We migrate VMware ESXi to Proxmox
Eliminate License Costs, Gain Control

Proxmox VE is an open-source virtualization platform (KVM + LXC), free to use, with integrated web interface, storage and network management, without license requirements. Compared to VMware ESXi, Proxmox is significantly more flexible, cheaper, and avoids vendor lock-in.

Typical reasons are high VMware ESXi license costs, increased fees due to license changes (especially after the Broadcom acquisition), desire for cost and vendor independence, and open-source flexibility. Proxmox offers comparable enterprise features without license costs.

Yes. Proxmox offers HA clustering, live migration, ZFS/Ceph storage, integrated backups, and container support – sufficient for SMBs to enterprise workloads.

No – Proxmox is open source under AGPL. There are optional support subscriptions, but the base version is free and includes all features.

Proxmox uses KVM, which runs directly in the Linux kernel – often with equal or better performance than VMware ESXi. With VirtIO drivers and proper storage configuration (e.g., ZFS with SSD), you achieve enterprise performance.

We start with an assessment (VMs, resources, dependencies, network/VLANs, storage, backups) and then build the Proxmox target environment. We then migrate VMs in a pilot test, optimize drivers/performance, and plan the final cutover with minimal downtime.

In practice, downtime mainly depends on the final cutover (last data synchronization, last shutdown/start). For many workloads, the production switch can be scheduled during a maintenance window; we plan it so the interruption is as short as possible (including rollback option).

Classic server VMs (Windows/Linux), web/app servers, database servers, internal tools, monitoring/logging, file services, and many business workloads migrate very well. For special cases (e.g., very hardware-specific appliances), we check compatibility and alternatives in advance.

The most common issues are: driver changes (network/SCSI), UEFI/BIOS mode, Secure Boot/vTPM, network mapping (vSwitch/Portgroups → Linux Bridge/OVS), storage layout, and cutover planning. That's exactly why we always do pilot VMs and a clear migration plan.

Depending on the situation, disks are converted (e.g., to qcow2 or raw) and then attached in Proxmox. For conversions, qemu-img convert is a common approach (defining input/output format).

Yes – Proxmox supports snapshots (depending on storage backend). We coordinate with you whether you prioritize 'VM snapshots for quick rollbacks' or 'backups for disaster recovery' (or both).

Windows runs very well under KVM – the key is usually clean driver/device configuration (e.g., paravirtualized devices) so network and storage perform well. We test each VM (boot, network, services) and then optimize specifically.

Yes – ideally: clean VM inventory, known dependencies (databases, AD, file shares), defined maintenance windows, and current backup status. We also clarify special features (UEFI/Secure Boot/vTPM, special NICs, passthrough) so the plan is realistic.

Yes – we plan the cutover so your VMware environment remains untouched until final acceptance. If something unexpected occurs, you can abort go-live and switch back (rollback plan is part of the planning).

These features can make migrations more complex because they have hypervisor-specific dependencies. We identify such VMs early (e.g., Windows 11, certain security policies) and plan the appropriate target configuration and test steps per VM.

We work with checklists per VM: boot, network, storage I/O, services, monitoring, application function, logs. For critical systems, we also do 'app owner tests' and an acceptance phase before finally shutting down VMware.

Depends on VM count, data volume, and complexity. Small environments can be done in a few days to ~2 weeks; for larger environments, we plan iteratively (pilot → batch waves → cutover) and minimize risk through testing.

We map your VMware networks (Portgroups/VLANs) to Proxmox bridges (or OVS), including tagging/trunks, IP plan, and firewall rules. Goal: same segmentation as before – just under Proxmox.

Usually yes. We plan the cutover so IPs/hostnames remain unchanged as much as possible (or we coordinate DNS/reverse-DNS/firewall changes). If networks need to change, we do it transparently and documented.

Yes – live migration is possible in Proxmox when storage/cluster prerequisites are met (e.g., shared storage or suitable cluster setup). We advise you on which target setup (single-node vs 3-node cluster vs Ceph) meets your requirements.

This depends heavily on your goals: ZFS is very popular for local performance + snapshots (simple/robust), NFS/iSCSI makes sense if you already have NAS/SAN or want shared storage, Ceph for scalable, highly available storage in cluster (with appropriate resources). We choose based on budget, IOPS, HA goal, and team size.

Often not 1:1 as 'native restore' in the new hypervisor – but you can keep them as an additional safety layer (e.g., while VMware still runs in parallel). For Proxmox, many teams then switch to Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) for deduplicated, compressed backups with encryption options.

Pragmatic: regular VM backups + offsite copy + restore tests. PBS is often the foundation because it supports incremental backups (with dedupe/compression) and offsite workflows are easily implemented.

Proxmox includes central web management, cluster functions, and HA mechanisms – without a separate 'vCenter license world'. Whether you need HA immediately or scale later, we clarify based on your SLA requirements.

Yes – Proxmox supports PCI/GPU passthrough for NVIDIA and AMD GPUs. Ideal for AI inference, machine learning, or graphics-intensive applications.

Yes – Proxmox combines KVM VMs with LXC containers, providing maximum flexibility: VMs for heterogeneous operating systems, containers for lightweight services.

Yes – Proxmox is ideal for dedicated servers, both on-premises and in data centers or with hosting providers like Hetzner. This allows VMs and containers to run performantly and flexibly.

Yes. Many customers separate locations/workspaces or implement hybrid architectures. We build it so latency, data residency requirements, and operational effort fit together (including technical documentation of components).

Yes. We can operate Proxmox (and optionally PBS) for you: monitoring, updates, backups, restore tests, capacity planning, and support/SLA – either on Hetzner Dedicated, EU infrastructure, or on-prem (Bring Your Own Infrastructure).

Proxmox is actively developed, with regular release cycles, security updates, and community + optional commercial support – so it's maintainable and future-proof long-term.