Hello,
I'm seeking guidance on the optimal method to use a mirrored ZFS pool on my Proxmox host to provide dedicated storage for a VM. The goal is to efficiently manage data volumes required for a Nextcloud AIO and Immich setup, where Immich will serve as a backup and sharing app for my family's photos. For context, I already run an Immich instance on my TrueNAS Scale (Fangtooth 25.04) for personal photos and Docker apps (which remain internal), and I plan to expose the VM-hosted apps externally.
Current Hardware and Storage Setup:
The central challenge is how to best allocate storage from my Proxmox ZFS pool for the VM hosting Nextcloud and Immich. My understanding is that provisioning a VM with a large virtual disk isn't ideal; rather, it's better to assign dedicated storage for data separately from the OS disk.
Storage Allocation Method:
PS: I realize this post contains many details that some might find unnecessary, but I wanted to provide as much context as possible to receive the most informed advice.
I'm seeking guidance on the optimal method to use a mirrored ZFS pool on my Proxmox host to provide dedicated storage for a VM. The goal is to efficiently manage data volumes required for a Nextcloud AIO and Immich setup, where Immich will serve as a backup and sharing app for my family's photos. For context, I already run an Immich instance on my TrueNAS Scale (Fangtooth 25.04) for personal photos and Docker apps (which remain internal), and I plan to expose the VM-hosted apps externally.
Current Hardware and Storage Setup:
- Proxmox Machine (v8.3 VE):
- OS Drive: 1 TB NVMe SSD.
- Storage: Two NVMe SSDs in a mirrored ZFS pool (2 x 2 TB) for data.
- TrueNAS Scale Machine (Fangtooth 25.04):
- OS Drive: 500 GB SSD.
- Storage: Two NVMe SSDs in a mirrored ZFS pool (2 x 2 TB) for data.
- Additional Hardware:
- An old laptop that I plan to use as a backup for the TrueNAS system, with the same configuration as the main TrueNAS machine except for the mirrored ZFS pool (HDDs).
- Plans to run Proxmox Backup Server as a VM on TrueNAS (acknowledging that this isn't ideal for production but fits the home lab setup).
The central challenge is how to best allocate storage from my Proxmox ZFS pool for the VM hosting Nextcloud and Immich. My understanding is that provisioning a VM with a large virtual disk isn't ideal; rather, it's better to assign dedicated storage for data separately from the OS disk.
Storage Allocation Method:
- What is the recommended practice for using a ZFS pool on Proxmox to provide large-capacity storage to a VM?
- Should I create a dedicated ZFS dataset or Zvol for passing through to the VM, or are there alternative methods that might offer better performance or ease of management? (I'm not too concerned about performance as I do about management.)
PS: I realize this post contains many details that some might find unnecessary, but I wanted to provide as much context as possible to receive the most informed advice.
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