How-to

Size PBS storage and bandwidth.

Plan capacity, dedupe/compression impact, and network throughput so backups complete within your windows.

Steps

  1. Calculate source data size. Sum VM/CT used disk plus expected growth.
  2. Estimate dedupe/compression. Typical PBS savings: 1.3–2.5x depending on workloads; use conservative factors.
  3. Set retention impact. Apply keep-daily/weekly/monthly to estimate stored snapshots after dedupe.
  4. Plan bandwidth. Target peak backup throughput that fits your window; account for verify/restore and sync.
  5. Leave headroom. Keep 20–30% free space for GC/verify and growth; ensure uplink capacity for concurrent jobs.
  6. Validate with a pilot run. Run a representative backup and measure actual throughput and reduction ratios.

Prereqs

  • Current VM/CT used capacity
  • Retention policy targets
  • Backup window length
  • Expected growth rate

Quick checks

  • Pilot backup completes within the window.
  • Dedupe/compression ratios match or exceed estimates.
  • Free space stays above 20–30% after prune/GC.
  • Network throughput meets peak job needs.

If something fails

  • Reduce concurrent jobs or increase bandwidth.
  • Adjust retention or expand storage tiers.
  • Tune compression to reduce CPU bottlenecks.
  • Re-run pilot after changes to confirm.

Related guides

Official docs

See Proxmox sizing considerations in the PBS system requirements.

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