[SOLVED] Does proxmox still offer a fully free version?

[cosmos]

Some years ago I was able to make a couple of proxmox installations without any licensing. At the time that meant that my installations did not have access to the enterprise proxmox repositories, advertised as thoroughly tested.

Is it still possible today? Asking here because I see there is a cost associated with a "community" edition (usually for-free cut-down versions of the paid-for version).

 

[Hannes Laimer]

Hey,

yes, you'll have the same version regardless of the repository. As you mentioned the enterprise repo is more thoroughly tested and usually a few weeks behind in terms of updates, but other than that they are identical.

 

[Nemesiz]

As I was told enterprise version is the same as old community version.

To keep track of package version go to https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Downloads and find '# pveversion -v' list
But you will have to update it manually to needed version.

 

[cosmos]

I see, but I'm still confused: what is the cost associated with the community edition (see https://www.proxmox.com/en/proxmox-virtual-environment/pricing ) for?

IOW, can I install a community edition at work, without buying a subscription of some sort?

 

[leesteken]

IOW, can I install a community edition at work, without buying a subscription of some sort?

No, you need a community support subscription.

You can install Proxmox without any subscription (of any kind), which is identical to the community edition except for the "nag screen" and it gets updates earlier (if you chose to install updates).

EDIT: Proxmox with any of the other support subscriptions are also identical to the community edition, except that they come a number of support tickets (and maybe other support benefits, I don't know/care about the details).

EDIT2: There is really only one version of Proxmox (which is FOSS under AGPL3), but some get updates earlier and you can buy a subscription for various kinds of support.

 

[Dunuin]

PVE is open source. You can use it with all features for free (no artificial limitations and no stripped down version). What you pay for is technical support and/or access to the more stable enterprise repo.
There is no way to get that for free.
Somehow they need to earn some money to pay staff and so on...

So you either contribute with money or by being part of external testing.
Still very stable with the no-subscription repo and free community support is great. So not a big problem to use it without paying any cent unless you use it comercially where downtime could be very expensive and they you should have the budget to pay for it (which is still very cheap compared to VMware and so on).

 

[cosmos]

Loved Proxmox. Even managed to hold on to two hosts, when upper management furnished my department with an ESXi-based cluster (2 nodes and FC-based storage) ... which now they don't know what to do the way things turned for vmware...

Will upgrade the ones at work and will install a home server now that I've got some serious performance there

Still, common storage seems to be an Achilles' heel here. Which is really a pity since PVE's feature set is extensive and the product itself is rock-stable...

 

[norbi771]

No, you need a community support subscription.

I have been using Proxmox privately for a while. I liked it. Since I had the impression that the community version is free, I wanted to set up a small lab at work based on Proxmox. While searching the Internet for information about licensing to ensure that I could use Proxmox without any fees, I came across this forum and your statement.

However, I didn't find any documents confirming your claim that purchasing a subscription is required. Therefore, I find it hard to agree with your statement. Are there any licensing terms that require the purchase of a subscription? Could you point them out?

I only found suggestions regarding the purchase of a subscription.

https://proxmox.com/en/services/support states:
For software used in production environments and business-critical solutions, we recommend getting a subscription.

 

[cosmos]

If understand correctly what has been written above, and as @Dunuin noted, one can use PVE for free but without having access to the proxmox enterprise-grade repositories. As you've mentioned, getting a subscription is a basically technically recommendation, since you do not have access to tried and tested repos.

 

[norbi771]

That's exactly what I thought, but the categorical statement @leesteken surprised me a bit and made me wonder if there's something I don't know.

 

[Dunuin]

There is no license you need to buy. It's free open source software. And not "freemium" like many other commercial open source projects that use artificial restrictions to hide features behind a pay wall.
What you might pay for support and the enterprise repo (which contains the same packages, just some weeks behind and therefore better tested).

 

[Turner11]

I have been using Proxmox privately for a while. I liked it. Since I had the impression that the community version is free, I wanted to set up a small lab at work based on Proxmox. While searching the Internet for information about licensing to ensure that I could use Proxmox without any fees, I came across this forum and your statement.

However, I didn't find any documents confirming your claim that purchasing a subscription is required. Therefore, I find it hard to agree with your statement. Are there any licensing terms that require the purchase of a subscription? Could you point them out?

I only found suggestions regarding the purchase of a subscription.

https://proxmox.com/en/services/support states:
For software used in production environments and business-critical solutions, we recommend getting a subscription.


I also recently implemented software from jira okr into my business, which improved the process of setting and tracking tasks. It is useful.

Hi there,

It's understandable why you're confused about Proxmox licensing. While the Proxmox VE software itself is open-source and free to use, there are some nuances to consider for business use:

Proxmox VE Licensing Breakdown:

• Free Open-Source License (pve-no-subscription repository): This allows you to install and use Proxmox VE for free, even in a work environment. However, you'll rely on the community-maintained packages in the pve-no-subscription repository, which are typically a few weeks behind the latest stable releases.
• Proxmox VE Subscriptions (Optional): Subscriptions provide access to the enterprise repository containing the latest stable packages, priority support, and additional features like centralized management tools. They are recommended for production environments and business-critical applications where stability and timely updates are crucial.

Your Findings are Correct:

You're right on point! The official Proxmox website doesn't explicitly state a requirement for subscriptions, but it recommends them for production environments.

Here's the Key:

The choice ultimately depends on your needs. For a small lab environment at work, you can certainly utilize the free, open-source version with the pve-no-subscription repository. However, if you need the latest updates and prioritize stability, a subscription might be beneficial.

 

[fabian]

Hi there,

It's understandable why you're confused about Proxmox licensing. While the Proxmox VE software itself is open-source and free to use, there are some nuances to consider for business use:

Proxmox VE Licensing Breakdown:

• Free Open-Source License (pve-no-subscription repository): This allows you to install and use Proxmox VE for free, even in a work environment. However, you'll rely on the community-maintained packages in the pve-no-subscription repository, which are typically a few weeks behind the latest stable releases.

the packages in all our repositories are maintained by us, not the community.

• Proxmox VE Subscriptions (Optional): Subscriptions provide access to the enterprise repository containing the latest stable packages, priority support, and additional features like centralized management tools. They are recommended for production environments and business-critical applications where stability and timely updates are crucial.

this is also wrong, there are no additional features associated with a subscription other than the enterprise repository and, depending on subscription level, access to enterprise support.

Your Findings are Correct:

You're right on point! The official Proxmox website doesn't explicitly state a requirement for subscriptions, but it recommends them for production environments.

Here's the Key:

The choice ultimately depends on your needs. For a small lab environment at work, you can certainly utilize the free, open-source version with the pve-no-subscription repository. However, if you need the latest updates and prioritize stability, a subscription might be beneficial.

it's very easy:

license: AGPL-3+
enterprise repository and support: commercial offering requiring a subscription

 

[UdoB]

packages in the pve-no-subscription repository, which are typically a few weeks behind the latest stable releases.

Just because this is not mentioned by Fabian: it is the other way around! First new packages are made available in pve-no-sub. After a short while observing feedback they get also included into enterprise.

 

[fabian]

yeah, missed that one

 

[Gorf]

I registered to try to ask about the licensing question and thankfully found this thread. @fabian, it sounds like at a very minimum there is clear confusion about the documentation on the main page regarding licensing. Heck I even balked signing up for the forum here because there is a spot in the registration that askes me to add my license registration information to signup. It took me a moment to read it a couple times to understand what it was asking. I think a little time building a clear message on the main site would alleviate a lot of this confusion.

 

[leesteken]

People always confuse subscription with license. Maybe it's not clear to non-native English speakers that there is a big difference? Maybe better words are possible or more explanation (since it comes up in every thread about subscriptions or the license)?