Xen Orchestra 5.93 Update Enhances Backup and Import Features

Xen Orchestra 5.93 brings a set of enhancements and new features aimed at improving virtualization management. This release focuses on backup functionalities, VMware to Vates (V2V) import capabilities, high availability features, and user experience improvements, among other advancements.

Enhanced Backup Functionalities #

The 5.93 update has stabilized the S3-backup feature and backup encryption, marking them as production-ready after extensive testing and refinement. These improvements underscore Xen Orchestra’s commitment to secure and efficient backup solutions.

VMware to Vates (V2V) Import Capabilities #

Addressing the challenges of importing VMs from newer VMware versions, Xen Orchestra introduces a method involving the migration of VM disks to an NFS datastore. This process facilitates a smoother import by bypassing disk file locks encountered with VMware versions above 6.5, offering greater flexibility in VM management.

Direct High Availability Management #

For the first time, users can enable XCP-ng High Availability (HA) directly from Xen Orchestra’s interface. This feature requires careful consideration, as improper use can decrease service availability. The update brings a user-friendly approach to managing HA, emphasizing the importance of understanding its implications before activation.

Continued Development on XO 6 and XO Lite #

Progress continues on the new user interfaces for XO 6 and XO Lite, with the introduction of new components aligned with the recently unveiled design system. These developments are paving the way for significant UI updates expected in the coming months.

Load Balancer Optimization #

A new feature in the load balancer plugin now allows the distribution of VM vCPUs across the maximum number of physical CPUs. This optimization enhances performance by improving hypervisor scheduling, especially when pool usage is below 40%.

USB Passthrough Integration #

USB passthrough functionality has been integrated into Xen Orchestra’s web UI, making it easier to manage USB devices across hosts and VMs. This feature enhances the flexibility of device management within virtual environments.

Project Pyrgos Advances Kubernetes Integration #

Significant updates have been made to Project Pyrgos, focusing on streamlining the process of creating Kubernetes clusters. The project has transitioned to a more reliable method for installing Kubernetes binaries, ensuring compatibility with listed versions. Upgrades include containerd to version 1.7.13, CNI plugins to version 1.4.0, crictl to version 1.29.0, and runc to version 1.1.12, addressing a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-21626).

Miscellaneous Improvements #

Other notable updates include adopting the ISO 8601 format for numeric dates, automatic creation of a vTPM for Windows 11 templates, OTP validation requirements, enhancements in tag management, boot firmware checks, streamlined setup for default SR, automatic replug of VIFs and PIFs after MTU changes, improved console zoom functionality, and enhanced security and usability for auth tokens.