VMware admins are looking for alternatives because of VMware aggressive pricing changes, forced subscription models, and reduced flexibility. The new Broadcom licensing model requiring a minimum 72-core license purchase, even for infrastructure using only 16 core servers – raising annual support costs from around $2,000 to over $10,000.
Many businesses find their solutions by migrating to Proxmox VE, but finding Proxmox not fitting every scenario with limited central management options. That’s why many admins that looking for an alternative to VMware ESXi hypervisor, they also look for a centralized management, with similar feeling like VMware vCenter server.
That’s where ProxCenter comes in with a modern, self-hosted platform designed to manage multiple Proxmox clusters from a single pane of glass.
Previously I was exploring vCenter alternative called Proxmox Datacenter manager from Proxmox,(StarWind blog post here) but today we’ll have a look at another independent alternative (From France!) called ProxCenter which stands out for its vCenter-inspired features, making it easier for former VMware admins to adapt.
In this post, I’ll dive into what ProxCenter is, its system requirements, installation process, key technical features, and the real benefits it offers for managing Proxmox virtualization environments.
What is ProxCenter?
ProxCenter is an open-source management solution for Proxmox Virtual Environment (VE) and Proxmox Backup Server (PBS). It acts as a unified dashboard that aggregates multiple Proxmox servers, clusters, and PBS instances without requiring agents or modifications to your existing setup. It communicates solely via the Proxmox API, keeping your infrastructure clean and secure.
Think of it as “vCenter for Proxmox” – it provides a modern web UI with real-time monitoring, automation, and advanced security features. It’s available in two editions: a free Community Edition for basic needs and an Enterprise Edition for production-scale deployments with premium features like DRS and micro-segmentation.
System Requirements
ProxCenter is lightweight and deploys via Docker, so it runs on any Linux server with minimal overhead. Here’s a breakdown of the requirements:
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Any Linux distribution supporting Docker (e.g., Ubuntu, Debian) |
| CPU | Minimum 2 cores; recommended 4+ for larger environments |
| RAM | Minimum 4 GB; recommended 8 GB+ depending on the number of managed nodes |
| Storage | 10 GB free space for Docker images and data |
| Network | Access to Proxmox API ports (default 8006) and optional SSH (22) for advanced features |
| Software | Docker installed; no additional agents needed on Proxmox nodes |
| Compatibility | Proxmox VE 7.x+, Ceph storage, various storage types (local, NFS, Ceph RBD/FS, ZFS, LVM, PBS, iSCSI) |
No specific hardware is mandated beyond Docker compatibility, making it ideal for home labs or enterprise setups. For Enterprise features like AI analytics, ensure your host has sufficient resources for processing.
Installation Process
Getting ProxCenter up and running is straightforward – it’s a one-command install for the Community Edition.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Install Docker on your Linux host if not already present (depends on your Linux distro). In my case, I was on Ubuntu:
sudo apt install docker.io
2. Run the Installation Script:
curl -fsSL https://proxcenter.io/install/community | sudo bash
This pulls the Docker images and sets up the container.
3. Access the Web UI: Open a browser and navigate to the provided URL (usually http://your-host-ip:port, in my case: http://192.168.1.107:3000 ). Create an admin account on first login.
4. Add Proxmox Connections: In the UI, add your PVE clusters using API credentials (e.g., root@pam token with sufficient privileges). ProxCenter uses API tokens for secure authentication when connecting to Proxmox VE (PVE) or Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) instances.
Create your access token on your Proxmox cluster for secure authentication. It is a preferred method, via API. (note you can also use username/password combination).
If you’re lost, just follow the documentation which Is very good.
5. Configure Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) (if used): Add Proxmox Backup Servers similarly for centralized backup management.
Community vs Enterprise Edition
The Enterprise edition unlocks many features that are not present in the Community Edition:
- DRS (Distributed Resource Scheduler) for intelligent workload balancing.
- Rolling Updates with zero-downtime migrations.
- Network Micro segmentation and RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) with LDAP/AD integration.
- AI-powered insights, predictive analytics, and automated reporting (PDF, AI-driven).
- Alerts & Notifications, task scheduling, and audit logs.
For the Enterprise Edition, you’ll need a license key – contact the ProxCenter team for pricing and deploy with a similar script. The whole process takes under 10 minutes, and upgrades are handled via Docker pulls without downtime.
The Community edition is freely accessible on Github here – Proxcenter UI
Key Features
ProxCenter packs a punch with technical capabilities tailored for Proxmox admins. Here’s a technical overview:
- Modular Dashboard: Customizable widgets for real-time metrics on CPU, RAM, storage IOPS, throughput, and alerts. Supports drag-and-drop for personalized views.
- Inventory Management: Unified view of VMs, LXC containers, nodes, and storage across all clusters. Bulk actions, tagging, and filters for efficient operations.
- Ceph Monitoring and Replication: Ceph is an open-source, software-defined storage platform (equivalent of VMware vSAN). Proxcenter supports its integration and provides a real-time observability into Ceph health, per-OSD utilization, and cross-cluster RBD replication. Includes automated failover and incremental syncs.
- Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS – Enterprise): Monitors resource usage and automatically live-migrates VMs to balance loads, preventing hotspots without manual intervention.
Screenshot from proxcenter.io website bellow
- Network Micro-Segmentation (Enterprise): Zero-trust security inspired by NSX, with distributed firewalls, traffic visualization, and east-west isolation rules.
Note: Many of the features are in development, as the product is currently at its 1.0 stage.
- Rolling Updates and Site Recovery: Zero-downtime updates by draining nodes sequentially. (VMware has the same feature with vSphere Lifecycle Manager where you can patch your environment and use a circular approach where each of the hosts within a cluster will be put into a maintenance mode, patched and rebooted).
- Backup and Alerts: Multi-Proxmox Backup Server (PBS) management for scheduling, browsing, and granular restores. Alerts via email, Slack, Teams, or webhooks with customizable thresholds.
- Security and Intelligence: CVE scanning, RBAC with LDAP/AD/SSO integration, AI-powered predictions for capacity planning, and custom reports exportable as PDF.
These features leverage React for the frontend and Go for the backend, ensuring high performance and security (e.g., AES-256 encryption, TLS 1.3).
Proxcenter Community vs Enterprise
We can find the Community version of the product on github where we can fin a nice table detailing feature-by-feature in a table. You can see that many enterprise features are comparable to VMware vSphere or VMware bundles (DRS, Micro-segmentation, Site Recovery,RBAC…)
Benefits for Proxmox Admins
For admins managing Proxmox systems, ProxCenter addresses key challenges in scaled environments:
- Centralized Control: No more switching between multiple Proxmox web UIs. Manage everything from one interface, saving time in multi-cluster setups.
- Automation and Efficiency: DRS and rolling updates reduce manual tasks, minimizing downtime and human error.
- Enhanced Security: Micro-segmentation and vulnerability scanning add layers of protection, crucial for enterprise compliance. RBAC ensures fine-grained access without compromising the root account.
- Better Observability: Real-time Ceph and storage monitoring prevents issues before they escalate. Custom reports provide insights for audits and planning.
- Scalability Without Lock-In: Handles unlimited nodes in Community Edition (with limited features), with open-source roots ensuring flexibility. It’s perfect for home labs, small businesses or large datacenters transitioning from VMware.
In my experience with similar tools like Proxmox Datacenter Manager, ProxCenter feels snappier, “lighter” and more customizations. ProxCenter also offers more features, advanced automation and a sleeker UI, making it a strong contender for production use.
Features such as Network Micro-segmentation (which is available in the Enterprise subscription) does looks like a VMware NSX. Apparently, you can see real-time traffic flow visualization and distributed firewall rules. You can isolate workloads and enforce policies on “per-VM” basis.
Screenshot from the lab
To be honest, I’d need to play with it during longer period of time to give you more detailed feeling, but from what I could see so far, I can feel the passion behind the dev team.
Also, I don’t have a dedicated lab for Proxmox (only nested VMs) so any performance tests aren’t possible for me.
ProxCenter Ceph Integration – Deep Dive for Proxmox Admins
If you’re running Proxmox VE with Ceph for hyper-converged storage (and most serious Proxmox deployments eventually do), you know the built-in Ceph dashboard in Proxmox is functional but limited when scaling to multiple clusters or needing cross-site visibility.
Screenshot from proxcenter.io website
ProxCenter steps in as a powerful overlay, aggregating Ceph data from all connected Proxmox clusters into one modern interface. It doesn’t replace the native pveceph tools or Ceph CLI – it enhances them with better observability, predictive insights, and (in Enterprise) disaster recovery orchestration.
ProxCenter pulls data exclusively via the Proxmox API (port 8006) – no agents on your Ceph nodes, no direct Ceph cluster access required. This keeps your security posture intact while giving centralized views that native Proxmox struggles to provide across datacenters.
Final Words
If you’re an admin using Proxmox, I think that this tool is really worth trying. But it is not the only one! Read my Proxmox Datacenter Manager article too, and it is not finish yet. There is another tool which I’ll write about, and it is also about Proxmox.
But after all, ProxCenter might be the missing piece for your Proxmox environment. It is vCenter-like experience, but faster, easier to deploy, combined with powerful features. ProxCenter makes it a worthwhile addition to any Proxmox setup. Start with the free Community Edition to test it out, and if you or your company needs more, then simply upgrade. I really like the speed of the solution and the fact that it does not “eat” 8 vCPU and 16 or 32Gb of RAM like your VMware vCenter Appliance. I know I’m a bit sarcastic.
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