When it comes to protecting your Proxmox virtualized environments, selecting the right backup solution is crucial for ensuring data integrity, minimizing downtime, and optimizing recovery efforts. BDRSuite’s Proxmox Backup and Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) both offer reliable Proxmox backup solutions, but each has its unique features and advantages tailored to different needs.
In this blog, we’ll dive into a detailed comparison of the backup features provided by BDRSuite and Proxmox Backup Server. From agentless backup capabilities to advanced restore options, we’ll explore how each solution stacks up in terms of ease of use, flexibility, and scalability.
Whether you’re running a single Proxmox host or a large Proxmox cluster, understanding the strengths and limitations of each backup solution is key to making an informed decision. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clearer picture of which solution best fits your backup and disaster recovery needs.
1. Agentless VM Backup for Proxmox Virtual Machines
When it comes to backing up Proxmox Virtual Machines (VMs), one of the most crucial aspects is the ability to perform agentless backups. This means that the backup solution can capture and back up VMs without needing to install any backup agents inside each VM, simplifying both setup and management. Both Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) and BDRSuite support backing up standalone Proxmox hosts and Proxmox clusters.
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
Proxmox Backup Server offers agentless backups for virtual machines in Proxmox environments. The backup is performed directly at the hypervisor level using Proxmox’s QEMU/KVM backup methods. The backup process integrates tightly with the Proxmox VE host, leveraging its internal APIs for efficient VM snapshots.
How it works: PBS uses Proxmox VE’s built-in snapshot capabilities to capture the state of VMs while ensuring minimal impact on performance. The backup operation is handled entirely at the hypervisor level, with no need to install software inside the guest VMs.
Limitation: PBS VM backups are not application-aware by default, meaning that applications inside VMs, such as databases or mail servers, may not be fully consistent unless additional measures are taken (like using pre/post-backup scripts).
BDRSuite
BDRSuite, on the other hand, also supports agentless backup for Proxmox Virtual Machines. Like PBS, BDRSuite leverages Proxmox’s APIs to backup virtual machines at the hypervisor level without needing to install agents within the VMs themselves. This ensures a lightweight, efficient backup process for virtual machines in Proxmox environments.
How it works: BDRSuite uses agentless backup for Proxmox VMs, where it integrates with Proxmox VE’s API to trigger VM snapshots and backup VM data. The backup operation is similar to PBS in terms of interacting with the hypervisor.
BDRSuite supports backup of all VM disk types (QCOW, VMDK, RAW). BDRSuite offers flexible backup methods, including full, incremental, and synthetic full backups, ensuring efficient storage utilization and faster recovery times.
Advantage: Application-aware backups (coming soon): BDRSuite plans to offer application-aware backup for better consistency and backup of critical applications like databases, which can further improve the reliability of your backups.
2. Flexibility to Store Backups Anywhere
Proxmox Backup Server
Supports local disk and network-attached storage (NAS), but cloud storage options are not supported.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite provides greater diversity in storage choices.offering more flexibility and scalability. You can store backups anywhere – Local/Remote storage (DAS, NAS, SAN, Deduplication Appliance) or your Own Public Cloud (Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud, Wasabi, Backblaze, Other S3 Compatible storage) or BDRCloud (coming soon).
3. Centralized Management Console
Centralized management simplifies operations, especially for organizations with multiple Proxmox hosts. BDRSuite excels in this area.
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
When multiple PBS instances are deployed, they must be managed separately. PBS lacks the ability to manage multiple Proxmox Backup Servers from a single console. This can lead to operational inefficiencies and increased complexity. Additionally, PBS does not offer a cloud-based management console, requiring all management to be done locally.
Deployment: PBS can be installed on bare metal servers, virtual machines, or Debian-based systems.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite’s self-hosted centralized management console enables you to manage and monitor multiple Proxmox hosts from a single interface. This centralized control simplifies administration, especially as your environment grows. Furthermore, BDRSuite allows for easy scaling of backup servers and supports cluster setups for load balancing.
Deployment: BDRSuite Backup Server can be installed on Windows and Linux machines, physical servers, virtual machines, cloud VMs, or as Docker containers.
Additionally, BDRSuite will soon offer Proxmox VM Backup in its BDRCloud-hosted management console, allowing for remote access and management of backup operations from anywhere. This is ideal for MSPs and businesses with distributed teams or global operations.
4. Instant & Granular Recovery Options
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
PBS offers restore at the VM level, which is great for recovering entire virtual machines. However, it doesn’t provide granular item level restores or support for cross-hypervisor migrations.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite provides multiple recovery options including instant recovery of VM, files & disks. Additionally, BDRSuite supports cross-hypervisor restores, meaning you can restore a backup from Proxmox to another hypervisor such as VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM or other hypervisors. This flexibility makes it easier to recover data in diverse environments.
5. Comprehensive Data Protection for Diverse Workloads
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
PBS is tailored specifically for Proxmox virtual machines and containers. While it excels in backing up Proxmox environments, it doesn’t provide a comprehensive solution for other workloads like servers, endpoints, or cloud VMs.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite goes beyond Proxmox VMs by offering backup protection for other workloads such as VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, KVM, oVirt, physical servers, endpoints, SaaS applications, and cloud VMs. This is managed through the same centralized console, making it an all-encompassing solution for organizations with diverse infrastructures.
6. Automated Backups with Flexible Scheduling Options
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
PBS offers basic scheduling, typically limited to daily or weekly intervals. It lacks fine-grained control for more frequent backups.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite offers highly flexible scheduling, allowing you to set backups as often as every 15 minutes. The frequency options include every few minutes, few hours, daily, weekly, monthly, after a specific job, etc. This provides greater control over backup frequency, making it ideal for critical environments.
7. Backup Data Retention & Advanced Data Security
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) and BDRSuite offer flexible retention options, but BDRSuite provides more advanced control. PBS allows backup retention based on days, weeks, or months, but lacks GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) retention strategies. In contrast, BDRSuite allows retention for days, weeks, months, or years, and includes GFS, enabling more robust long-term data storage strategies.
When it comes to data security, both solutions offer solid protection, but BDRSuite goes a step further with additional features. BDRSuite provides end-to-end encryption, immutable backups for ransomware protection, two-factor authentication (2FA), and role-based user access, ensuring a higher level of security for backup data. These advanced security measures make BDRSuite a comprehensive and more secure choice for businesses seeking to safeguard their backup data against emerging threats.
8. Reporting & Notifications
Proxmox Backup Server
Offers basic log-based reporting and email notifications. However, it lacks advanced reporting features like centralized monitoring and detailed analytics.
BDRSuite
Provides comprehensive reports on backup status, job history, VM level report, storage utilization, and alerts for backup failures or missed schedules. Instant & schedule-based email notifications ensure administrators stay informed.
9. Implement 3-2-1 Backup Strategy
Proxmox Backup Server (PBS)
Proxmox Backup Server supports offsite backup copies, enabling users to store backups remotely for added redundancy. It also provides tape backup options for further disaster recovery protection.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite offers more comprehensive offsite copy and backup copy capabilities, ensuring that your data is securely stored in multiple locations on different storage devices for enhanced disaster recovery. Additionally, BDRSuite is preparing to support tape backup, further strengthening its disaster recovery strategy.
10. Pricing, Licensing & Technical Support
Proxmox Backup Server
PBS offers multiple editions—Basic, Standard, and Premium—each with varying levels of support and pricing. Premium subscribers benefit from unlimited support tickets and a response time of less than 2 hours during business hours, while Standard offers 15 tickets/year with a 4-hour response time, and Basic limits to 5 tickets/year with a 1-business day response time. The premium version costs up to €4320 per year, with pricing based on the number of Proxmox Backup Servers.
These tiered plans and limited support can create challenges for businesses in need of quick and flexible assistance.
BDRSuite
BDRSuite provides a single edition that includes access to all features, making it easy for businesses to adopt without the complexities of multiple tiers. There’s no restriction based on the number of backup servers, and businesses only pay for the VMs they backup.
BDRSuite offers both subscription and perpetual licenses with VM-level pricing for flexibility. Furthermore, BDRSuite provides 24/7 technical support for all licensed users, ensuring reliable assistance whenever needed.
This simplified structure ensures that businesses can focus on their data protection needs without worrying about edition restrictions or complicated licensing models.
BDRSuite vs Proxmox Backup Server – A Comparison
This table highlights the key differences to help you make an informed decision between Proxmox Backup Server and BDRSuite for your Proxmox backup needs.
| Feature | BDRSuite’s Proxmox Backup Solution | Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) |
|---|---|---|
| Backup Type | Agentless VM Backup (with application-aware backup) | Agentless VM Backup |
| Backup Storage Options | Local, Remote (DAS, NAS, SAN), Public Cloud (Amazon S3, Azure, Google Cloud, Wasabi, etc.), BDRCloud (coming soon) | Local disk, Network-Attached Storage (NAS) |
| Centralized Management | Centralized management for multiple Proxmox hosts (self-hosted and cloud-based) | No centralized management for multiple PBS instances |
| Installation Options | Install on Windows & Linux machines – physical servers, virtual machines, cloud VMs, or as Docker containers | Install on bare metal servers, virtual machines, or Debian-based systems |
| Recovery Options | Instant VM restore, file & disk recovery, cross-hypervisor restores (e.g., Proxmox to VMware or Hyper-V) | VM-level restore, no granular or cross-hypervisor restore |
| Data Protection for Diverse Workloads | Proxmox, VMware, Hyper-V, KVM, oVirt, Servers, Endpoints, NAS, SaaS apps, and Cloud VMs | Primarily Proxmox VMs & Containers |
| Backup Scheduling | Flexible scheduling (from 15 minutes to hourly, daily, weekly, months & job-based triggers) | Basic scheduling (daily or weekly) |
| Backup Retention | Retention for days, weeks, months, years, with GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) | Retention based on days, weeks, or months – No GFS |
| Reporting & Notifications | Detailed backup reports, email alerts, centralized monitoring, and real-time tracking | Basic log-based reporting, email notifications only, no centralized monitoring | Licensing & Pricing | Affordable VM-level pricing, Single Edition, Subscription or perpetual licensing | Tiered (Basic, Standard, Premium)
Up to €4320/year for Premium (based on number of PBS servers) |
| Technical Support | 24/7 Responsive support for all licensed users | Limited support tickets based on tier (up to 5/year for Basic). Response time is also based on tier. |
Conclusion
BDRSuite offers a more versatile and scalable proxmox backup solution than Proxmox Backup Server (PBS). With VM-level pricing, centralized management, advanced security features, and the ability to backup diverse workloads (from VMs and physical servers to cloud environments), BDRSuite provides a comprehensive data protection strategy for businesses of all sizes.
In contrast to PBS’s limited scope, BDRSuite supports a wide range of infrastructures and allows businesses to scale their backup solution seamlessly. Its single edition approach removes subscription complexities, while offering enhanced features like ransomware protection, cross-hypervisor restore, and easy cloud integration.
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