#proxmox#virtualization#homelab#devops
Introduction to Proxmox VE: The Complete Guide
Discover what Proxmox VE is, how it works, and why it has become the open source hypervisor of choice for developers and businesses.
•4 minutes read
Discover what Proxmox VE is, how it works, and why it has become the open source hypervisor of choice for developers and businesses.
Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) is an open source Linux-based virtualization platform that integrates two main technologies:
Proxmox allows you to manage multiple physical servers as a single cluster, providing completely free enterprise-grade tools.
All through a very comprehensive web interface, as well as a REST API for automation.
Proxmox has become the de facto standard in the homelab world, SMBs and self-hosted infrastructures.
Unlike other solutions, Proxmox includes by default and for free:
Business Savings: All of this with VMware or Hyper-V would require licenses costing thousands of dollars!
The web interface is one of the main reasons for Proxmox's success.
You can do everything from the browser:
No SSH, no terminal needed (although available). The Web UI covers 99% of daily operations.
Proxmox allows you to choose between two virtualization approaches:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Common Setup: A Debian LXC container with Docker inside is one of the most popular configurations for homelab and development.
A key feature of Proxmox is support for various storage backends:
Total Flexibility: Proxmox allows you to mix different storage types in the same cluster, deciding for each VM where to allocate disks.
Each VM can have disks on different storage, for example:
One of Proxmox's strongest points is the integrated backup system:
# Backup VM 101 with snapshot, zstd compression
vzdump 101 --mode snapshot --compress zstd --storage local-backup
# Output:
# INFO: starting new backup job: vzdump 101 --mode snapshot --compress zstd
# INFO: Starting Backup of VM 101 (qemu)
# INFO: Backup started at 2025-12-05 10:30:00
# INFO: status = running
# INFO: backup mode: snapshot
# INFO: ionice priority: 7
# INFO: creating archive '/var/lib/vz/dump/vzdump-qemu-101.vma.zst'
# INFO: finished backup (runtime: 00:01:23)
Proxmox VE is an enterprise-grade completely open source solution that offers:
KVM virtualization and LXC containers
Intuitive and comprehensive Web UI
Clustering and High Availability
Integrated backup and disaster recovery
Advanced storage support
Active community and excellent documentation
Ideal for: Homelab, SMBs, development environments, self-hosted infrastructures, and companies that want to save on expensive licenses.
Useful Resources: