[SOLVED] Convert Single Drive Proxmox Installation to a RAID 1 Configuration

[utorth]

I looked through the forum and can't find a thread that details the "how-to" for this situation. I installed proxmox on a single ssd drive about 6 months ago and have since then decided I really should have set it up as a RAID 1 to an identical drive in case of a failure. I also want to set up the new drive to be bootable, so if one of the drives fails, it can fail over to the other drive. I know you can set this up on the initial installation of proxmox, but not sure how to do this after the fact. Is there a step-by-step process of how to do this, which is idiot-proof so I can't mess it up?

/dev/sdj is the current proxmox install and /dev/sdi is the identical brand new ssd drive.

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[LnxBil]

I looked through the forum and can't find a thread that details the "how-to" for this situation.

Because: It depends

I know you can set this up on the initial installation of proxmox, but not sure how to do this after the fact.

Yes, with ZFS. You have LVM, so you cannot convert this "in-place".

Is there a step-by-step process of how to do this, which is idiot-proof so I can't mess it up?

Yes: Backup all VMs to a third drive, reinstall PVE with ZFS (Software RAID) and restore your VMs.
Anything else takes more time and is harder, so this is the go-to solution for most of the people.

 

[UdoB]

Anything else takes more time and is harder, so this is the go-to solution for most of the people.

Well... I would install a third SSD, build a new ZFS Pool with a mirrored vdev, without touching the old datastore. Then simply migrate the VMs.

For me this approach looks easier and not so scary as a complete new installation...

Edit: of course one should have verified working backups. Always. Ever.

Just my 2€¢

 

[LnxBil]

Well... I would install a third SSD, build a new ZFS Pool with a mirrored vdev, without touching the old datastore. Then simply migrate the VMs.

Also a viable option if you don't need redundancy for the OS itself, if you would however need redundancy, you would also have to migrate the OS from non-ZFS to ZFS and create a new boot device and such. The amount of work would increase to the point where it is easier to just backup & restore.

 

[utorth]

Because: It depends


Yes, with ZFS. You have LVM, so you cannot convert this "in-place".


Yes: Backup all VMs to a third drive, reinstall PVE with ZFS (Software RAID) and restore your VMs.
Anything else takes more time and is harder, so this is the go-to solution for most of the people.

Thank you! This is what I needed to hear... that I can't do it "in-place". With that said, I'm just going to do a back-up to a third drive, do a fresh install as ZFS Raid1, and restore the VM's after.