Description: Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) is an open-source backup solution specifically designed for virtualized environments, optimized to integrate seamlessly with Proxmox VE. It offers block-level incremental backups, cryptographic integrity verification, efficient compression, and native encryption—focusing on data security, reliability, and performance. Unlike generic backup tools, PBS is tailored for backing up virtual machines, containers, and Linux server data, allowing for consistent snapshots and fast, efficient restores. Its architecture leverages a chunk-based storage model, reducing disk usage and enabling powerful deduplication and transmission optimization.
History: Proxmox Backup Server was officially released in November 2020 by Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH as a robust backup companion to Proxmox VE environments. From its inception, it stood out for its performance-first approach and deep integration with virtualization workflows, supporting features such as remote sync, automatic backup pruning, scheduled integrity checks, and token-based authentication. Developed under the same open-source principles as the rest of the Proxmox ecosystem, PBS has quickly become a core component in virtualized infrastructure management.
Uses: PBS is used in environments where data protection for virtual machines and containers is essential. System administrators benefit from frequent, efficient backups with minimal system impact due to its incremental design. It is commonly deployed as a centralized backup server for multiple Proxmox VE nodes, accessed securely via network protocols, and offering powerful data retention and deduplication features. Its compatibility with various storage backends, including ZFS, makes it ideal for large-scale deployments requiring redundancy and high data integrity.
Examples: A typical example is an enterprise setup with several Proxmox VE nodes backing up to a single PBS server over a private network, with automated daily backups, integrity checks, and smart retention policies. Another scenario includes using ZFS-backed storage on PBS for efficient snapshots and remote replication to a secondary site, ensuring disaster recovery readiness.
