VMware to Proxmox Migration: A Complete Guide

Planning to switch from VMware to Proxmox? At WZ-IT, we provide comprehensive support: consulting, migration, installation, support, and monitoring for your new virtualization environment. Schedule a free consultation: Book an Appointment.

Many organizations are currently evaluating the switch from VMware vSphere (ESXi/vCenter) to the open-source virtualization platform Proxmox Virtual Environment (PVE). The reasons are manifold: changed licensing models, rising costs, and the desire for more control over their own IT infrastructure.

In this article, you'll learn why switching makes sense, how the two platforms compare, and how to execute the migration in practice.

Why Switch from VMware vSphere to Proxmox?
Proxmox VE Overview
Component Comparison: VMware vs. Proxmox
Step-by-Step: Migrating VMware VMs to Proxmox
Conclusion
References

Why Switch from VMware vSphere to Proxmox?

Changed Licensing Policy After the Broadcom Acquisition

A major driver for the switch is VMware's changed licensing model following the acquisition by Broadcom. The previously free ESXi Free Edition has been discontinued, and VMware is increasingly pushing existing customers into expensive subscription license packages.

For smaller businesses and lab environments, this means: A previously free hypervisor solution is no longer available without a paid subscription. The anticipated licensing costs and long-term subscription commitments are driving many to evaluate alternatives.

Proxmox as a Cost-Effective Alternative

Proxmox VE positions itself as an attractive alternative:

Open source and free to use – without functional limitations in the free version
Optional support subscriptions for organizations that want professional support
No vendor lock-in – avoid dependency on a single manufacturer

Technical Advantages of Proxmox

Beyond the financial aspects, Proxmox impresses technically with a comparable feature set to VMware vSphere – but without artificial license restrictions:

Clustering and High Availability (HA) already integrated
Live migration of VMs between hosts at no additional licensing cost
Integrated backup solutions – while VMware relies heavily on third-party solutions like Veeam, which means additional costs and complexity

In short: Proxmox enables an enterprise feature set without an enterprise price tag.

Proxmox VE Overview

Proxmox VE is a virtualization platform based on Debian Linux that uses KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) as its hypervisor and LXC for containers.

Architecture and Management

Unlike VMware ESXi, Proxmox is not a bare hypervisor without an interface:

Web-based management interface running directly on the host
Create and manage VMs, configure networks, and schedule backups – all through the browser
The interface closely resembles VMware vCenter in look and feel

One Host = Hypervisor + Management

A Proxmox node combines what requires multiple components in VMware:

VMware	Proxmox
ESXi (Hypervisor)	KVM-based Hypervisor
vCenter Server (Management)	Integrated Web Interface
Separate license for vCenter	Included in base system

Multiple Proxmox nodes can be connected into a cluster and managed centrally – without a separate vCenter instance.

Component Comparison: VMware vs. Proxmox

Hypervisor and Management

Aspect	VMware	Proxmox
Hypervisor	ESXi (Bare-Metal)	KVM (Linux-based)
Management	vCenter Server (separate instance)	Integrated Web Interface
Management License Cost	Additional license required	Free, included

Virtual Machines

VMware: VMDK format for virtual disks, VMX configuration files
Proxmox: QEMU formats (QCOW2 or RAW), proprietary configuration syntax
Guest Tools: VMware Tools have their counterpart in the QEMU Guest Agent
Snapshots and Clones: Both systems support these features

Networking

Aspect	VMware	Proxmox
Virtual Switches	vSwitch / Distributed vSwitch	Linux Bridges (default) or Open vSwitch
VLAN Configuration	Via Port Groups	Directly on the VM network interface
SDN (Software-Defined Networking)	VMware NSX	External solutions or Open vSwitch

Storage

Aspect	VMware	Proxmox
File System	VMFS (proprietary)	Flexible: ZFS, LVM, Directory, Ceph, NFS, iSCSI
Thin Provisioning	Available	Works with virtually any storage
Snapshots	Available	Storage-dependent (ZFS, LVM, QCOW2)

Important Note: The Proxmox migration tool currently does not support VMware vSAN as a source. VMs on vSAN must be moved to supported storage (e.g., NFS or local VMFS) before migration.

High Availability and Live Migration

Feature	VMware	Proxmox
Live Migration	vMotion (Enterprise Plus license)	Integrated, free
HA Cluster	vSphere HA (license required)	Integrated, free
Automatic Load Balancing	DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler)	Manual or via scripting

Backup and Recovery

Aspect	VMware	Proxmox
Integrated Backup	No – APIs for third parties (Veeam, etc.)	Yes – directly in the web interface
Additional Costs	License costs for backup software	Free (basic) / Proxmox Backup Server for advanced features
Automated Backups	Via third-party tools	Schedule configurable directly in the GUI

Tip: The Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) offers efficient incremental backups with deduplication and compression.

Bonus: LXC Containers

In addition to VMs, Proxmox also supports LXC containers – lightweight Linux containers with no direct VMware equivalent. These can virtualize certain services more resource-efficiently than full VMs.

Step-by-Step: Migrating VMware VMs to Proxmox

Since Proxmox VE version 8.1, a migration wizard (Import Wizard) is available directly in the web interface. This tool allows you to connect to a VMware ESXi host or vCenter Server and transfer VMs largely automatically.

1. Update Proxmox

Ensure your Proxmox VE installation is up to date (at least version 8.1.8 or newer):

apt update && apt full-upgrade

2. Connect to VMware

In Proxmox VE, go to: Datacenter → Storage → Add
Select type "ESXi"
Configure the connection:
- ID: Choose a name for the connection
- Server: IP address or hostname of the ESXi host or vCenter
- Username/Password: Valid VMware credentials
- Optional: Enable Skip Certificate Verification

3. Select VMs

After successful connection, the VMware host appears as a new storage entry:

Click on the ESXi storage entry under Datacenter/Storage
All VMs on the ESXi host are listed
Select the VM to migrate

4. Start Import

Select the desired VM and click Import
Choose the Proxmox target storage for VM data
Important: The VM must be powered off – running VMs cannot currently be transferred directly

The import process:

Reads the VM from VMware
Copies virtual disks and configuration to the Proxmox host
The original VM on VMware remains unchanged (copy, not move)

5. Verify and Start VM on Proxmox

After import:

Check settings – especially for Windows VMs
Install VirtIO drivers for optimal performance (Windows guests)
Start the VM and test functionality
Install QEMU Guest Agent for optimal integration

6. Migrate Incrementally

Recommended approach:

Migrate VM by VM, not the entire environment at once
Plan for brief downtime per VM (shutdown on VMware, startup on Proxmox)
Move VMs on vSAN to supported storage first (NFS, local VMFS)

Practical Tips from Our Experience

At WZ-IT, we have successfully completed numerous migrations to Proxmox – not only from VMware, but also from other cloud platforms.

Case Study: EVA Real Estate – From AWS to Proxmox

A recent example is the migration of EVA Real Estate, one of the leading real estate agencies in Dubai. The company ran their entire CRM and ERP infrastructure on AWS and struggled with:

Unpredictable costs with hidden fees
Data outside Europe (GDPR concerns)
Vendor lock-in that made migration difficult

The Solution: We migrated EVA's complete infrastructure via Lift & Shift to dedicated Hetzner servers with Proxmox – without any code changes.

The Result:

Metric	Before (AWS)	After (Proxmox/Hetzner)
Monthly Costs	€1,300	€200
Cost Reduction	–	86%
Annual Savings	–	€13,200
Data Location	Outside EU	100% Germany

The migration paid for itself within 4 months. Additionally, EVA Real Estate had approximately double the computing resources available after the migration – at no extra cost.

More details in our EVA Real Estate Case Study.

Our Recommendations

Check before migration:

Do VMs use special VMware features (snapshots, dedicated backup agents, vSphere integrations)?
How will these be mapped in Proxmox?

Find equivalent solutions:

Proxmox Backup replaces common VM backup tools
ZFS or Ceph can replace SAN/vSAN

Run test migration:

Test first with non-critical VMs or in a lab environment
Refine the process before migrating production systems

Conclusion

Migrating from VMware to Proxmox is now a proven path to save costs while utilizing modern virtualization features.

Benefits at a Glance

Import wizard in Proxmox VE 8.x massively reduces technical effort
VMware VMs remain as a safety net (copy, not move)
Greater independence from commercial vendors and their pricing models
Full feature set without license walls – all features included in the free version

Who Should Consider Switching?

The transition is particularly worthwhile for:

Organizations with rising VMware licensing costs
Small and medium businesses affected by the ESXi Free discontinuation
Technically skilled administrators who value transparency and flexibility
Organizations with GDPR requirements wanting to operate their infrastructure on European servers

Our Support

As an IT service provider with extensive experience in VMware-to-Proxmox migrations, we support you with:

Analysis and planning of your migration projects
Executing the migration with minimal downtime
Building a private cloud with HA Proxmox Cluster on Hetzner
Setting up backup solutions like the Proxmox Backup Server
Managed services and support for your new Proxmox environment

Learn more about our Proxmox expertise on our Proxmox page.

Contact Us

Planning to switch from VMware to Proxmox? We support you from consulting to ongoing operations.

WZ-IT offers:

Free initial consultation for your migration project
Planning and execution of the migration
Building highly available Proxmox clusters
Managed hosting in German data centers (Hetzner)
24/7 monitoring and support

Book your free, no-obligation consultation: Schedule an Appointment

Email: [email protected]

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