UPDATE: A home lab enthusiast has announced their decision to return to Proxmox after a recent trial with XCP-ng, citing essential features and community support as crucial factors. This development underscores the ongoing debate within the tech community regarding the best platforms for home server setups.
In a detailed log shared just this week, the user outlined their experience transitioning from Proxmox to XCP-ng, powered by the Xen hypervisor. The shift was motivated by the desire to explore alternative options in home lab management, but the results have led them back to Proxmox as the preferred choice.
The user conducted their experiment on a modest setup featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 16GB of memory, and a GTX 1080 graphics card. The installation process for XCP-ng was described as straightforward yet required additional steps, including the deployment of the Xen Orchestra Appliance (XOA) for effective management.
Despite its solid performance with virtual machines, the user expressed frustrations regarding XCP-ng’s resource allocation. Running XOA necessitates 2 v-cores and 2GB of RAM, which can strain consumer-grade hardware. This limitation contrasts sharply with Proxmox, which is praised for its lightweight management interface.
The trial revealed that while XCP-ng performs well with Windows 11 and various Linux distributions, its lack of direct container support and premium paywalls for essential features dampened the experience. The user found XCP-ng’s management tools limited unless they opted for a premium license, which they deemed excessive for basic functionalities like backups and automation tasks.
The user remarked, “I must admit that I’m slightly miffed about XOA adding something as essential as backups to premium licenses.” This sentiment reflects a growing concern among home lab users about the increasing costs associated with maintaining these platforms.
Looking ahead, the enthusiast plans to relocate their XCP-ng setup to a less demanding system while continuing to use Proxmox for standard home server tasks. This decision highlights a critical point for users considering their options in the competitive landscape of home lab technologies.
As more users weigh the benefits of various platforms, this latest development serves as a reminder of the importance of community support, resource efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in home lab management. Expect ongoing discussions and reviews as the tech community continues to explore these evolving tools.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops, and share your thoughts on your preferred home lab solutions.