Proxmox Server Solutions, a leading provider of open-source server software is celebrating 20 years of innovation with the release of Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) 9.0. This new version is built on Debian 13 “Trixie”, giving the platform a more modern and stable foundation.
Proxmox VE 9.0 also brings important improvements in storage and networking. One of the key updates is support for snapshots on thick-provisioned LVM shared storage which makes it easier to manage storage especially for businesses using Fibre Channel (FC) or iSCSI SAN systems. Additionally, a new feature called “fabric” support for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) allows IT teams to build more advanced and scalable networks.
Read Also: Proxmox VE 8.4: Live Migration, vGPU, and Backup API Power-Up
Top Highlights of Proxmox VE 9.0
Proxmox VE 9.0 introduces a powerful set of new features and enhancements designed to boost performance, simplify management, and improve scalability.
Here are key highlights that make this release a significant upgrade for IT administrators and enterprise environments alike.
Latest Debian & Kernel Enhancements
Proxmox VE 9.0 is built on Debian 13 “Trixie”, the latest release of Debian which brings newer software packages, better hardware support, and improved security. It also uses the Linux kernel 6.14.8-2 by default that helps in both performance and compatibility with newer hardware.
This update includes the latest versions of key open-source tools for virtualization such as QEMU 10.0.2, LXC 6.0.4, Ceph Squid 19.2.3, and ZFS 2.3.3. Notably, ZFS now allows you to add new devices to existing RAIDZ pools with minimal downtime which makes storage expansion easier. If you are running Proxmox VE 8.4 or earlier, a fully tested and well-documented upgrade process is available to ensure a smooth transition to version 9.0.
New Snapshot Support for Thick-Provisioned LVM Shared Storage
Proxmox VE 9.0 now supports snapshots for thick-provisioned LVM shared storage, commonly used with iSCSI and Fibre Channel (FC) SANs. This long-awaited feature allows virtual machines (VMs) on these storages to take snapshots easily, using a volume chain system where each new snapshot only stores changes from its parent volume. Directory, NFS, and CIFS storage types now also support this volume chain snapshot method, further expanding flexibility.
This update is especially valuable for users with traditional SAN environments who previously needed clustered file systems for similar functionality. With this new approach, snapshots are now hardware-independent and allow you to manage them seamlessly without relying on specific vendor tools or compromising on performance or ease of use.
New SDN Fabrics Feature for Easier Network Management
Proxmox VE 9.0 introduces a powerful new SDN Fabrics feature designed to make it easier to set up and manage complex routed network environments. With this feature, administrators can build spine-leaf architectures that support multiple paths and automatic failover across network interfaces that ensures high availability and better performance.
SDN Fabrics simplifies the setup of dynamically routed networks which are ideal for use cases like Ethernet VPN (EVPN) underlays or full-mesh networks for Ceph. The updated SDN stack now supports two dynamic routing protocols: OpenFabric and OSPF. Easy-to-use tools are included to help configure and manage these protocols with precision.
Advanced Affinity Rules for High Availability (HA) Workloads
Proxmox VE 9.0 adds HA resource affinity rules that gives administrators more precise control over how virtual machines (VMs) and other HA resources are placed across a cluster. This helps improve performance, reduce latency, and increase reliability for critical workloads.
With these new rules, you can keep related services together such as a web server and its database on the same physical node to reduce network delays. Alternatively, for highly available services that require redundancy, the rules can ensure VMs are spread across different nodes. This setup improves fault tolerance and helps maintain service uptime even during failovers.
Redesigned Mobile Interface for Better Usability
Proxmox VE now features a fully redesigned mobile interface, built with the new Proxmox widget toolkit using the fast Rust-based Yew framework. The updated interface offers a cleaner design and quicker access to key features such as starting or stopping virtual machines and performing basic configurations.
You can now easily manage essential functions of Proxmox VE right from their mobile browsers that makes administration more convenient than ever.
Proxmox VE 9.0 Installation Availability and Licensing
Proxmox VE 9.0 is now available for download. The installation ISO includes the full feature set and is ready for bare-metal installation. Proxmox VE comes equipped with all essential management tools and features a user-friendly web interface that makes it easy to manage the host either via command line or any standard web browser, right out of the box.
Users running Proxmox VE 8 can follow the provided upgrade instructions for a smooth transition to version 9. Additionally, Proxmox VE 9.0 can be installed directly on top of Debian 13 “Trixie.”
Proxmox Virtual Environment is free and open-source software which is released under the GNU Affero General Public License v3 (AGPL v3).
For businesses and professional environments, Proxmox offers subscription-based support plans. These include access to the Enterprise Repository offering thoroughly tested updates and technical support via the web interface. Plans start at €115 per year per CPU.
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