I started setting up FreeBSD cloud-init images and Proxmox the other day, and I have to say it’s a whole different experience than it was 15 years ago. Back then, updating BSD systems often felt like wrestling a bear. Today, with cloud-init integration, it’s refreshingly smooth and automated. For long time BSD lovers, this evolution feels like a big win.
Why Cloud-Init Images Matters for BSD
Cloud-init is the industry standard for initializing cloud servers across providers like AWS, Azure, and OpenStack. It automates all those tedious post-install steps It is also completely integrated into Proxmox:
- Setting up users and SSH keys
- Running first-boot scripts
- Installing packages
- Configuring networking
With BSD distributions adopting cloud-init images, deploying a VM is no longer a manual grind. You can spin up a FreeBSD server in minutes, pre-configured exactly how you want it.
The BSD Cloud-Init Lineup on ARPHost
- OpenBSD
- FreeBSD
- DragonFly BSD
- NetBSD
Now, whether you’re a diehard OpenBSD security fan, a FreeBSD power user, or just experimenting with NetBSD or DragonFly, you can auto deploy VMs without headaches at arphost.com.
My Experience with FreeBSD Cloud-Init
When I installed FreeBSD on proxmox the first time there was no cloud-init, the difference from 15 years ago was night and day. Instead of:
- Manually configuring everything
- Wrestling with networking scripts
- Compiling packages by hand
I was able to drop in my cloud-init YAML, and FreeBSD handled the rest. SSH keys? Done. User accounts? Ready. Packages? Installed at boot. It just worked.
Why This Is a Big Deal
For businesses and homelabbers alike, this shift unlocks new possibilities:
- Faster Deployments – Roll out BSD based infrastructure in minutes.
- Consistency – Every VM boots into a predictable, pre-configured state.
- Scalability – Great for managed services, clusters, and test environments.
It also brings BSD further into the modern DevOps workflow, where automation and repeatability are non negotiable.
Final Thoughts
FreeBSD may be decades old, but it’s keeping up with modern infrastructure needs. Setting up cloud-init images felt almost surreal compared to the manual, painstaking installs I cut my teeth on 30 years ago.
For BSD enthusiasts, this is more than a convenience, it’s a bridge between tradition and modern cloud native practices. If you haven’t tried deploying a FreeBSD cloud-init image yet, you might be surprised at just how far things have come.