Proxmox Virtual Environment

{{Short description|Linux distribution for server virtualization}}

{{Infobox OS

| name =

| logo = File:Proxmox-VE-logo.svg

| screenshot = Proxmox-VE-8-0-Cluster-Summary.png

| caption = Proxmox VE 8.0 administration interface screenshot

| developer = Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH

| family = Linux (Unix-like)

| working_state = Current

| source_model = Free and open source software

| released = {{Start date and age|2008|04|15|df=yes}}

| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q344376|P348|P548=Q2804309}}

| latest release date = {{start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|Q344376|P348|P577}}}}

| latest preview version = 8.0 beta1{{cite web|url=http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Roadmap#Roadmap|title=Roadmap|publisher=Proxmox|access-date=2014-12-03}}

| latest preview date = {{Start date and age|2023|06|09|df=yes/no}}

| language = 25 languages{{cite web |title=projects / proxmox-i18n.git / tree |url=https://git.proxmox.com/?p=proxmox-i18n.git;a=tree |access-date=16 November 2022}}

| updatemodel = APT

| package_manager = dpkg

| supported_platforms = AMD64

| kernel_type = Monolithic (Linux)

| userland = GNU

| ui = Web-based

| license = GNU Affero General Public License{{cite web |url=http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Open_Source |title=Open Source – Proxmox VE |publisher=Proxmox Server Solutions |access-date=17 July 2015}}

| programmed in = Perl,{{cite web |url=https://git.proxmox.com/?p=pve-manager.git;a=tree |title=Proxmox Manager Git Tree |access-date=4 March 2019}} Rust{{cite web |title=Proxmox VE Rust Git Tree |url=https://git.proxmox.com/?p=proxmox-perl-rs.git;a=tree |website=git.proxmox.com}}

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE, or simply Proxmox) is a virtualization platform designed for the provisioning of hyper-converged infrastructure.

Proxmox allows deployment and management of virtual machines and containers.{{ cite book | author = Simon M.C. Cheng | title = Proxmox High Availability | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=PtskBQAAQBAJ&pg=PT41 | date = 31 October 2014 | publisher = Packt Publishing Ltd | isbn = 978-1-78398-089-5 | pages = 41– }}{{ cite journal | last = Plura | first = Michael | date = July 2013 | title = Aus dem Nähkästchen | url = http://www.heise.de/ix/inhalt/2013/07/74/ | journal = IX Magazin | volume = 2013 | issue = 7 | pages = 74–77 | publisher = Heise Zeitschriften Verlag | access-date = July 20, 2015 }} It is based on a modified Debian LTS kernel.{{Cite web|url=https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Proxmox_VE_Kernel|title=Proxmox VE Kernel - Proxmox VE|website=pve.proxmox.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-26}} Two types of virtualization are supported: container-based with LXC (starting from version 4.0 replacing OpenVZ used in version up to 3.4, included{{cite web |url=http://proxmox.com/en/news/press-releases/proxmox-ve-4-0-released |title=Proxmox VE 4.0 with Linux Containers (LXC) and new HA Manager released|date=11 December 2015 |work=Proxmox |access-date=12 December 2015}}), and full virtualization with KVM.{{cite web |url= https://www.zdnet.com/article/proxmox-the-ultimate-hypervisor/ |title=Proxmox: The Ultimate Hypervisor |date= July 11, 2011 |work= ZDNet |author=Ken Hess |access-date= September 29, 2021 }}

It includes a web-based management interface.Vervloesem, Koen. [http://www.linuxuser.co.uk/reviews/proxmox-ve-2-0-review-a-virtualization-server-for-any-situation "Proxmox VE 2.0 review – A virtualization server for any situation"], Linux User & Developer, 11 April 2012. Retrieved on 16 July 2015.{{cite journal |last=Drilling |first=Thomas |date=May 2013 |title=Virtualization Control Room |url=http://www.linux-magazine.com/Issues/2013/150/Proxmox-VE |journal=Linux Pro Magazine |publisher=Linux New Media USA |access-date=July 17, 2015}} There is also a mobile application available for controlling PVE environments.{{cite web |title=Proxmox Virtual Environment |url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.proxmox.app.pve_flutter_frontend |website=Google Play |publisher=Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH |access-date=12 November 2023}}

Proxmox is released under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3.

History

Development of Proxmox VE started in 2005 when Dietmar Maurer and Martin Maurer, two Linux developers, discovered OpenVZ had no backup tool or management GUI. KVM was also appearing at the same time in Linux, and was added shortly afterwards.{{cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/375930/|title=Proxmox VE 1.5: combining KVM and OpenVZ|publisher=Linux Weekly News|access-date=2015-04-10}}

The first public release took place in April 2008. It supported container and full virtualization, managed with a web-based user interface similar to other commercial offerings.{{cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/happy-5th-birthday-proxmox/|title=Happy 5th birthday, Proxmox |work=ZDNet |author=Ken Hess |date= April 15, 2013 |access-date= October 4, 2021 }}

Features

Proxmox VE is an open-source server virtualization platform to manage two virtualization technologies: Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) for virtual machines and LXC for containers - with a single web-based interface.

It also integrates out-of-the-box-tools for configuring high availability between servers, software-defined storage, networking, and disaster recovery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.proxmox.com/en/proxmox-ve/features|title=Features|website=www.proxmox.com|access-date=2019-05-12}}

Proxmox VE supports live migration for guest machines between nodes in the scope of a single cluster, which allows smooth migration without interrupting their services.{{cite web |last1=Rajvanshi |first1=Akash |title=Proxmox 101 |url=https://medium.com/devops-dudes/proxmox-101-8204eb154cd5 |access-date=12 November 2023}} Since PVE 7.3 there is an experimental feature for migration between unrelated nodes in different clusters.{{cite web |title=How to migrate VM from one PVE cluster to another |url=https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/how-to-migrate-vm-from-one-pve-cluster-to-another.68762/#post-516726 |website=Proxmox Forums |access-date=12 November 2023}}

To authenticate users to the web GUI, Proxmox can use its own internal authentication database, PAM, OIDC, LDAP or Active Directory.{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Brandon |title=Proxmox 8: New Features and Home Lab Upgrade Instructions |url=https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2023/06/proxmox-8-new-features-and-home-lab-upgrade-instructions/ |access-date=12 November 2023}} Multi-factor authentication is also available using TOTP, WebAuthn, or YubiKey OTP.{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Brandon |date=2024-03-22 |title=First 10 Steps I do on Proxmox in 2024 |url=https://www.virtualizationhowto.com/2024/03/first-10-steps-i-do-on-proxmox-in-2024/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Virtualization Howto |language=en-US}}

Since PVE 8.1 there is a full Software-Defined Network (SDN) stack implemented and is compatible with Secure Boot.{{cite web |last1=Borisov |first1=Bobby |title=Proxmox VE 8.1 Introduces Secure Boot Compatibility |url=https://linuxiac.com/proxmox-ve-8-1-introduces-secure-boot-compatibility/ |website=Linuxiac |access-date=3 December 2023}}

Guest machine backups can be done using the included standalone vzdump tool.{{cite web |title=Backup of a running container with vzdump|url=https://wiki.openvz.org/Backup_of_a_running_container_with_vzdump |website=OpenVZ Wiki |access-date=12 November 2023}} PVE can also be integrated with a separate Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) using a web GUI,{{cite web |title=Getting Started With Proxmox Backup Server |url=https://ostechnix.com/getting-started-with-proxmox-backup-server/ |access-date=12 November 2023}} or with the text-based Proxmox Backup Client application.{{cite web |title=How To Use Proxmox Backup Client To Backup Files In Linux |url=https://ostechnix.com/use-proxmox-backup-client-to-backup-files/ |access-date=12 November 2023}}

Since PVE 8, along with the standard GUI installer, there is a semi-graphic (TUI) installer integrated into the ISO image. From PVE 8.2 it is possible to make automatic scripted installations.{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Lyle |title=Proxmox VE 8.2 Introduces VMware Import Wizard, Enhanced Backup Options, and Advanced GUI Features |url=https://www.storagereview.com/news/proxmox-ve-8-2-introduces-vmware-import-wizard-enhanced-backup-options-and-advanced-gui-features |website=StorageReview |access-date=24 April 2024}}

=High-Availability Cluster=

Proxmox VE (PVE) can be clustered across multiple server nodes.{{cite book

|author=Wasim Ahmedi

|title=Mastering Proxmox

|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6VEFBAAAQBAJ&pg=PT99

|date=2014-07-14

|publisher=Packt Publishing Ltd

|isbn=978-1-78398-083-3

|pages=99–}}

Since version 2.0, Proxmox VE offers a high availability option for clusters based on the Corosync communication stack. Starting from PVE 6.0, Corosync 3.x is in use (not compatible with earlier PVE versions). Individual virtual servers can be configured for high availability using the integrated HA manager.{{cite web|url=https://git.proxmox.com/?p=pve-ha-manager.git;a=summary|title=PVE HA Manager Source repository|access-date=2020-10-19}}{{cite web|url=https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/chapter-ha-manager.html#_how_it_works|title=Proxmox VE documentation: High Availability|access-date=2020-10-19}} If a Proxmox node becomes unavailable or fails, the virtual machines can be automatically moved to another node and restarted.{{cite web |url=http://www.jaxlug.net/index.php/2014/07/16 |title=High Availability Virtualization using Proxmox VE and Ceph |publisher=Jacksonville Linux Users' Group |access-date=2017-12-15 |archive-date=2020-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130000142/https://www.jaxlug.net/index.php/2014/07/16 |url-status=dead }} The database and FUSE-based Proxmox Cluster file system (pmxcfs{{cite web |title=Proxmox Cluster File System (pmxcfs) |url=https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/pve-admin-guide.html#chapter_pmxcfs |website=Proxmox VE Administration Guide |access-date=15 November 2022}}) makes it possible to perform the configuration of each cluster node via the Corosync communication stack with SQLite engine.

Another HA-related element in PVE is the distributed file system Ceph, which can be used as a shared storage for guest machines.{{cite web |last1=Ladyzhenskyi |first1=Pavel |title=Setting up a Proxmox VE cluster with Ceph shared storage |url=https://medium.com/@qwonkiwow/setting-up-a-proxmox-ve-cluster-with-ceph-shared-storage-e7a4f652f321 |website=Medium.com |access-date=12 November 2023}}

There is also an independent tool available for rebalancing virtual machines and containers between nodes, called Prox Load Balancer (ProxLB).{{cite web |url=https://proxlb.de/ |title=ProxLB - The Prox Load Balancer for Proxmox |publisher=ProxLB |access-date=2 April 2025}}

=Virtual Appliances=

Proxmox VE has pre-packaged server software appliances which can be downloaded via the GUI.{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-next-server-operating-system-you-buy-will-be-a-virtual-machine/ |title=The next server operating system you buy will be a virtual machine|date=15 October 2013 |website=ZDNET |access-date=20 July 2015}}