Proxmox Migration: Moving Off VMware Without Losing Data

If you run several servers on VMware or Hyper-V and licensing costs suddenly jumped (or sales stopped altogether), the question “where do we move” comes up fast. Migrating to Proxmox is a solid option: a free virtualization platform with the feature set small and mid-sized businesses actually need. This service fits companies moving off VMware/Hyper-V, or anyone who’s ended up with a mixed bag of servers and wants to bring it all under one system.

What’s included

• Installing Proxmox on a single server or a multi-node cluster
• Migrating virtual machines from your current platform
• Setting up storage sized for your workload
• Configuring access rights for staff and administrators
• Documentation of the final setup and a runbook for outages

How the work proceeds

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1. Audit of current servers and VMs. I check what’s currently running, how much resources it needs, and build a migration plan that accounts for dependencies between machines.
2. Preparing the server for Proxmox. I set up networking, storage, and the node itself (or several nodes, if you need a cluster), before any production load touches it.
3. Pilot migration of one VM. I move the least critical machine first and confirm everything works correctly before touching the rest.
4. Migrating the remaining machines. This happens during an agreed downtime window, to keep the impact on your business to a minimum.
5. Backup, verification, documentation. I set up backups, go through a checklist, and hand over the diagrams and documentation.

What hardware you’ll need

You need a server (or several) for Proxmox: a CPU with virtualization support, ECC memory (it corrects minor errors on its own, which matters for server stability), SSD or NVMe drives, and at least two network ports. If you don’t have a server yet, or you’re not sure what to get, I’ll help pick a configuration for the job, free of charge as part of the project.

What gets deployed

I install Proxmox VE, a virtualization platform that replaces VMware or Hyper-V. Depending on the task, I deploy a single node or a multi-node cluster. Storage gets configured as LVM, ZFS, or network storage (NFS, Ceph), whichever fits your workload. Separately, I set up networking with VLANs (splitting the network into logical segments, for example by department or server role), access rights, and backup integration.

What you get as a result

• A working virtualization platform on Proxmox
• Migrated virtual machines with no data loss
• An infrastructure diagram and setup documentation
• An action plan for outages or recovery

Pricing

The base price depends on the number of machines and how complex the storage layout is. A multi-node cluster with high availability, and work beyond five virtual machines, are priced separately.

Not included in the price: the cost of servers and licenses.

After delivery: 14 days of free fixes for any issues. After that: one-off work at 2 000 ₽/hour, or support starting at 4 000 ₽/month.

What I need from you

• Access to your current servers and virtualization system
• An agreed downtime window for migrating the machines
• Licenses for the guest machines’ operating systems
• A point of contact who can answer questions about the infrastructure

FAQ

Can the migration be done fully remotely?

Yes, remote or on-site, whichever works better for you. Most of the setup and migration work happens remotely, an on-site visit isn’t always necessary.

How long does migrating from VMware to Proxmox take?

From 3 to 10 days, depending on the number of servers and virtual machines, and how complex the storage layout is.

What if we don’t have a server for Proxmox yet?

I’ll help pick a configuration for your needs, free of charge as part of the project. Buying the server itself isn’t included in the service price.

Is there really no risk of losing data during migration?

The migration happens in stages: a pilot machine first, then the rest during an agreed window. This lowers the risk and lets you verify everything on one machine before moving the rest.

What happens after the project is delivered if something goes wrong?

For 14 days after delivery, I fix any issues free of charge. After that, it’s either one-off work at an hourly rate or ongoing support on a subscription basis, if you need regular coverage.

What if we have a lot of servers and need a cluster with high availability?

I also build multi-node clusters with HA (where, if one server goes down, virtual machines automatically start up on another). This is priced separately from the base rate.