Release 1.0.16 has gone live, bringing a number of enhancements, most notably a new REST API and virtual machine-level backups.

A summary of additions and enhancements in this release:

  • [Feature] Initial REST API
  • [Feature] Virtual machine level backup policies
  • [Feature] Organizations can now force their users to use two factor authentication.
  • [Enhancement] Run KVM migrations in live mode and ensure hyperviosor firewall is prepared before migration
  • [Enhancement] When launching a virtual machine without a pre-configured template the wizard will now prompt to mount an ISO image
  • [UI] Virtual machines that are attached to an ISO will now have an icon next to them if they're in the trash
  • [UI] IP Addresses can now be unassigned from the networking UI

REST API

Katapult's original GraphQL API has now been superseded by a REST/HTTP API to provide more familiar development against our platform.

The initial release of the GraphQL API provides access to Katapult's core components and functionality, and will be expanded through future releases.

API documentation is available here.

Virtual machine backup policies

Previously, backup policies have been configured and managed on individual storage disks. With this release, it is now possible to configure and manage backup policies against a virtual machine, and doing so will ensure that a backup of all disks assigned to the machine are taken.

Multiple backup policies can be created against either or both virtual machines and individual disks, to support mixed frequencies and retention periods.

Backup policies

KVM Live Migration

Previously the migration of virtual machines between hypervisors has run in non-live mode, this introduces a momentary freeze in the virtual machine at the point it is transferred.

Additionally, hypervisor firewalling has previously been updated immediately after a migration has completed, meaning the migrated machine has no network access for the short period taken to update the firewall.

Combined, these introduce a period of, in most cases, 2-3 seconds at the end of a migration where a machine would be frozen or inaccessible over the network.

With this release, migrations are now run in live mode meaning the machine is not frozen during its memory transfer and hypervisor firewalling is prepared before the migration runs, resulting in fully seamless virtual machine migrations.

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