diff --git a/pve-intro.adoc b/pve-intro.adoc index a494efe..9f01638 100644 --- a/pve-intro.adoc +++ b/pve-intro.adoc @@ -205,45 +205,82 @@ include::getting-help.adoc[] Project History --------------- -The project started in 2007, followed by a first stable version in -2008. At the time we used OpenVZ for containers, and KVM for virtual -machines. The clustering features were limited, and the user interface -was simple (server generated web page). +The project started in 2007, followed by a first stable version in 2008. At the +time we used OpenVZ for containers, and QEMU with KVM for virtual machines. The +clustering features were limited, and the user interface was simple (server +generated web page). But we quickly developed new features using the https://corosync.github.io/corosync/[Corosync] cluster stack, and the -introduction of the new Proxmox cluster file system (pmxcfs) was a big -step forward, because it completely hides the cluster complexity from -the user. Managing a cluster of 16 nodes is as simple as managing a -single node. +introduction of the new Proxmox cluster file system (pmxcfs) was a big step +forward, because it completely hides the cluster complexity from the user. +Managing a cluster of 16 nodes is as simple as managing a single node. -We also introduced a new REST API, with a complete declarative -specification written in JSON-Schema. This enabled other people to -integrate {pve} into their infrastructure, and made it easy to provide -additional services. +The introduction of our new REST API, with a complete declarative specification +written in JSON-Schema, enabled other people to integrate {pve} into their +infrastructure, and made it easy to provide additional services. -Also, the new REST API made it possible to replace the original user -interface with a modern HTML5 application using JavaScript. We also +Also, the new REST API made it possible to replace the original user interface +with a modern client side single-page application using JavaScript. We also replaced the old Java based VNC console code with -https://kanaka.github.io/noVNC/[noVNC]. So you only need a web browser -to manage your VMs. +https://kanaka.github.io/noVNC/[noVNC]. So you only need a web browser to manage +your VMs. -The support for various storage types is another big task. Notably, -{pve} was the first distribution to ship ZFS on Linux by default in -2014. Another milestone was the ability to run and manage -https://ceph.com/[Ceph] storage on the hypervisor nodes. Such setups -are extremely cost effective. +The support for various storage types is another big task. Notably, {pve} was +the first distribution to ship https://zfsonlinux.org/[ZFS on Linux] by default +in 2014. Another milestone was the ability to run and manage +https://ceph.com/[Ceph] storage on the hypervisor nodes. Such setups are +extremely cost effective. -When we started we were among the first companies providing -commercial support for KVM. The KVM project itself continuously -evolved, and is now a widely used hypervisor. New features arrive -with each release. We developed the KVM live backup feature, which -makes it possible to create snapshot backups on any storage type. +When our project started we were among the first companies providing commercial +support for KVM. The KVM project itself continuously evolved, and is now a +widely used hypervisor. New features arrive with each release. We developed the +KVM live backup feature, which makes it possible to create snapshot backups on +any storage type. The most notable change with version 4.0 was the move from OpenVZ to -https://linuxcontainers.org/[LXC]. Containers are now deeply -integrated, and they can use the same storage and network features -as virtual machines. +https://linuxcontainers.org/[LXC]. Containers are now deeply integrated, and +they can use the same storage and network features as virtual machines. At the +same time we introduced the easy-to-use xref:chapter_ha_manager[High +Availability (HA) manager], simplifying the configuration and management of +highly available setups. + +During the development of {pve} 5 the asynchronous +xref:chapter_pvesr[storage replication] as well as automated +xref:sysadmin_certificate_management[certificate management] using ACME/Let's +Encrypt were introduced, among many other features. + +The xref:chapter_pvesdn[Software Defined Network (SDN)] stack was developed in +cooperation with our community. It was integrated into the web interface as +an experimental feature in version 6.2, simplifying the management of +sophisticated network configurations. Since version 8.1, the SDN integration is +fully supported and installed by default. + +2020 marked the release of a new project, the +https://www.proxmox.com/en/products/proxmox-backup-server/overview[Proxmox +Backup Server], written in the Rust programming language. Proxmox Backup Server +is deeply integrated with {pve} and significantly improves backup capabilities +by implementing incremental backups, deduplication, and much more. + +Another new tool, the https://pom.proxmox.com[Proxmox +Offline Mirror], was released in 2022, enabling subscriptions for systems which +have no connection to the public internet. + +The highly requested dark theme for the web interface was introduced in 2023. +Later that year, version 8.0 integrated access to the Ceph enterprise +repository. Now access to the most stable Ceph repository comes with any +{pve} subscription. + +Automated and unattended installation for the official +xref:installation_installer[ISO installer] was introduced in version 8.2, +significantly simplifying large deployments of {pve}. + +With the xref:qm_import_virtual_machines[import wizard], equally introduced in +version 8.2, users can easily and efficiently migrate guests directly from other +hypervisors like VMware ESXi footnote:[Migrate to Proxmox VE +https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Migrate_to_Proxmox_VE]. +Additionally, archives in Open Virtualization Format (OVF/OVA) can now be +directly imported from file-based storages in the web interface. include::howto-improve-pve-docs.adoc[] include::translation.adoc[]