Proxmox today announced the release of version 8.1 of Proxmox Virtual Environment, its open-source server virtualization management platform. This version comes with several new features, support for Secure Boot, a Software-defined Network stack, a new flexible notification system, and many further enhancements and bug fixes.

Proxmox VE 8.1 is based on Debian 12.2 (“Bookworm”), but uses a newer Linux kernel 6.5 as stable default, and includes updates to the latest versions of leading open-source technologies for virtual environments like QEMU 8.1.2 and LXC 5.0.2. It comes with ZFS 2.2.0 including the most important bugfixes from 2.2.1 already. The virtualization platform adds support for Ceph Reef 18.2.0 and continues to support Ceph Quincy 17.2.7.

Highlights in Proxmox Virtual Environment 8.1

• Support for Secure Boot: This version is now compatible with Secure Boot. This security feature is designed to protect the boot process of a computer by ensuring that only software with a valid digital signature launches on a machine. Proxmox VE now includes a signed shim bootloader trusted by most hardware’s UEFI implementations. This allows installing Proxmox VE in environments with Secure Boot active.
• Software-defined Network (SDN): With this version the core Software-defined Network (SDN) packages are installed by default. The SDN technology in Proxmox VE enables to create virtual zones and networks (VNets), which enables users to effectively manage and control complex networking configurations and multitenancy setups directly from the web interface at the datacenter level. Use cases for SDN range from an isolated private network on each individual node to complex overlay networks across multiple Proxmox VE clusters on different locations. The benefits result in a more responsive and adaptable network infrastructure that can scale according to business needs.
• New Flexible Notification System: This release introduces a new framework that uses a matcher-based approach to route notifications. It lets users designate different target types as recipients of notifications. Alongside the current local Postfix MTA, supported targets include Gotify servers or SMTP servers that require SMTP authentication. Notification matchers determine which targets will get notifications for particular events based on predetermined rules. The new notification system now enables greater flexibility, allowing for more granular definitions of when, where, and how notifications are sent.
• Support for Ceph Reef and Ceph Quincy: Proxmox Virtual Environment 8.1 adds support for Ceph Reef 18.2.0 and continues to support Ceph Quincy 17.2.7. The preferred Ceph version can be selected during the installation process. Ceph Reef brings better defaults improving performance and increased reading speed.

Availability

Proxmox VE 8.1 is available for download at the Proxmox website. The ISO contains the complete feature-set and can be installed on bare-metal.

The virtualization platform from Proxmox comes stocked with all the essential management tools, as well as an easy-to-use, web-based user interface. This allows for simple, out-of-the-box management of the host, either through the command line or a standard web browser. Distribution upgrades from older versions of Proxmox VE are possible with apt. It’s also possible to install Proxmox VE 8.1 on top of Debian. Proxmox Virtual Environment is free and open-source software, published under the GNU Affero General Public License, v3.

The PALMSHELL NeXT H2 is an affordable micro server and single-board computer (SBC) powered by an AMD Ryzen Embedded R1505G processor. It offers impressive networking capabilities with two 10GbE SFP+ cages and one 2.5GbE RJ45 port. The system also supports up to 32GB of RAM and has storage options including an M.2 NVMe SSD and two SATA drives. It features wireless connectivity options such as WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and the possibility of adding a 4G LTE or 5G module. These network features make it an interesting option for various homelab uses. Theoretically, the device could support ECC memory as the Ryzen Embedded R1505G has such support, but this is not mentioned in the specifications for the NeXT H2 specifications, although it is mentioned in the specifications for the CPU. It should be noted that such support also depends on motherboard and firmware, not just on the CPU.

The system is equipped with a customized copper heatsink and a 3000 RPM PWM speed control fan for efficient cooling. It can be powered by a 12V to 19V DC power supply. The PALMSHELL NeXT H2 is designed to support multiple operating systems, including Ubuntu, Arch Linux, Fedora, Debian, OpenWrt, Windows, pfSense, and ROS.

The SBC without memory, storage, or wireless connectivity starts at $199. The barebone model with a metal enclosure is priced at $249. Two models with 8GB RAM/256GB SSD and 16GB/512GB configurations, along with the Intel AX210NGW WiFi 6E/BT 5.2 module, are available for $299 and $349, respectively. Power supply is not included with any of the options.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

AMD has launched the AMD EPYC 8004 “Siena” processors for “intelligent edge” servers, according to Phoronix. These processors offer a lower price point while maximizing power efficiency and expanding EPYC’s deployment outside of data centers. The Siena processors have up to 64 cores / 128 threads per socket, support up to six channels of DDR5 memory, and are designed for edge computing and telco markets. They use the new “SP6” socket and have a range of TDPs from 70 Watts to 225 Watts. The EPYC 8004 series consists of P and PN parts, with PN parts being NEBS friendly. The pricing ranges from $409 to $5450 USD. The performance and power efficiency of the EPYC 8004 series are competitive against Xeon Scalable “Sapphire Rapids” processors. The processors offer the same ISA features as Genoa (-X) and Bergamo, including AVX-512, and support SMT. Overall, the EPYC 8004 series processors are complementary to Genoa (-X) and Bergamo, filling the gap between them and Ryzen for budget-minded and SOHO/SMB server deployments.

Source: Phoronix.