Subscriptions and new hardware

[jabuzzard]

What, if any, are the options for having an "overlap" on subscriptions when bringing a new Proxmox cluster online on new hardware?

Basically, I have an existing cluster with subscriptions and a brand new cluster with new hardware. I understand I can move the subscription between the two, but I would prefer to get the new cluster all set up and updated, ready to roll, while leaving the existing cluster with the subscriptions, then move the VMs over and ditch the old hardware.

I could just buy new subscriptions, but halfway through a year's subscription, that is kind of expensive. I am willing to pay something, just not lose half a year's subscriptions. Something like a one-month subscription to see us over the migration period would be ideal?

 

[SteveITS]

Can you remove it from the original and not install updates for a few weeks? Though I suppose support is a different matter.

 

[jabuzzard]

That is exactly what I am trying to avoid, having my cluster in a state where it is not getting updates. Support is less of an issue as I am unlikely to use it. Lack of updates however in the cyber security environment of 2026 is something of a deal breaker.

 

[UdoB]

You should really ask https://shop.proxmox.com/contact.php for a recommended/safe procedure. Probably you are not the first person with this "problem".

Please post their answer here

 

[niteshadow]

Subscription is per node.
In the same cluster, you can mix subscription and no-subscription nodes.

 

[VictorSTS]

@niteshadow While technically you could, you are breaking two golden rules:

• Good practice dictate to have the same package versions on every node.
• Each server in your cluster needs its own subscription based on its specific socket count. All nodes within a cluster must be subscribed at the same level to ensure repository consistency and support eligibility (from the FAQ [1]).

[1] https://www.proxmox.com/en/products/proxmox-virtual-environment/pricing

 

[jabuzzard]

From a VMware perspective, you could always just install vSphere, use the 60-day trial license, and once ready, move the licenses over. Been there, done that. Looks like this is something else lacking from an enterprise perspective in the Proxmox offering. Looks like the best bet might just be some extra community licenses. My new servers are single-socket, so that does lessen the pain.

 

[VictorSTS]

The way I do it:

1. - Src cluster has subscription.
2. - Update the nodes to latest version.
3. - Install new servers, configure network.
4. - Move subscription to new nodes.
5. - Install latest packages on new nodes.
6. - Setup Ceph, storages, backups, users, etc (if on the same cluster most of this gets imported automatically).
7. - Migrate VMs to new servers (backup/restore, migration if on the same cluster, maybe PDM if needed, etc).
8. - If needed remove old servers from cluster.

Unless you are going to take months to migrate, that's perfectly valid. As mentioned above, you just switch old servers to the no-subscription repo and still get updates in case some kind of zero day or breaking bug shows up during the migration.

 

[niteshadow]

I guess it depends if you rely on Proxmox Support, or you are your own support : you decide if you want to mix "licenses".
But don't compare with VMware: no Proxmox feature is locked behind a license cost.
https://www.proxmox.com/en/products/proxmox-virtual-environment/comparison
Basically it's flexible enough for everyone to decide whether to pay and how much to pay.

 

[jabuzzard]

I am going to legitimately compare VMware to Proxmox. VMware has/had a method to migrate from old to new hardware with "production" level of updates on all nodes at all times within a 60 day window at no extra cost. Proxmox does not appear to have that option. That is in my view a short coming in the Proxmox offering compared to VMware and there is nothing you can do to persuade me otherwise. Noting this option existed long before the Broadcom price hikes.

The are basically a number of "enterprisy" features in the VMware offering that Proxmox lacks and this is one of them and it IS locked behind a license cost. Displaying what is borderline hostility because someone has the audacity to compare Proxmox to VMware and finds it lacking in some way just makes one look like a jerk.

 

[VictorSTS]

You can get that very same behavior on PVE, either with or without aditional subscriptions for the new hardware. I've already shown you how to do it without any extra cost.
In fact, as Enterprise repo has slightly older packages than no-subscription, you could install the very same versions that are on Enterprise using the no-subscription repo. If you really want to upgrade packages during the migration (dunno why would you), that requires some manual work to keep the very same versions on hosts using Enterprise vs no-subscription repo, but usually the differing packages are a handful.
Anyway, If you already have subscription with support, contact PVE about you use case and get an official answer for your situation.

 

[alexskysilk]

In the same cluster, you can mix subscription and no-subscription nodes.

unless there was a policy shift, subscription is only valid if all nodes in the cluster are licensed.