Proxmox VE 4.0 with Linux Containers (LXC) and new HA Manager Released
2015-09-25·via Press Releases - Proxmox
VIENNA, Austria – October 6, 2015 – Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH today released version 4.0 of its Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE). The open-source server virtualization solution enables users to create and manage containers and KVM virtual machines on the same host as well as to set up highly available clusters via an integrated web-based interface.
The new version is based on Debian Jessie 8.2.0 with an upgrade on kernel 4.2, QEMU 2.4 and the latest Ceph Server packages (0.94.x – hammer release). Most significant changes include the new Proxmox VE HA Manager with integrated HA Simulator, and the move to container-based virtualization with Linux Containers (LXC) replacing the former OpenVZ. Other new capabilities introduced in Proxmox VE 4.0 include an embedded NoVNC console, DRBD9 (as technology preview), and complete IPv6 support on all levels from virtual machines, to containers, and hosts.
Highly available Clusters with Proxmox VE HA Manager
The new resource manager for multi-node high availability clusters is the Proxmox VE HA Manager. It monitors all virtual machines and containers on the whole cluster and gets automatically into action if one of them fails. The HA Manager works out of the box, and with watchdog-based fencing simplify deployments dramatically. The whole HA settings can now be configured via the integrated web GUI. The Proxmox VE HA Manager, developed by the Proxmox team, replaces the former RGManager.
Proxmox VE now makes high availability accessible to the masses by allowing system administrators to configure complex HA cluster settings intuitively via the web GUI. By integrating software watchdog, external fencing devices become dispensable in basic configurations.
Proxmox HA Simulator
Proxmox VE 4.0 also comes with a new Proxmox HA Simulator allowing users to learn and test the proper usage of the Proxmox VE HA solution prior to going into production. The simulator can be installed on any node and simulates a cluster with three nodes and six virtual machines. Users can start it right after installation and test the HA fail-over and behavior for different scenarios like for example complete loss of one node or loss of the network.
Linux Containers (LXC)
The new version 4.0 of the Proxmox Virtual Environment supports now Linux containers (LXC) replacing OpenVZ as the container solution. LXC works with all modern and latest Linux kernels and is fully integrated into the Proxmox VE frameworks, especially into the storage model. Proxmox VE 4.0 is the first version to allow using LXC on almost all storage plug-ins such as Ceph, ZFS, NFS, DRBD9 or local storage. LXC provides a lightweight OS containerization, tools for container management and a wide choice of container OS templates. Users can manage containers easily via the web interface but also on the command line with PCT, a tool to manage Linux Containers (LXC) on Proxmox VE. A five-step migration path to migrate from existing OpenVZ containers to LXC is already available in the wiki of the Proxmox VE project.
All new TurnKey GNU/Linux V14 Appliances will arrive soon as LXC templates (still under development).
Availability
Proxmox VE 4.0 is now generally available for download at http://www.proxmox.com/downloads
The Proxmox VE 3.x family will be maintained in the future, approximately until the end of Debian Wheezy security updates (expected end in April 2016).
Supporting Quotes:
The move from OpenVZ to LXC allowed us to finally update to the latest and greatest kernel improving even more the security, scalability and robustness of the whole Proxmox VE platform. We are also really excited that with the new Proxmox HA manager our users can now setup and deploy highly available clusters easily and simply configure them in the GUI.Martin Maurer - CEO of Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH.
Facts Proxmox VE is used by 90.000 hosts and more than 5000 commercial customers in over 140 countries. The active community counts more than 27.700 forum members. The GUI is translated into 19 languages.
About Proxmox Virtual Environment Proxmox Virtual Environment is a complete open source virtualization management solution for servers. It supports KVM full virtualization as well as container-based virtualization and includes strong high-availability (HA) support based on Redhat Cluster and Corosync. Proxmox VE allows to virtualize even the most demanding Linux and Windows application workloads. Installation is fast and easy with a bare-metal installer and configuration is done via the integrated web-based management interface. Based on Debian GNU/Linux and fully licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License, Version 3 (AGPL-3.0), Proxmox VE is a solution without restrictions for home and business use.
About Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH develops open source software providing powerful and efficient server solutions to its customers. With its two core products, Proxmox Virtual Environment (Proxmox VE) and Proxmox Mail Gateway, the company offers flexible, affordable and easy-to-use software for businesses implementing secure and open-source IT infrastructures. Proxmox solutions are widely used in businesses regardless of size, sector or industry as well as in NGOs and in the educational sector. The company also offers services like commercial support subscriptions and trainings. A worldwide partner network and a huge active community guarantee business continuity for Proxmox users. The company is an active member of the Linux Foundation and the Open Virtualization Alliance. Proxmox Server Solutions GmbH is an independent and profitable company based in Vienna, Austria.
