Removing storage constraints for growing infrastructures
XCP-ng 8.3 now supports virtual disks up to 16TB, removing the long-standing 2TB per-disk limit. A practical step forward for backup workloads, storage-heavy applications and migrations from VMware.
With the latest updates in XCP-ng 8.3, Vates introduces large disk support based on the QCOW2 format, removing the long-standing 2TB limit per virtual disk and raising it to 16TB.
This change comes from concrete field feedback: as infrastructures grow and data volumes increase, the 2TB ceiling had become a real constraint for many users, especially in backup, storage-heavy applications and migration scenarios.
Addressing it became a priority for us.
Removing a source of operational complexity
Until now, the 2TB limit required teams to work around the platform in order to operate at scale.
- Splitting data across multiple virtual disks
- Using less flexible format like
raw - Adjusting application layouts to fit storage constraints
These approaches were workable, but they added complexity and friction in day-to-day operations.
With support for disks up to 16TB, these constraints are largely removed. Storage can now be managed in a more straightforward way, without redesigning existing environments. VHD remains the default for smaller disks, with QCOW2 used automatically when a virtual disk exceeds the previous 2TB threshold. Existing storage repositories handle both formats side by side, so adoption can be gradual and tested workload by workload.
Damien Thenot
Smoother migrations from VMware
This milestone is particularly relevant for organizations moving away from VMware.
File servers, database VMs, media archives and backup repositories routinely exceed 2TB on VMware, and migrating them used to mean splitting volumes or reshaping the storage layout to fit XCP-ng. Even with migration tooling available, teams sometimes had to prepare workloads in advance to fit platform constraints.
With support for disks up to 16TB, this preparation step is often no longer required.
Workloads can be migrated more directly, without reshaping their storage layout beforehand. Combined with our V2V tooling, this leads to a more predictable and less time-consuming migration process.
A platform reaching new levels of maturity
This update is part of a broader evolution of Vates VMS.
Over the past few years, the platform has been steadily closing the gap with what infrastructure teams expect from established virtualization solutions. The focus has been on removing concrete limitations encountered in production and improving how the platform behaves at scale.
The removal of the 2TB disk limit is one of those steps. At the same time, we have been strengthening our integration with the storage ecosystem, including official compatibility and partnerships with vendors such as Everpure. Work is also ongoing to extend compatibility with widely used solutions like Veeam.
Jb Piacentino
In parallel, the platform continues to evolve in areas that matter for long-term adoption. This includes network security capabilities such as microsegmentation, as well as more flexible high availability models, including scenarios designed for smaller clusters and ROBO or Edge scenarios.
More than an orchestration layer
One of the reasons we have been able to move quickly on changes like this is the way the platform is built.
At Vates, we do not only develop the orchestration layer. We also work directly on the hypervisor, along with the backup and management components that sit around it. This gives us a level of control that is relatively rare in the virtualization space, where many solutions are built on top of technologies they do not fully control.
In practice, this means that when a limitation appears, we can address it at the right level instead of working around it. It also allows us to move at our own pace, without being tied to external roadmaps or dependencies.
Over time, this has become a key advantage for our users. It allows us to remove constraints more directly and to evolve the platform in a way that stays aligned with real-world usage.
It also places Vates among a small group of vendors capable of evolving the hypervisor layer itself, not just the tools around it.
To go further on what it means to control your virtualization stack, you can read this article by our CEO, Olivier Lambert: “Who owns your virtualization stack?”
Looking ahead
The introduction of QCOW2 and large disk support marks an important milestone for the platform.
It removes a limitation that many users had to work around, and makes everyday operations and migrations easier. Delivering it required significant work across the stack, with a strong focus on maintaining the reliability expected in production environments.
This is also a reflection of how the platform is evolving. Storage performance optimizations are already in the pipeline, and our roadmap will eventually decouple the maximum disk size from the storage repository type, opening the door to capacities well beyond 16TB.
Over the past few years, the pace of releases has increased, along with our ability to deliver the features that infrastructure teams expect. Step by step, Vates VMS is establishing itself as a credible and increasingly complete alternative in the virtualization space.
And this is only the beginning.