Proxmox vs XCP-ng: Which Hypervisor is Best in 2024

Overview of XCP-ng and Proxmox

XCP-ng and Proxmox are two prominent open-source virtualization platforms that cater to different user needs and preferences. Both have unique features, strengths, and weaknesses, making them suitable for various environments, from home labs to enterprise solutions. This blog post will explore their histories, functionalities, advantages, and potential drawbacks, helping users make informed decisions about which platform to choose.

Proxmox

Proxmox, established in 2005, has a longer history and has evolved into a comprehensive virtualization solution. It integrates KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) and LXC (Linux Containers) to provide a versatile environment for running both virtual machines and containers. Proxmox has a strong community and extensive documentation, making it accessible for new users and experienced professionals alike.

Key Features of Proxmox

• Free and open-source platform with a community edition and paid subscription options
• User-friendly web-based graphical user interface (GUI) for easy management of VMs and containers
• Supports clustering and high availability for managing multiple nodes as a single entity
• Live migration capabilities for moving running VMs between nodes without downtime
• Integrated backup solution with native Proxmox Backup Server for efficient backup and restoration of VMs and containers
• Robust security features:
  • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for granular user permissions
  • Two-Factor Authentication for enhanced login security
  • Integrated firewall for traffic control and protection against unauthorized access
• Supports a wide variety of storage options, including local storage, NFS, Ceph, and ZFS
• Dual support for KVM (full virtualization) and LXC (lightweight container-based virtualization)
• Advanced networking features with Open vSwitch support for multi-server environments

Proxmox Advantages

Advantages:

• User-friendly interface: Simplifies management tasks and is accessible for beginners.
• Integrated backup solutions: Proxmox includes built-in backup features, making it easier to manage data protection.
• Strong community support: Extensive documentation and community forums provide robust support for users1.

Disadvantages:

• Resource-intensive: Proxmox can be more demanding on system resources compared to XCP-ng.
• KVM-specific limitations: While KVM is widely supported, some users prefer the stability of Xen for certain workloads

XCP-ng: Stability, Scalability and Support

XCP-ng originated from the Xen Orchestra project in 2018, which aimed to provide a robust and free alternative to Citrix’s XenServer. The development was community-driven, with significant funding through Kickstarter, allowing the team to create a fully open-source virtualization platform without the limitations imposed by Citrix. XCP-ng has since gained traction, especially among users looking for a powerful hypervisor without licensing costs.

Key Features of XCP-ng

• Open Source: Fully open-source virtualization platform with no licensing fees, allowing for cost-effective deployment and maintenance.
• High Scalability: Easily scales both physical and virtual resources to meet growing organizational needs, supporting large deployments with thousands of VMs.
• Robust Stability: Built on the Xen hypervisor, XCP-ng is known for its reliable performance and minimal downtime, even under heavy loads.
• Live Migration: Supports live migration of virtual machines with minimal downtime, enhancing flexibility and service availability.
• Live Patching: Allows for patching the hypervisor without suspending or shutting down VMs, maintaining operational continuity.
• Storage Migration: Enables the movement of virtual disks within and across resource pools without downtime, facilitating efficient storage management.
• Dynamic Memory Control (DMC): Automatically adjusts the amount of RAM allocated to VMs based on current needs, optimizing resource utilization.
• SR-IOV Networking: Supports Single Root I/O Virtualization for direct assignment of physical network resources to VMs, improving performance and reducing latency.
• Modern Management Interface: Managed through Xen Orchestra, providing a comprehensive web-based UI for monitoring, managing, and administering the virtual infrastructure.
• Backup and Recovery: Integrated backup solutions via Xen Orchestra, offering agentless backups and recovery options for virtual machines.
• Community and Commercial Support: Active community support along with available commercial support options, including 24/7 assistance and service level agreements.
• Security: Regular updates and security patches ensure protection against vulnerabilities, maintaining a secure virtualization environment.
• Support for Various Guest Operating Systems: Compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Unix, allowing for flexible management of diverse virtual environments.

Advantages and Disadvantages

XCP-ng Advantages

Advantages:

• Cost-effective: Completely open-source with no licensing fees.
• Strong performance: Particularly for Windows VMs, with fewer compatibility issues.
• Community-driven: Active development and support from the community.

Disadvantages:

• Management complexity: Requires additional setup for management (Xen Orchestra), which may be daunting for new users.
• Limited native backup solutions: Users may need to rely on third-party tools for comprehensive backup options.

Also read: VMware Alternatives: Top 5 alternatives to VMware

Management Interfaces

• XCP-ng: XCP-ng does not include a built-in graphical user interface (GUI) for management. Instead, it relies on Xen Orchestra, a web-based management tool that provides extensive features, including backup options and VM management. Users can also manage multiple XCP-ng servers without needing a cluster, which can simplify management in certain scenarios.
• Proxmox: Proxmox offers a user-friendly web interface that simplifies the management of virtual machines and containers. The GUI is intuitive, allowing users to perform tasks such as creating and managing VMs, configuring storage, and monitoring system performance with ease. Proxmox also supports clustering, enabling users to manage multiple nodes as a single entity, which is beneficial for high availability and load balancing.

Pricing Plans: XCP-ng vs. Proxmox

The free version of Proxmox supports numerous features, but you must have a paid subscription to access technical support and enterprise repositories.

XCP-ng offers pricing plans with no feature restrictions or licensing fees. You only pay for support, and the subscription costs are budget-friendly, even for medium-sized businesses. Additionally, its open-source nature allows for self-support as an option.

Key Factors to Consider

Flexibility

Proxmox provides a very flexible and customizable Debian-based environment, perfect for experimenting and learning. XCP-ng focuses more on stability and scalability out of the box.

Ease of Use

Proxmox’s GUI installer and streamlined interface make it simpler to get up and running quickly.  XCP-ng /ZO necessitates more initial configuration.

Scalability

XCP-ng has proved itself capable of huge deployments with thousands of VMs. Proxmox’s abilities at gigantic scales remain relatively untested.

Support Options

Commercial 24/7 support is available for XCP-ng through Vates. Proxmox only offers limited online community help during business hours.

Suitability

Proxmox bests for home labs, non-profits and small businesses.  XCP-ng targets large, diverse enterprise deployments with round-the-clock operations.

Total Cost of Ownership

Proxmox remains free to use without limits. But, Proxmox offers paid plans, which come with stable updates as well as limited support.

XCP-ng support subscriptions become more worthy at larger scales.

For flexible experimentation, personal learning, or small deployments, Proxmox provides an excellent free solution. However, businesses needing significant scalability, high availability, and commercial support will benefit more from XCP-ng, supported by the expertise of the Vates team. Both are excellent choices, depending on your specific virtualization requirements and priorities.

Key Differences Between XCP-ng and Proxmox

The key distinction between XCP-ng and Proxmox lies in their underlying technologies: XCP-ng uses the Xen Hypervisor and is based on CentOS, while Proxmox utilizes KVM and is built on Debian GNU/Linux. These differences can significantly impact user experience, and in some cases, the choice between them may come down to familiarity with the respective operating system.
The chart below highlights key differences summary between XCP-ng vs. Proxmox.

Conclusion

Choosing between XCP-ng and Proxmox ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you require a robust, enterprise-ready hypervisor with strong Windows support and are comfortable managing additional tools like Xen Orchestra, XCP-ng may be the right choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a more integrated solution with a user-friendly interface and built-in backup capabilities, Proxmox stands out as a versatile option for both VMs and containers. Both platforms have active communities and are continually evolving, making them viable choices for anyone looking to implement virtualization solutions.

FAQ’s