Proxmox VE 8.4 Release - Now Available!

[MickLesk]

Proxmox VE 8.4 Release - Now Available!

We are excited to share that Proxmox Virtual Environment 8.4 has been released!
This version is based on Debian 12.10 "Bookworm" and includes:

• Linux Kernel 6.8.12-9 (with optional 6.14 kernel)
• QEMU 9.2.0
• LXC 6.0.0
• ZFS 2.2.7 (with compatibility patches for Kernel 6.14)
• Ceph Squid 19.2.1 as stable option
  (Ceph Quincy 17.2 is now End-of-Life!)

While we are not Proxmox, we build and maintain helper scripts and tools for Proxmox users, and we want to keep the community informed about important releases like this one.

🚀 Release Highlights

New Features and Improvements

• Live Migration for Mediated Devices (e.g. NVIDIA vGPU)
  Enables live migration of VMs with mediated passthrough GPUs.

• Backup Plugin API
  Support for external backup provider integration via custom plugins.

• Virtiofs: Efficient directory sharing between host and guest
  No network filesystem overhead; works out-of-the-box on modern Linux guests.

• Consent Banner Support
  Enforce login acknowledgment for compliance (Markdown-enabled).

• Better ISO Sorting & Downloads via Proxy (HTTP+HTTPS)
  Locale-aware file sorting and full proxy support for template/ISO/OVA download.

• Support for AMD SEV-SNP
  Enhances guest memory isolation on compatible AMD platforms.

• New VM machine type disables S3/S4 for better passthrough stability

Virtual Machine Enhancements

• Improved error messages, snapshot performance, and balloon memory configuration
• VirtIO RNG configuration extended to non-root users
• Improved support for EFI and TPM state cloning
• Snapshot with RAM uses dedicated I/O thread for stability
• Initial QEMU 10+ support preparations with machine deprecation notices

Container (LXC) Enhancements

• Better backup handling with change detection modes
• Clearer nesting options and IP address reporting in API
• Console fixes when managing containers across cluster nodes

Cluster & Management Improvements

• Larger POST size limit (512 KiB) for big configs (e.g. PCI maps)
• Better error propagation in API and GUI
• Webhook and notification improvements
• Enhanced pvereport with WWID listing for multipath debugging

Storage & Backup

• API for external backup integration (e.g., Veeam, Rubrik via plugin)
• Security fixes in OVA import
• Improvements to RBD, Btrfs, and replication robustness
• Better cleanup and handling of "fleecing" images

Ceph

• Ceph Quincy is EOL → Upgrade required
• Ceph Squid 19.2.1 stable (patched against OSD crash issue)
• Pool editor fixes and GUI improvements

Firewall & SDN

• TLS certificate validation now enforced for SDN plugins
• Fixes and improvements in Netbox and PowerDNS
• New log_level_format option and improved frr support (FRRouting 10.2.1)

🛠 Installation ISO Improvements

• Minimum root password length: 8 characters
• Improved feedback during automated installs
• Support for snake_case and kebab-case in answer files
• ZFS ARC size adjustments for low-memory systems
• Btrfs bootloader improvements and EFI fallback handling

🧠 Notable Platform Changes

• Proxmox VE is now officially supported for NVIDIA vGPU (vGPU Software 18+)
• PXE boot with OVMF now requires VirtIO RNG for security reasons
• TLS verification for external IPAM/DNS may require manual certificate configuration

📚 Further Resources

• Release Notes
• Press Release
• Download Proxmox VE 8.4
• Alternate ISO
• Documentation
• Community Forum
• Bug Tracker
• Source Code

❓ FAQ

Q: Can I upgrade latest Proxmox VE 7 to 8 using apt?
A: Yes, follow the instructions: Upgrade from 7 to 8

Q: Can I upgrade from 8.0 to 8.4 via apt?
A: Yes, use the GUI or apt.

Q: Can I install Proxmox VE 8.4 on top of Debian 12 "Bookworm"?
A: Yes, see: Install on Debian 12

Q: Can I upgrade from Ceph Reef to Ceph Squid?
A: Yes, see: Ceph Reef to Squid Upgrade

Q: How do I upgrade my 7.4 cluster with Ceph Pacific to Proxmox VE 8.4 and Ceph Reef?
A:

1. Upgrade Ceph Pacific → Quincy
2. Upgrade Proxmox VE 7.4 → 8.4
3. Upgrade Ceph Quincy → Reef
   See:
   • Ceph Pacific to Quincy
   • Upgrade from 7 to 8
   • Ceph Quincy to Reef

Q: Where can I get more info on new features?
A: Follow the roadmap, forum, mailing list, or subscribe to the newsletter.