two node setup with local Dell R600 series storage with replication

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mws

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Mar 12, 2026
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Hello,
I want to setup a two node cluster with the VMs on the primary node replicated over to the secondary node. I have a raid 10 storage pool already created using local storage on two Dell servers. It sounds like ZFS is a must to do this so I need to create it with ZFS during the install instead of lvm-thin.

Does it matter which "ZFS" option I use at the filesystem part of the setup? (There are several like raid1,0, raid10, raidz1-3 etc) I am assuming it doesn't matter and I can just select any of those and move along and get my cluster up and running? Coming from Vsphere where I don't need to do any of this so wanted to make sure I get it correct.

thanks!
 
Hi mws,

Welcome to the forums!

mws said:
(I) wanted to make sure I get it correct.
Click to expand...

As with many things, there is not one 'correct', and mostly 'it depends'.

I've always been very happy LVM, and with thin volumes as well. ZFS is beckoning, but for better or worse, I have resisted the call.

Even though ZFS is no 'must to do', there are very strong proponents (and strong arguments) in favour of it.

What will you be running the cluster for? Learning and fun, running an office or providing IT for family and friends?
 
Hello,
this would be to replace a production vsphere cluster right now. From what I read though I shouldn't be using HW raid for ZFS, but I need ZFS in order to get replication like we have now. I'm just doing some initial tests. May hold off until Veeam has better support for proxmox. (and hopefully gets replication from veeam to so I can use lvm)
 
If you want to use HW RAID, ZFS is off the charts.

LVM is fine, especially if your current environment is on LVM as well.

People love ZFS for the ease with which advanced features are available, such as checksumming, RAID, caching, deduplication and volume management, but these can be used on LVM as well be it in a less integrated fashion.

Edit to add: in a parallel thread, @Johannes S linked to an in-depth blog by @bbgeek17 about LVM on Proxmox.
 
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I think my only choice is ZFS if I want replication too it seems? Wish veeam supported it already for replication instead of just backup! thanks!
 
Yes replication only works with zfs. You shouldn't combine it with HW raid though and shouldn't use RAIDZ for vm storage, see this writeup by UdoB for reference:
UdoB

[TUTORIAL] Thread 'FabU: Can I use ZFS RaidZ for my VMs?'

Assumption: you use at least four identical devices for that. Mirrors, RaidZ, RaidZ2 are possible - theoretically.

Technically correct answer: yes, it works. But the right answers is: no, do not do that! The recommendation is very clear: use “striped mirrors”. This results in something similar to a classic Raid10.

(1) RaidZ1 (and Z2 too) gives you the IOPS of a single device, completely independent of the actual number of physical devices. For the “four devices, mirrored” approach this will double --> giving twice as many Operations per Second. For a large-file...
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ZFS has also other benefits especially for data integrity:
UdoB

[TUTORIAL] Thread 'FabU: This is just a small setup with limited resources and only a few disks, should I use ZFS at all?'

Should I use ZFS at all?​

For once this requires a disclaimer first: I am using ZFS nearly everywhere, where it is easily possible, though exceptions do exists. In any case I am definitely biased pro ZFS.

That said..., the correct answer is obviously: “Yes, of course” ;-)

Integrity​

ZFS assures integrity. It will deliver exactly the very same data when you read it as was written at some point of time in the past.

“But all filesystems do this, right?” Well, there is more to it. ZFS works hard to actively assure the correctness. An...
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