Hi everyone,
I've been a Proxmox user since version 2.3, and it has been my go-to virtualization platform since version 3.0. I'm truly impressed with how far Proxmox has come in such a short time, especially from version 6.0 onward.
Over the years, my projects have grown — what used to be all single-node setups (sometimes with HA, sometimes without) have now evolved into full cluster environments. Lately, I've started experimenting with multi-datacenter projects for Disaster Recovery (DR).
Recently, I've been approached with a few potential DR projects using Proxmox — typically involving two datacenters (one at headquarters and another at a branch), or even small ISPs with multiple PoPs (Points of Presence), looking to keep their infrastructure running in case one site goes offline.
The general idea, based on client discussions, would be to use two separate clusters with no direct link between them, so that if one environment gets compromised (e.g., by an intrusion), the backup site remains unaffected.
I started doing some lab testing using the qm remote-migrate command, which works great for migration, but not so well for replication, for a few reasons:
I also looked into manual ZFS replication between clusters, but the main drawback is that it requires scripting and lacks an easy-to-manage interface for less experienced Linux/Shell administrators.
Finally, I noticed that Veeam offers a VMware replication feature that might be adaptable for this use case. However, I have no real experience with Veeam (I've always used Proxmox, and before that XenServer), so I’m not sure if it’s a practical or cost-effective option.
That’s why I’m opening this thread — to discuss with the community the best ways to approach DR using Proxmox, and to hear from anyone who’s implemented similar projects. I’d like to understand what worked for you and what didn’t, to see what might fit my own environment.
Thanks in advance to everyone who contributes to the discussion!
I've been a Proxmox user since version 2.3, and it has been my go-to virtualization platform since version 3.0. I'm truly impressed with how far Proxmox has come in such a short time, especially from version 6.0 onward.
Over the years, my projects have grown — what used to be all single-node setups (sometimes with HA, sometimes without) have now evolved into full cluster environments. Lately, I've started experimenting with multi-datacenter projects for Disaster Recovery (DR).
Recently, I've been approached with a few potential DR projects using Proxmox — typically involving two datacenters (one at headquarters and another at a branch), or even small ISPs with multiple PoPs (Points of Presence), looking to keep their infrastructure running in case one site goes offline.
The general idea, based on client discussions, would be to use two separate clusters with no direct link between them, so that if one environment gets compromised (e.g., by an intrusion), the backup site remains unaffected.
I started doing some lab testing using the qm remote-migrate command, which works great for migration, but not so well for replication, for a few reasons:
- It always performs a full migration of the VM — in my tests, it doesn’t do incremental transfers like ZFS replication does;
- It doesn’t seem to leave the VM “on standby” at the destination — it migrates and immediately boots it on the target host;
- The destination VM ends up with Auto-Start enabled, meaning that after a power failure, it might automatically start on the other side, which could cause issues.
I also looked into manual ZFS replication between clusters, but the main drawback is that it requires scripting and lacks an easy-to-manage interface for less experienced Linux/Shell administrators.
Finally, I noticed that Veeam offers a VMware replication feature that might be adaptable for this use case. However, I have no real experience with Veeam (I've always used Proxmox, and before that XenServer), so I’m not sure if it’s a practical or cost-effective option.
That’s why I’m opening this thread — to discuss with the community the best ways to approach DR using Proxmox, and to hear from anyone who’s implemented similar projects. I’d like to understand what worked for you and what didn’t, to see what might fit my own environment.
Thanks in advance to everyone who contributes to the discussion!
