Proxmox VE (Virtual Environment) has rapidly grown in popularity as a powerful, open-source alternative to VMware and Hyper-V. Its KVM-based hypervisor and native support for containers, high availability, and storage flexibility make it a compelling choice for SMBs and enterprises alike.
Until recently, one major limitation was the lack of native support from top-tier enterprise backup vendors. That’s now changing—Commvault officially added support for Proxmox VE in its 2024E (v11.36 CU40) release, giving Proxmox users access to enterprise-grade data protection features.
What Does Commvault Support for Proxmox Include?
Commvault’s new integration offers native backup and restore capabilities for virtual machines running on Proxmox, using the same proven tools already trusted in VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix, and cloud environments.
Key Features:
- Full VM backup (online and offline)
- Incremental and synthetic full backups
- Application-consistent backups via guest OS agents
- Granular file and folder restores
- Point-in-time restore
- Automated backup scheduling and retention policies
- Integration with Commvault Command Center and workflows
This marks a significant milestone, enabling organizations to run enterprise-class workloads on Proxmox with the peace of mind that Commvault’s backup platform delivers.
Supported Proxmox Versions & Storage
Commvault’s documentation confirms support for:
- Proxmox VE 8.2 and newer
- Proxmox-hosted VMs on:
- Directory-based storage
- NFS/CIFS shares
- Ceph RBD pools
- LVM-thin volumes
- ZFS storage (with limitations for on-prem; full support in Commvault Cloud)
This broad storage support means that most existing Proxmox deployments can integrate with Commvault without major storage reconfiguration.
How It Works: Backup Architecture
Backup Method
Commvault deploys a Linux Virtual Server Agent (VSA) on the Proxmox node(s), which handles VM discovery, snapshot triggering, and data movement. Here’s how it typically works:
- Commvault VSA Agent is installed on each Proxmox node or on a central access node.
- VMs are discovered through Proxmox’s REST API or command-line tools.
- Commvault takes a snapshot of the VM using Proxmox’s built-in snapshot functionality.
- Data is extracted from the snapshot and transferred to the Commvault Media Agent or backup storage.
- The snapshot is deleted post-backup.
This setup enables backup and restore of entire VMs, or selected guest files via mounted images.
Restore Options
With Commvault and Proxmox, users can:
| Restore Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Full VM Restore | Restore a VM to the same or another Proxmox node |
| Guest File Restore | Browse and restore specific files or directories |
| Point-in-Time Recovery | Choose from multiple backup points |
These restore operations can be managed via the Commvault Command Center UI, with automation, reporting, and RBAC control.
Requirements & Best Practices
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Commvault Version | v11.36 CU40 or later |
| Proxmox Version | VE 8.2+ |
| Agent Installation | Linux VSA agent on each Proxmox node |
| Network Connectivity | Between Proxmox, Commvault server, and storage |
| Backup Storage | Any Commvault-supported media (disk, tape, cloud) |
| VM Tools (optional) | For better guest OS introspection |
For local storage setups, install VSA on every node to ensure backups can run regardless of VM placement.
Security & Compliance
With Commvault on Proxmox, you gain access to:
- Encrypted backups (at rest and in transit)
- Ransomware protection via immutable storage
- Audit trails and access control
- Compliance reporting for GDPR, HIPAA, and more
These are features commonly demanded in regulated industries, and Proxmox users now benefit from the same compliance-grade tooling.
Strategic Impact
This new integration is significant because it:
- Validates Proxmox VE for enterprise environments
- Eliminates one of the major objections to using Proxmox in production
- Enables migration from VMware to Proxmox without sacrificing enterprise-grade backup
- Simplifies hybrid infrastructure management under a single Commvault umbrella
Comparison: Commvault on Proxmox vs VMware
| Feature | VMware + Commvault | Proxmox + Commvault |
|---|---|---|
| Native Integration | Yes | Yes (v11.36 CU40+) |
| VM Discovery | Automatic | Automatic |
| App-Aware Backups | Yes (via agent) | Yes (via agent) |
| Live Snapshot Support | Yes | Yes |
| File-Level Restore | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Flexibility | Limited to VMFS/NFS | Flexible: ZFS, Ceph, LVM |
| Licensing Cost (Hypervisor) | High | Low/Free |
Deployment Example
Scenario: A 3-node Proxmox cluster using Ceph and PBS.
- Install Commvault VSA on each node.
- Add Proxmox hypervisor in Commvault Command Center.
- Create a VM group for scheduled daily backups.
- Use Commvault Media Agent with deduplicated cloud storage.
- Restore VMs or files via GUI or automated workflows.
Final Thoughts
Commvault’s support for Proxmox is a breakthrough for IT teams embracing open-source virtualization. It bridges the gap between cost-effective infrastructure and enterprise-class data protection, enabling businesses to:
- Confidently adopt Proxmox in production
- Maintain compliance and backup SLAs
- Simplify hybrid or multi-cloud environments
This move signals a broader industry shift—Proxmox is no longer a niche solution, but a validated choice for serious virtualization strategies.
Commvault official documentation: https://documentation.commvault.com/11.40/essential/protecting_proxmox_ve_vms_with_commvault.html
Need Help?
Whether you’re migrating from VMware, setting up Proxmox in production, or evaluating enterprise backup for your VMs, Saturn ME can help you:
- Deploy Commvault for Proxmox
- Integrate with PBS or Ceph
- Automate backup & DR policies
Get in touch with Saturn ME today for a free Proxmox consulting session—no strings attached.