Virtualization via Proxmox
As vessels become increasingly dependent on digital applications, shipboard IT infrastructure needs to deliver more than simply enough computing power to run them.
Virtualization has helped shipping companies consolidate multiple applications onto fewer physical servers. But the real challenge comes when something goes wrong: how quickly can critical onboard applications be restored, and how much does the vessel depend on a single physical server?
This was one of the key topics discussed during Marpoint’s recent webinar on UNI and Proxmox.
UNI combines virtualization, redundancy, recovery capabilities and centralized shore-side management within a standardized shipboard IT platform, helping shipping companies improve the resilience and manageability of critical onboard systems.
A shipboard platform built around recovery
Powered by Proxmox, UNI uses a three-node architecture with local ZFS storage and scheduled snapshot replication. Critical virtual machines, including Windows Server, PMS, cargo and CCTV applications, can run within a standardized onboard environment.
If one physical node fails, a recent replica of the affected virtual machine can already be available on another UNI node. Marpoint can bring the workload back online without beginning with a complete restore from external backup storage.
This approach reduces the vessel’s dependence on a single physical host and provides a more predictable recovery process.
Centralized visibility from shore
Marpoint’s Control Panel provides shore teams with centralized visibility into UNI systems across connected vessels. They can monitor:
- Node and virtual-machine status
- CPU, memory and disk utilization
- Snapshot health and reported issues
- Platform versions and system events
- Installed applications and available updates
The same environment also supports virtual-machine creation and common actions such as starting, stopping or rebooting a VM.
Snapshots and backups serve different purposes
Replicated snapshots provide a rapid local recovery path, but they do not replace independent backups. Proxmox Backup Server or another backup platform remains essential when no clean replica is available or when the incident extends beyond the onboard cluster.
By combining Proxmox capabilities with replicated recovery points, centralized management and Marpoint’s support center, UNI turns virtualization into a complete shipboard infrastructure solution.
For shipping companies, the question is no longer simply whether their vessels can run virtual machines. The real question is how quickly critical applications can recover when the underlying hardware or active workload fails.
