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Proxmox VE 9 Beta 1 – Debian 13 and Block Storage Snapshots

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Proxmox VE 9 Beta 1 has been released and represents a major step forward for the Proxmox virtualization platform. For the first time, Proxmox VE is built on Debian 13 “Trixie”, providing a modern and future-proof operating system base while preserving the stability and predictability Proxmox is known for.

This beta release introduces several long-requested features, most notably native virtual machine snapshots for block-based storage such as iSCSI and Fibre Channel. Together with substantial improvements in software-defined networking, replication, and overall usability, Proxmox VE 9 clearly targets more advanced and enterprise-grade virtualization environments.

Upgrading from Proxmox VE 8.4 is designed to be smooth and well-controlled, allowing existing installations to transition without disruption. In this article, we take a closer look at the most important features and architectural changes introduced with Proxmox VE 9 Beta 1.

Key Features in Proxmox VE 9

Native Block Storage Snapshots for iSCSI and Fibre Channel

One of the most significant enhancements in Proxmox VE 9 is the addition of native virtual machine snapshot support for block-based storage backends. This includes iSCSI, Fibre Channel, and NVMe over Fabrics (NVMeoF) when used together with LVM-Thin or LVM-Thick.

Until now, snapshot functionality in Proxmox was largely limited to file-based storage or required complex and often fragile workarounds. With Proxmox VE 9, snapshots are now officially supported when using LVM on top of block devices, with a strong focus on LVM-Thick volumes.

While LVM-Thick itself does not offer thin provisioning, this limitation can be addressed by modern enterprise storage arrays. Platforms such as NetApp provide thin provisioning, deduplication, and space efficiency directly at the storage layer, allowing snapshots to remain efficient without sacrificing performance.

This functionality is especially relevant for environments that depend on shared SAN storage and require:

With native support for block storage snapshots, Proxmox VE continues to close long-standing gaps compared to traditional enterprise virtualization platforms.

SDN Fabrics with OpenFabric and OSPF

The software-defined networking (SDN) stack in Proxmox VE 9 receives a major upgrade with the introduction of SDN fabrics. Fabrics represent routed network topologies that interconnect Proxmox nodes in a scalable and dynamic manner.

Support for OpenFabric and OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) enables automatic route discovery, optimized traffic paths, and improved fault tolerance directly within Proxmox. In many scenarios, this removes the need for external routing appliances or complex manual routing configurations.

SDN fabrics are particularly well suited for full-mesh Ceph clusters, multi-site Proxmox deployments, and VPN underlay networks. Administrators gain fine-grained routing control while keeping network management fully integrated into the Proxmox platform.

These networking enhancements significantly improve scalability, resilience, and operational simplicity in complex Proxmox environments.

Dynamic Load Balancing in High Availability

Dynamic load balancing is currently listed on the Proxmox VE roadmap but is not yet available in Proxmox VE 9 Beta 1. As with all roadmap items, its inclusion does not guarantee availability in the final stable release.

In the meantime, a mature open-source solution already exists. ProxLB provides intelligent load balancing for Proxmox clusters based on node utilization, resource pressure, and customizable placement rules.

Because ProxLB operates independently from the Proxmox core codebase, it remains compatible with both Proxmox VE 8 and Proxmox VE 9, making it a practical option for administrators who require automated workload distribution today.

Import Virtual Machine Disks via the Web Interface

Proxmox VE 9 further simplifies virtual machine migrations by allowing existing VM disks to be imported directly through the web interface during VM creation. This significantly reduces the need for manual command-line workflows.

This feature is especially useful when migrating from other virtualization platforms such as VMware. When combined with network-based storage like NFSv4, disk imports become fast, secure, and easy to manage.

The improved import workflow lowers the barrier for new users and accelerates infrastructure consolidation and migration projects.

Dedicated Replication Network

Proxmox VE 9 introduces native support for a dedicated replication network, similar to the existing migration network. This is particularly important for ZFS replication, as it allows replication traffic to be isolated from production workloads.

Previously, configuring a separate replication network required manual CLI configuration. With Proxmox VE 9, this can now be managed directly via the web interface or API, resulting in cleaner configurations and improved network performance.

Upgrade from Proxmox VE 8 to Proxmox VE 9

Upgrading from Proxmox VE 8 to Proxmox VE 9 follows a familiar APT-based upgrade process. Because Proxmox VE 9 is built on Debian 13 “Trixie”, the upgrade closely resembles a standard Debian distribution upgrade.

Administrators experienced with Debian upgrades will find the process intuitive. Proxmox also provides tooling and guidance to ensure a reliable and controlled transition.

Upgrade to the latest Proxmox VE 8 packages


apt update && apt dist-upgrade
pve8to9 --full

Update Debian repositories to Trixie


sed -i 's/bookworm/trixie/g' /etc/apt/sources.list
sed -i 's/bookworm/trixie/g' /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-enterprise.list

Switch Proxmox repositories to Proxmox VE 9


cat > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/proxmox.sources << EOF
Types: deb
URIs: http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve
Suites: trixie
Components: pve-test
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/proxmox-archive-keyring.gpg
EOF

Start the Proxmox VE 9 upgrade


apt update
apt dist-upgrade