We're pleased to announce the release of Proxmox Backup Server 4.2.
This version is based on Debian 13.4 ("Trixie"), uses Linux kernel 7.0 as the new stable default for improved hardware support, and comes with ZFS 2.4 for reliable, enterprise-grade storage.
Here are the highlights
Release notes
https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Roadmap#Proxmox_Backup_Server_4.2
Press release
https://www.proxmox.com/en/about/company-details/press-releases/proxmox-backup-server-4-2
Download
https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads
Alternate ISO download:
https://enterprise.proxmox.com/iso
Documentation
https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs
Community Forum
https://forum.proxmox.com
Bugtracker
https://bugzilla.proxmox.com
Source code
https://git.proxmox.com
Thanks for your contributions, ideas, and support — with your insights, we've introduced meaningful updates to enhance your experience.
FAQ
Q: Can I upgrade the latest Proxmox Backup Server 3.x to 4.2 with apt?
A: Yes, please follow the upgrade instructions on https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Upgrade_from_3_to_4
Q: How does this integrate into Proxmox Virtual Environment?
A: Just add a Proxmox Backup Server datastore as a new storage target in your Proxmox VE. Make sure that you run the latest Proxmox VE 9.x
Q: Is Proxmox Backup Server still compatible with older clients or Proxmox VE releases?
A: We are actively testing the compatibility of all the major versions currently supported, including the previous one. This means that you can safely back up from Proxmox VE 8 to Proxmox Backup Server 4, or from Proxmox VE 9 to Proxmox Backup Server 3. However, full compatibility with major client versions that are two or more releases apart, like for example Proxmox VE 7 based on Debian 11 Bullseye and Proxmox Backup Server 4 based on Debian 13 Trixie, is supported on a best-effort basis only.
Q: How long will Proxmox Backup Server 3.4 receive bug fixes and security support?
A: Proxmox Backup Server 3.4 will receive security updates and critical bug fixes until August 2026. This support window provides an overlap of approximately one year after the release of Proxmox Backup Server 4, giving users ample time to plan their upgrade to the new major version.
For more information on the support lifecycle of Proxmox Backup Server releases, please visit:
https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/faq.html#how-long-will-my-proxmox-backup-server-version-be-supported
Q: How do I install the proxmox-backup-client on my Debian or Ubuntu server?
A: We provide a "Proxmox Backup Client-only Repository". See https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#client-installation
For Debian derivatives we recommend installing the
Q: What will happen with the existing backup tool (vzdump) in Proxmox Virtual Environment?
A: You can still use vzdump. The new backup is an additional, but very powerful way to back up and restore your VMs and containers.
Q: Is there any recommended server hardware for the Proxmox Backup Server?
A: We recommend enterprise-grade server hardware components, with fast local SSD/NVMe storage. Access and response times from rotating drives will slow down all backup server operations. See https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#recommended-server-system-requirements
Q: Can I install Proxmox Backup Server on Debian, in a VM, as LXC or alongside with Proxmox VE?
A: Yes, but all this is not the recommended setup (expert use only).
Q: Where can I get more information about upcoming features?
A: Follow the announcement forum and pbs-devel mailing list https://lists.proxmox.com/postorius/lists/pbs-devel.lists.proxmox.com/ and subscribe to our newsletter https://www.proxmox.com/news and see https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Roadmap.
This version is based on Debian 13.4 ("Trixie"), uses Linux kernel 7.0 as the new stable default for improved hardware support, and comes with ZFS 2.4 for reliable, enterprise-grade storage.
Here are the highlights
- Move groups and namespaces within a datastore for easier backup reorganization
- Server-side encryption/decryption for sync jobs
- Improved sync performance with concurrent group processing ("worker-threads")
- S3-compatible object stores supported as backup storage backend, with request statistics and notifications
- Numerous performance, usability, and backend improvements across the stack
- and much more...
Release notes
https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Roadmap#Proxmox_Backup_Server_4.2
Press release
https://www.proxmox.com/en/about/company-details/press-releases/proxmox-backup-server-4-2
Download
https://www.proxmox.com/en/downloads
Alternate ISO download:
https://enterprise.proxmox.com/iso
Documentation
https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs
Community Forum
https://forum.proxmox.com
Bugtracker
https://bugzilla.proxmox.com
Source code
https://git.proxmox.com
Thanks for your contributions, ideas, and support — with your insights, we've introduced meaningful updates to enhance your experience.
FAQ
Q: Can I upgrade the latest Proxmox Backup Server 3.x to 4.2 with apt?
A: Yes, please follow the upgrade instructions on https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Upgrade_from_3_to_4
Q: How does this integrate into Proxmox Virtual Environment?
A: Just add a Proxmox Backup Server datastore as a new storage target in your Proxmox VE. Make sure that you run the latest Proxmox VE 9.x
Q: Is Proxmox Backup Server still compatible with older clients or Proxmox VE releases?
A: We are actively testing the compatibility of all the major versions currently supported, including the previous one. This means that you can safely back up from Proxmox VE 8 to Proxmox Backup Server 4, or from Proxmox VE 9 to Proxmox Backup Server 3. However, full compatibility with major client versions that are two or more releases apart, like for example Proxmox VE 7 based on Debian 11 Bullseye and Proxmox Backup Server 4 based on Debian 13 Trixie, is supported on a best-effort basis only.
Q: How long will Proxmox Backup Server 3.4 receive bug fixes and security support?
A: Proxmox Backup Server 3.4 will receive security updates and critical bug fixes until August 2026. This support window provides an overlap of approximately one year after the release of Proxmox Backup Server 4, giving users ample time to plan their upgrade to the new major version.
For more information on the support lifecycle of Proxmox Backup Server releases, please visit:
https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/faq.html#how-long-will-my-proxmox-backup-server-version-be-supported
Q: How do I install the proxmox-backup-client on my Debian or Ubuntu server?
A: We provide a "Proxmox Backup Client-only Repository". See https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#client-installation
For Debian derivatives we recommend installing the
proxmox-backup-client-static package to avoid issues with different system library versions.Q: What will happen with the existing backup tool (vzdump) in Proxmox Virtual Environment?
A: You can still use vzdump. The new backup is an additional, but very powerful way to back up and restore your VMs and containers.
Q: Is there any recommended server hardware for the Proxmox Backup Server?
A: We recommend enterprise-grade server hardware components, with fast local SSD/NVMe storage. Access and response times from rotating drives will slow down all backup server operations. See https://pbs.proxmox.com/docs/installation.html#recommended-server-system-requirements
Q: Can I install Proxmox Backup Server on Debian, in a VM, as LXC or alongside with Proxmox VE?
A: Yes, but all this is not the recommended setup (expert use only).
Q: Where can I get more information about upcoming features?
A: Follow the announcement forum and pbs-devel mailing list https://lists.proxmox.com/postorius/lists/pbs-devel.lists.proxmox.com/ and subscribe to our newsletter https://www.proxmox.com/news and see https://pbs.proxmox.com/wiki/Roadmap.
