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Install Proxmox Backup Server + Connect It to PVE

Install PBS 4 from the no-subscription repo, create a datastore, and register it as storage on your Proxmox VE node — ready for deduplicated, scheduled VM and container backups.

Distrosproxmox, debian
Shellbash
Updated
Script
bash
# ══ PART 1 — on the PBS host (a Debian 13 VM/CT or dedicated box) ══
# Placeholder: /mnt/datastore/backup1 (your backup disk mount point).

# 1. Add the PBS no-subscription repo (deb822, Debian 13 "Trixie")
cat > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pbs.sources <<'EOF'
Types: deb
URIs: http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pbs
Suites: trixie
Components: pbs-no-subscription
Signed-By: /usr/share/keyrings/proxmox-archive-keyring.gpg
EOF

# On plain Debian (not a Proxmox product), fetch the keyring first:
wget -qO /usr/share/keyrings/proxmox-archive-keyring.gpg \
  https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/proxmox-archive-keyring-trixie.gpg

# 2. Install PBS
apt update && apt install -y proxmox-backup-server

# 3. Create the datastore on your backup disk
proxmox-backup-manager datastore create backup1 /mnt/datastore/backup1

# 4. Print the certificate fingerprint — you need it in Part 2
proxmox-backup-manager cert info | grep Fingerprint

# ══ PART 2 — on the Proxmox VE node ══
# Placeholders: 10.0.0.20 (PBS address), <FINGERPRINT> from Part 1,
# and the root@pam password you set for PBS.

pvesm add pbs pbs-backup1 \
  --server 10.0.0.20 \
  --datastore backup1 \
  --username root@pam \
  --fingerprint <FINGERPRINT>
# (prompts for the PBS password; or pass --password)

echo "Storage pbs-backup1 attached. Schedule jobs: Datacenter -> Backup."

Prerequisites

  • A host for PBS: a Debian 13 VM, or a dedicated machine — not the same disk you’re backing up
  • A mounted disk or dataset for the datastore (/mnt/datastore/backup1 here)
  • Web UI afterwards: https://<pbs-address>:8007

Schedule the actual backups

In the PVE web UI: Datacenter → Backup → Add — pick the pbs-backup1 storage, select the VMs/CTs, set a schedule and retention. PBS deduplicates across runs, so daily backups cost far less space than they seem.

Notes

  • Repo/install verified against the official PBS installation docs
  • Guest-agent-frozen, deduplicated backups and one-command restores: the PBS guide covers the why and the restore drills
  • The no-subscription repo is the community tier — fine for homelab, same packages, no support contract
  • Verify backups actually restore. A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a backup
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