New install - working with directory storage

[huntson]

I am decently new with Proxmox so forgive a potentially obvious question. I am looking to ensure my VMs are able to take advantage of snapshots. I understand that this is only possible on 'directory' storage. I have a 1TB SSD I am looking to use as both the boot volume for Proxmox and storage pool for VMs. It looks like an LVM is created on the remaining space on my primary disk and I am unable to clear it. Therefore I am unable to create a directory for it. Am I missing something obvious to do what I need to please?

 

[Folke]

Hi,
where did you get the impression that only directory storage can create snapshots? Both LVM-Thin and ZFS are perfectly capable to create snapshots [0,1]. Since it looks like you have already installed PVE with LVM enabled, you should already be using LVM-Thin for your VMs and containers.

[0] https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/pve-admin-guide.html#chapter_lvm
[1] https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/pve-admin-guide.html#chapter_zfs

 

[huntson]

Thanks for clarifying. Why, then, when creating a new system, do I now have th option to change the format to qucow2 please? See attached picture.

 

[Dunuin]

Thanks for clarifying. Why, then, when creating a new system, do I now have th option to change the format to qucow2 please?

Because qcow2 needs image files. LVM-Thin is a block storage where virtual disks are stored as block devices (thin LVs). You can't store files on block devices, so "raw" is the only option. Thin LVs are still snapshotable.

 

[huntson]

To that end, it's my understanding that I can only create snapshots with VMs that are created with the qucow2 format so what am I missing please?

 

[Dunuin]

To that end, it's my understanding that I can only create snapshots with VMs that are created with the qucow2 format so what am I missing please?

No. LVM-Thin and ZFS supports snapshotting when using "raw" thin volumes or "raw" zvols. No need for qcow2.