Proxmox install

[inxsible]

I am trying to migrate my Proxmox install to a 1L mini pc, so that I can convert my current much underused server into a second backup NAS.

I have a 120GB SATA SSD that I intend to use as a OS drive. I also have a 1TB NVMe drive that I want to use as VM/CT storage and also for PBS backups. The PBS backups will be synced with the NAS via a systemd timer to have a backup which again will have a secondary backup to my 2nd NAS

During testing when I installed proxmox and went with defaults, it created the following partitions on the 120GB drive as shown in lsblk:

lsblk
└─sda1                    8:3    0  120G  0 part
  ├─pve-swap            253:4    0   7.8G  0 lvm  [SWAP]
  ├─pve-root            253:5    0   37.5G  0 lvm  /
  ├─pve-data_tmeta      253:6    0     1G  0 lvm
  │ └─pve-data          253:8    0    49.5G  0 lvm
  └─pve-data_tdata      253:7    0    49.5G  0 lvm
    └─pve-data   253:9    0    49.5G  0 lvm

In the UI, I could only see the "local" storage and did NOT see the "local-lvm" storage

I only had 8GB RAM initially during testing, so I understand the swap size. I have since upgraded to 16GB RAM. But what are the _tmeta and _tdata partitions in lsblk. These partitions would not show up in df -h.
Also, when I created a test LXC container with a 8GB disk size, it utilized the space from the root partition and not from the pve-data partition.

So my questions are:

1. What are these _tmeta & _tdata partitions?
2. Why was the 49.5GB space not used for the LXC storage?
3. Would it be ok to utilize the storage on the SATA ssd and the NVMe drive for CT storage? If so, how should I partition the 120GB drive before install?

 

[Dunuin]

But what are the _tmeta and _tdata partitions in lsblk. These partitions would not show up in df -h.

"df -h" only shows filesystems and that is your LVM-thin pool used to store virtual disks as thin volumes, so as block devices and is therefore not covered by "df -h". Thats what the "local-lvm" storage is.

Would it be ok to utilize the storage on the SATA ssd and the NVMe drive for CT storage? If so, how should I partition the 120GB drive before install?

If you just want the SATA SSD to store files like ISOs and so on and not to store virtual disks you could remove the "local-lvm" storage, destroy the thin pool, extend the "root" LV and resize the ext4 filesystem of the "root" LV. There is also the "Advanced LVM configuration Options" when installing PVE where you can set the parameters if you don't want a thin pool: https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Installation

Why was the 49.5GB space not used for the LXC storage?

You have to select the target storage when creating the LXC. Not sure why you only see "local" as an option. By default you should only be able to select "local-lvm" and not "local" unless you manually change the content types of those storages.

 

[inxsible]

Thanks @Dunuin .

It was a quick testing that I did while I was waiting for the RAM and the NVMe drive to arrive. I will re-install and double check why I didn't get the local-lvm storage the first time around.

My current proxmox is set up as a ZFS mirror and I seem to have forgotten how the local-lvm layout was since I first installed proxmox

 

[inxsible]

I installed Proxmox on the 120Gb SATA SSD and now I have local and local-lvm storages. I will use the local-lvm as the CT storage for my static containers like homer, transmission, firefly, omada etc

I want to setup the NVMe drive as the storage for CTs that are a bit larger with more activity like nextcloud, shinobi, vaultwarden etc.-- What's the best way to add the drive? LVM, LVM-Thin or Directory under the Disks menu of the node?

 

[Dunuin]

Depends on your needs as each storage type comes with its benefits and downsides. I would use LVM-Thin.

 

[inxsible]

I was leaning towards LVM-Thin.

Would you advise on single disk ZFS though? I kinda like the ZFS compression feature, but because this is a 1L mini, there's no way I can add another drive for redundancy.

 

[Dunuin]

I was leaning towards LVM-Thin.

Would you advise on single disk ZFS though? I kinda like the ZFS compression feature, but because this is a 1L mini, there's no way I can add another drive for redundancy.

I would still prefer ZFS, primarily because of the better data integrity...but only when getting one of the few (like 3 models that can fit in a 2280 slot?) available enterprise grade M.2 NVMe SSDs...otherwise I would avoid CoW filesystems like ZFS, btrfs, qcow2 and so on. So the question is if you are willing to pay 140€ per TB for a proper SSD if you could get a good consumer SSD for 45€ per TB.

 

[inxsible]

I have the hp prodesk 600 mini g1. It has an NVMe slot that I am utilizing aside from the SATA. The latest generations 6 and above, i think, forego the SATA port completely and have dual NVMe slots but I am not going to buy another machine just for that. Maybe in the future when I upgrade.

I have a TForce Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z4J96C9) -- which is a mid grade NVMe drive and not a very very high end SSD. It does have a DRAM though.

 

[Dunuin]

I have a TForce Cardea Zero Z440 NVMe (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z4J96C9) -- which is a mid grade NVMe drive and not a very very high end SSD. It does have a DRAM though.

Yes, so a consumer TLC SSD that will drop to HDD performance and will heavily wear once you do sync writes (for example by running any services that utilize a DB) because of the missing power-loss protection. I personally would use LVM-Thin with it. Should be way faster and the SSD should survive a few times longer.

 

[inxsible]

fair enough. thanks for all the advice.