Proxmox Backup (BETA) FAQ
Q: Where do I install the Proxmox Backup Agent private beta?
A: On any Windows computer. You don’t need to configure anything on the Proxmox host side.
All settings are configured in the backup plan using the familiar workflow, the same way you do it for VMware backups.
Q: Can I install the Proxmox Backup Agent on a VM running on the same Proxmox host?
A: Yes, in theory this is possible, but it requires some precautions:
You must not back up this VM itself. Therefore, the “Backup All Virtual Machines” and “Backup only running virtual machines” options are not suitable in this scenario.
It is strongly recommended to use a datastore that is physically located on a disk different from the one hosting the virtual machines.
Proxmox does not recommend this setup for production environments. We consider this primarily a workload-related concern, which can be mitigated with proper configuration, and therefore leave the decision to the user.
As long as backups are performed regularly and stored in a secure backup destination, they will be available when needed.
Q: What needs to be configured on the Windows computer where Backup Agent is installed?
A: Inbound traffic on port 8007 must be allowed. When a backup plan runs for the first time, if inbound traffic is blocked, the plan will fail with error code 1962. In this case, you will be prompted to allow the inbound traffic—simply click the corresponding link in the Backup Agent GUI.
Q: How do I configure a backup plan?
A:
- Standalone version: Configure it on the agent using the standard Backup Agent GUI.
- Managed version: Configure it remotely via the web console OR on the Agent using the Backup Agent GUI (if allowed).
Q: Do I need to have Proxmox Backup Server installed?
A: No. Proxmox Backup does not require Proxmox Backup Server to be installed and does not use Proxmox Backup Server in any way.
Q: Where can I store Proxmox backups?
A: All currently supported backup destinations includes:
- Amazon S3
- Wasabi
- B2
- Local storage
- S3-compatible storage
- Azure
Q: What can I back up?
A: You can backup:
- All existing virtual machines
- All running virtual machines
- Pre-selected virtual machines
Q: Can I select which disks to back up?
A: No. In the first beta version, all VM disks are selected for backup. Granular disk selection is planned for an upcoming version.
Q: What license type do I need?
A: A VM license is required. Active beta testers are granted a free VM license.
Q: Is my backup compressed?
A: Yes. Although the compression option is not exposed in the GUI, Proxmox backups are compressed automatically.
Q: Is my backup encrypted?
A: Yes. You can specify an encryption password.
Q: Is the backup incremental?
A: Yes. The first run is always a full backup; subsequent runs are incremental.
Q: Is it possible to schedule a full backup?
A: Yes, it is possible to schedule a full backup.
Q: Is synthetic full backup supported?
A: No. Synthetic full backups are not supported in the first beta version but are planned for an upcoming release.
Q: What can I restore?
A: You can restore a VM to a specified Proxmox server. During restore, you can choose whether to power on the restored VM and whether to overwrite an existing VM or create a new one with a specified name.
Q: Is item-level restore supported?
A: Yes. You can restore a single file or folder from the backup. To restore items from a backup plan using Backup Agent
- Launch the Managed Backup, then navigate to Backup Storage tab. Select your storage account, then open the list of plans for the computer and select “Image Based”.
- Select the generation and restore point (date) you want to restore a file or folder from.
- A list of volumes that are included in the system image backup will be displayed.
- Expand the volumes and find the individual files that you would like to restore from the Image-Based backup. If your backup was encrypted, you need to enter the password to view the available folders and files. After entering the right password, you can expand the folders and select a file or folder you would like to restore.
- You can select multiple files or folders, then right-click to proceed with “Quick Restore”.
- Select the location where you want to restore the files to and click OK.
- You will be automatically redirected to the Restore Plans tab where you will see the progress of your Quick Restore job.
If the plan fails, it will remain in the Restore Plans tab displaying the cause and the error code.
If the Quick Restore job completes successfully, the restore plan will automatically disappear and you can view the restored data.