certs, your browser would possibly complain—simply settle for the warning and proceed.
Depart the default area as-is, click on “Use native credentials” within the prime proper, and log in with the admin username and password proven on the finish of the set up.
Picture: Due to Platform9
On Home windows? We’ve received you too.
Open Notepad as Administrator, then open this file:
C:WindowsSystem32driversetchostsScroll to the underside and add these two traces—simply change with the IP handle of your Neighborhood Version host:
pcd-community.pf9.io
pcd.pf9.io
Save and shut the file. That’s it—your machine can now resolve the PCD UI.
Additionally Learn: 5 Finest Trendy Virtualization Options of 2024
Entry the UI
Identical deal on Home windows: go to https://pcd-community.pf9.io, settle for the cert, log in utilizing the credentials offered after set up.
Subsequent Steps: Set It Up Your Approach
1. Change Your Admin Password
Click on your profile → Admin Settings → Replace credentials. Simple.
Picture: Due to Platform9
2. Create a Virtualized Cluster
Outline your blueprint and add your hypervisor nodes. Comply with this information to do it proper.
3. Launch Your First VM
Decide a picture, assign sources, and spin it up! Full steps are right here.
You’re not by yourself. The Platform9 crew hangs out on Reddit. Docs are all the time updated at:
https://platform9.com/docs/private-cloud-director
Ask, discover, construct, and share.
Why This Issues
Platform9 simply lowered the bar for personal cloud. Now anybody can construct one—with out finances approvals or vendor contracts.
Whether or not you’re a homelabber, a VMware refugee, or simply bored with clunky instruments, PCD Neighborhood Version is your new playground.
Attempt it now. It’s free. It’s full-featured. And it simply works.