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introduction: update and extend project history

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Mostly adds a history overview for PVE 5 and newer releases.

The existing history was only touched up a bit language wise, the diff
looks more involved due to formatting the text with an 80 character
column limit, use git diff's word-diff feature to see what actually
changed there.

Authored-by: Dominik Bohn <d.bohn@proxmox.com>
 [TL: add more links to external and internal references]
Signed-off-by: Thomas Lamprecht <t.lamprecht@proxmox.com>
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Thomas Lamprecht 2025-03-03 11:46:36 +01:00
parent b0531128a7
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@ -205,45 +205,82 @@ include::getting-help.adoc[]
Project History Project History
--------------- ---------------
The project started in 2007, followed by a first stable version in The project started in 2007, followed by a first stable version in 2008. At the
2008. At the time we used OpenVZ for containers, and KVM for virtual time we used OpenVZ for containers, and QEMU with KVM for virtual machines. The
machines. The clustering features were limited, and the user interface clustering features were limited, and the user interface was simple (server
was simple (server generated web page). generated web page).
But we quickly developed new features using the But we quickly developed new features using the
https://corosync.github.io/corosync/[Corosync] cluster stack, and the https://corosync.github.io/corosync/[Corosync] cluster stack, and the
introduction of the new Proxmox cluster file system (pmxcfs) was a big introduction of the new Proxmox cluster file system (pmxcfs) was a big step
step forward, because it completely hides the cluster complexity from forward, because it completely hides the cluster complexity from the user.
the user. Managing a cluster of 16 nodes is as simple as managing a Managing a cluster of 16 nodes is as simple as managing a single node.
single node.
We also introduced a new REST API, with a complete declarative The introduction of our new REST API, with a complete declarative specification
specification written in JSON-Schema. This enabled other people to written in JSON-Schema, enabled other people to integrate {pve} into their
integrate {pve} into their infrastructure, and made it easy to provide infrastructure, and made it easy to provide additional services.
additional services.
Also, the new REST API made it possible to replace the original user Also, the new REST API made it possible to replace the original user interface
interface with a modern HTML5 application using JavaScript. We also with a modern client side single-page application using JavaScript. We also
replaced the old Java based VNC console code with replaced the old Java based VNC console code with
https://kanaka.github.io/noVNC/[noVNC]. So you only need a web browser https://kanaka.github.io/noVNC/[noVNC]. So you only need a web browser to manage
to manage your VMs. your VMs.
The support for various storage types is another big task. Notably, The support for various storage types is another big task. Notably, {pve} was
{pve} was the first distribution to ship ZFS on Linux by default in the first distribution to ship https://zfsonlinux.org/[ZFS on Linux] by default
2014. Another milestone was the ability to run and manage in 2014. Another milestone was the ability to run and manage
https://ceph.com/[Ceph] storage on the hypervisor nodes. Such setups https://ceph.com/[Ceph] storage on the hypervisor nodes. Such setups are
are extremely cost effective. extremely cost effective.
When we started we were among the first companies providing When our project started we were among the first companies providing commercial
commercial support for KVM. The KVM project itself continuously support for KVM. The KVM project itself continuously evolved, and is now a
evolved, and is now a widely used hypervisor. New features arrive widely used hypervisor. New features arrive with each release. We developed the
with each release. We developed the KVM live backup feature, which KVM live backup feature, which makes it possible to create snapshot backups on
makes it possible to create snapshot backups on any storage type. any storage type.
The most notable change with version 4.0 was the move from OpenVZ to The most notable change with version 4.0 was the move from OpenVZ to
https://linuxcontainers.org/[LXC]. Containers are now deeply https://linuxcontainers.org/[LXC]. Containers are now deeply integrated, and
integrated, and they can use the same storage and network features they can use the same storage and network features as virtual machines. At the
as virtual machines. 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::howto-improve-pve-docs.adoc[]
include::translation.adoc[] include::translation.adoc[]