If you need a safe, supported way to protect Proxmox, start simple. Today, the stable path is to use Veeam’s official Proxmox plug-in for VM backups, and Veeam Agents inside guests when you want application-aware protection. This works for most KVM VMs and fits common recovery goals.
There are limits. LXC containers are not supported by the plug-in. Some disk types are skipped. Instant Recovery to Proxmox is not available yet. We’ll call these out with workarounds, so you can plan cleanly and avoid surprises.
If you want immutable, offsite copies with UK data residency and simple operations, the next step is Rismor Cloud Backup. It’s a managed, UK-hosted Veeam Cloud Connect service from Rismor Technologies. It includes hardened, immutable storage, encryption in flight and at rest, proactive monitoring, and optional monthly restore drills with evidence reports. It also works neatly with the Veeam Agent patterns below.
What’s Supported vs Not (check current Veeam docs)
Is there an official Proxmox plug-in?
Yes. Veeam Backup & Replication includes the Veeam Plug-in for Proxmox VE. You can add Proxmox to Veeam, back up KVM VMs, and restore them, all from the main console.
What is not supported today?
LXC container backups are not supported. VM templates and linked clones have caveats. iSCSI and PCI passthrough disks are skipped. BTRFS and custom storage for VM disks are not supported. Replication is not supported. Check the live “Considerations and Limitations” page before you design jobs.
Instant Recovery status
Instant VM Recovery from Proxmox backups targets other hypervisors (vSphere, Hyper-V, AHV). Instant Recovery back to Proxmox itself is not available at this time. Plan RTOs accordingly.
Implications for RTO and RPO
Because Instant Recovery to Proxmox is not present, recovery may take longer. Your RTOs will depend on full-VM restores or guest-level agent recovery. RPOs are better controlled by frequent incremental jobs and reliable copy jobs to immutable storage.
Clean, Working Patterns (Agent-based)
Pattern A - Agent in each KVM guest (Windows/Linux)
This is the most predictable method. Install Veeam Agent for Windows or Veeam Agent for Linux inside each VM. Use application-aware processing for SQL, Exchange, and Active Directory on Windows, or FS freeze on Linux where relevant. This gives consistent snapshots and better database recovery. Jobs are incremental with change-tracking, and you can throttle, schedule, and encrypt. Combined with a hardened repository or Cloud Connect, it’s a robust answer for “veeam proxmox backup” and “backup proxmox veeam agent” searches.
Transport, throttling, and scheduling
Keep traffic off busy links by using job windows and bandwidth limits. Stagger heavy VMs. Use parallel streams with care to avoid storage overload. Encrypt at source for security.
Pattern B - Limited host-level agent on Proxmox
You can treat a Proxmox node as a standard Linux machine and back up host OS and config with a Veeam Agent. This is useful for documenting the node and storing configs. It does not replace guest-level application protection. For apps, the guest agent stays the better choice because it captures the OS view and can use app-aware modes.
Protection Groups at Scale
Discover and enrol guests
Use Veeam Protection Groups to track many guests. You can discover VMs via a CSV list, IP ranges, or naming tags. Agents can auto-deploy and auto-update. Health checks and retry logic reduce manual effort.
Keep agents healthy
Set patch windows. Lock in service accounts. Monitor agent versions and kernel compatibility on Linux so modules keep working after updates. Alert if machines miss backups for several days.
Job Design & Scheduling (Outcome-led)
Backup Jobs vs Backup Copy Jobs
Backup Jobs create your primary restore points. They run on a schedule against guests or the Proxmox plug-in’s VM inventory.
Backup Copy Jobs move restore points offsite or to another tier. Use them to get a second, immutable copy in the UK via Veeam Cloud Connect. This is how you meet 3-2-1 and ransomware resilience with minimal change.
Choose repositories: on-prem or cloud
A Linux hardened repository on-prem gives strong protection using immutability. A Cloud Connect repository offers the same immutability model delivered by a service provider, with simple connectivity and tenancy controls. Both approaches use Veeam’s immutability models to prevent deletion or tampering for a set time window.
Retention, GFS, encryption, and immutability
Set short-term retention for fast restores. Add GFS (weeklies, monthlies, yearlies) for compliance. Always enable encryption in flight and at rest, especially for offsite paths. Set a practical immutability window that covers your threat model.
Bandwidth tips
Throttle per-job or per-repository. Use copy job windows to push outside business hours. Consider seeding if you have many terabytes to move initially.
Recovery Flow that Works
File-level restores (Windows/Linux)
Use file-level recovery to fix small user mistakes fast. You can mount agent backups and pull back only what you need. It’s the fastest path and avoids full system downtime.
Volume or whole-machine recovery for KVM guests
When a VM is down, you can restore the whole machine. For Proxmox plug-in backups, you can perform a full restore into Proxmox. For agent backups, use recovery media to bring a VM back on new storage. Test the runbook so you know timings and steps.
App-item restores
If you enabled application-aware processing, you can restore objects such as SQL databases and Exchange items using Veeam’s explorers. This is the main reason many admins prefer guest agents for important apps.
Testing and evidence
Schedule restore drills. Record timing, steps, and results. Keep a simple runbook per service. If you want independent proof, Rismor can run monthly drills and supply evidence reports as part of our service.
LXC Caveats & Workarounds
Why Proxmox LXC is tricky with Veeam
The Proxmox plug-in does not back up LXC containers. The design focuses on KVM VMs. If you include LXC in a job, it will not be protected. Plan another method.
Practical alternatives
Run key stateful services inside a small KVM VM instead of LXC and protect it with an agent. Or use app-level exports and database dumps for container workloads. If you’re moving to Proxmox from another platform, consider migrating containerised services to VMs where backup and recovery are straightforward.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Agents not deploying to guests
Check credentials, firewall rules, and remote access (WinRM/SSH). Verify DNS and time sync. Confirm that your Protection Group scopes the right subnets and names.
Backups are slow
Look for storage or network bottlenecks. Reduce parallel streams if your repository is saturated. Move heavy jobs to a later window. Enable throttling per link.
After a Linux kernel update, backups fail
Ensure the Veeam Agent for Linux is current before kernel upgrades. Keep a small test VM on each kernel track. Update agent modules promptly.
Consistent snapshots and quiescence
Use application-aware processing for Windows apps. On Linux, confirm freeze/thaw scripts and LVM/ZFS snapshot support where used. Check that databases flush logs and are consistent after backup.
Network path and name resolution issues
Backups and copies need stable DNS and routing. Keep a service network for backup traffic if possible. Document proxy and firewall rules.
Backup Copy job to cloud is failing mid-stream
Enable WAN acceleration only if you’ve tested benefit. Otherwise, use per-job bandwidth limits and larger windows. Resume support will continue the copy. For large seeds, discuss initial ingest with your provider.
FAQ: Does Veeam have an official Proxmox plug-in?
Yes. It ships with Veeam Backup & Replication 12.2+ and lets you protect Proxmox VMs from the main console.
FAQ: Can I back up Proxmox LXC containers with Veeam?
No. Not with the plug-in today. Use KVM VMs with agents or app-level exports.
FAQ: Is Instant Recovery to Proxmox supported?
Not today. Instant Recovery targets other hypervisors. For Proxmox, plan full-VM restore timings.
FAQ: Are passthrough or iSCSI disks protected?
They are skipped by the plug-in. Keep these workloads on supported virtual disks or protect them with guest agents at the OS level.
FAQ: How do I get immutable backups in the UK?
Use a Linux hardened repository or a Cloud Connect repository with immutability. Both prevent deletion for a set window. For a managed route with UK data residency, see Rismor Cloud Backup.
FAQ: Where can I verify the latest support matrix?
Always check Veeam’s official Proxmox plug-in docs and limitations before changing design. Features evolve between minor releases.
Next Steps
Keep primary, agent-based backups for your Proxmox guests. Use the official plug-in for supported VM protection. Then add a second, immutable copy offsite to meet policy and cyber-resilience goals.
If you’d like this managed, with UK hosting, proactive monitoring, encryption, immutability, and optional monthly restore drills, take a simple next step with Rismor Cloud Backup from Rismor Technologies (UK). It works cleanly with Veeam Cloud Connect and the agent patterns in this guide.