Proxmox System Requirements: Hardware Guide 2026

Proxmox system requirements vary significantly depending on the deployment scenario. For a basic installation, you need at least a 64-bit CPU with virtualization support, 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage space. However, production environments require considerably more resources, depending on the number of virtual machines and their workloads. Correct hardware sizing determines the performance and stability of your Proxmox infrastructure.

What are the minimum requirements for Proxmox VE?

Proxmox VE requires at least a 64-bit x86 architecture CPU with Intel VT/AMD-V virtualization support, 2 GB of RAM, 32 GB of storage space, and a network interface. However, these minimum requirements are only sufficient for testing purposes or very small installations.

Different requirements apply to various installation types:

• Test/lab environment: 2–4 GB RAM, 2–4 CPU cores, 64 GB SSD storage
• Small production environment: 8–16 GB RAM, 4–8 CPU cores, 256 GB SSD storage
• Enterprise environment: 32+ GB RAM, 8+ CPU cores, redundant storage systems

Network requirements include at least one Gigabit Ethernet connection for management. For cluster configurations, you should plan separate networks for management, storage, and VM traffic. Additionally, a dedicated connection for Corosync cluster communication is strongly recommended.

Which CPU is best suited for Proxmox servers?

Modern Intel Xeon or AMD EPYC processors offer the best performance for Proxmox servers. Intel CPUs excel in single-core performance, while AMD EPYC processors provide more cores per euro and better memory bandwidth. Both support all necessary virtualization features.

Crucial CPU features for Proxmox include:

• Hardware virtualization (Intel VT-x/AMD-V)
• IOMMU support for PCI passthrough
• AES-NI for encryption
• At least 4 physical cores for small setups

You should calculate the number of cores based on the planned VM density. As a rule of thumb: plan for 1–2 physical cores per 4–8 vCPUs, depending on the CPU load of your virtual machines. For compute-intensive workloads such as databases or development environments, you should size more generously.

How much RAM do you really need for Proxmox?

Proxmox itself requires 2–4 GB of RAM, but you should plan for at least 16–32 GB for production environments. The amount of RAM primarily depends on your virtual machines: add up their RAM requirements and include a 20–30% buffer for the host system.

Practical RAM sizing by scenario:

• 5–10 small VMs: 32–64 GB RAM
• 10–20 standard VMs: 64–128 GB RAM
• Enterprise cluster: 256+ GB RAM per node

Proxmox supports memory ballooning, which allows unused RAM to be temporarily released by VMs. However, this feature only works with guest tools installed and should not serve as a substitute for adequate RAM sizing. Similarly, Proxmox can utilize the Linux kernel feature Kernel Same-page Merging (KSM). This enables memory deduplication, which can also reduce actual memory requirements.

As a file system, ZFS requires an additional 1 GB of RAM per TB of storage for optimal performance. If you are aiming for a setup with Ceph on the same nodes, you should also plan for sufficient memory, processing power, and network resources to operate Ceph OSDs.

In cluster configurations, you must also plan RAM for high-availability scenarios. If a node fails, the remaining nodes must be able to take over its VMs.

Which storage solution is optimal for Proxmox clusters?

NVMe SSDs offer the best performance for Proxmox clusters, especially in a RAID 10 configuration for an optimal balance between speed and redundancy. As a file system, ZFS provides integrated checksums, snapshots, and compression. For larger clusters, Ceph or external NFS/iSCSI storage systems are suitable.

Storage technology comparison:

• NVMe SSD: Highest performance, ideal for VM storage and databases
• SATA SSD: Good price-performance ratio for standard workloads
• HDD: Cost-effective for backups and archives

Compared to ext4 or XFS, ZFS offers advanced features such as copy-on-write, integrated RAID functions, and efficient snapshots. The storage overhead is approximately 20–30%, but in return, it provides significantly better data integrity and management options.

For network storage in larger environments, Ceph represents a scalable solution that is directly integrated into Proxmox. NFS is suitable for shared storage between a few nodes, while iSCSI offers slightly better performance with higher complexity.

How credativ® supports Proxmox implementations

credativ® offers comprehensive consulting and support for Proxmox projects, from initial hardware sizing to ongoing operations. Our experts support you in the optimal configuration of your virtualization infrastructure and ensure secure, efficient operation.

Our Proxmox services include:

• Hardware consulting and sizing for your specific requirements
• Professional installation and configuration of Proxmox clusters
• Migration of existing systems to Proxmox infrastructures
• Performance optimization and monitoring setup
• 24/7 support and maintenance by certified specialists
• Backup strategies and disaster recovery planning
• Training for your IT teams

As a vendor-independent company, we provide objective advice on selecting the optimal solution for your requirements. Our German-speaking support team is directly available to you – without detours through call centers.

Contact us for a non-binding consultation regarding your Proxmox implementation. Our experts will work with you to develop the right strategy for your virtualization requirements.

About the author

Peter Dreuw

Head of Sales & Marketing

about the person

Peter Dreuw arbeitet seit 2016 für die credativ GmbH und ist seit 2017 Teamleiter. Seit 2021 ist er Teil des Management-Teams als VP Services der Instaclustr. Mit der Übernahme durch die NetApp wurde seine neue Rolle "Senior Manager Open Source Professional Services". Im Rahmen der Ausgründung wurde er Mitglied der Geschäftsleitung als Prokurist. Sein Aufgabenfeld ist die Leitung des Vertriebs und des Marketings. Er ist Linux-Nutzer der ersten Stunden und betreibt Linux-Systeme seit Kernel 0.97. Trotz umfangreicher Erfahrung im operativen Bereich ist er leidenschaftlicher Softwareentwickler und kennt sich auch mit hardwarenahen Systemen gut aus.

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