What's new in XCP-ng 8.3?
1. Support and performance
- Version 8.3 offers support until 2028, while version 8.2 Long Time Support (LTS) will expire in a year.
- Regular updates for the standard release version introduce new features, although they may require more frequent reboots.
2. XO Lite - a new management tool
- XO Lite it's a lightweight version Xen Orchestra, running locally on the host.
- Enables basic operations such as:
- Management of virtual machines (stopping, restarting, snapshots, migrations in a cluster).
- Monitoring of resource consumption (CPU, RAM, network bandwidth).
- Still in development ("under construction"), but already offering functionality useful in emergency situations.
3. support for Windows 11
- Support for virtual TPM (vTPM), UEFI and Secure Boot, which are required for Windows 11 installation.
- Enables Windows 11 to run on virtual machines.
4 New features for advanced users
- PCI passthrough via API - Easier assignment of PCI devices to virtual machines.
- VM Snapshot Exclusion - The ability to exclude large disks from backup or snapshots.
- Migration with compression - Faster migration of virtual machines between hosts.
- Host.evacuate max limit - Limit the number of simultaneous machine migrations during host shutdown.
5. configuration improvements
- When updating, it no longer overwrites manually entered configurations (e.g. SNMP).
- Ability to disable port 80.
Who is XCP-ng 8.3 for?
Recommended for:
- Users who want to use the latest features and are able to accept more frequent host reboots.
- Individuals working with Windows 11 on virtual machines.
- Administrators who need PCI passthrough functionality or advanced migration options.
Avoid upgrading if:
- You are using nested virtualization (temporarily not working in 8.3).
- You are using para-virtualization (PV) - it is not supported in this version.
- You have critical environments that do not tolerate frequent reboots, in which case staying with version 8.2 LTS will be a better choice.
How to upgrade to XCP-ng 8.3?
1. Preparing for the update
- Back up your data (backup and backup test).
- Make sure you have the latest version of XCP-ng 8.2.1 with all current patches.
2. Update process
- Download the ISO image of XCP-ng 8.3 and create a bootable USB.
- Restart the server and run the installation from USB.
- The installer automatically backs up your configuration, but it's a good idea to make sure you back up beforehand.
- Follow the installer's instructions (the process is simple: mostly confirming settings).
3. After the update
- Verify that all virtual machines are working properly.
- Test new features such as XO Lite, PCI passthrough and migrations.
Interesting facts and notes
XO Lite in practice:
- The beta version lacks many features, but already provides basic emergency management.
- Application examples: machine monitoring, snapshot management, cluster migrations.
PCI passthrough:
- Allows you to assign PCI devices (such as graphics cards or disk controllers) to virtual machines.
- Requires IOMMU function enabled in BIOS.
Problems with USB backups:
- With USB devices connected, there may be problems with snapshots and backups.
- Solution: turn off the machine during backup with USB disconnection.
Migrations and load:
- Function host.evacuate max limit allows you to control the number of simultaneous migrations, which prevents storage overload.
Summary
XCP-ng 8.3 is a significant step forward in virtual environment management, offering new features and improvements. Although not an LTS release, users who want to take advantage of new features such as XO Lite, PCI passthrough and support for Windows 11 should consider upgrading.
The decision to update should be preceded by an analysis of needs and the working environment. If you have questions or need implementation support, please contact us.