Assign specific app volumes to dedicated storage

[DavidePrincipi]

NS8 primary storage works best with drives offering fast random access. However, some data-intensive applications (e.g. Samba, Mail, Nextcloud, backup destinations) require large archive space. To optimize resource usage, specific application volumes can be mounted on separate, large-capacity drives instead of consuming the primary storage.

Proposed solution

• Developer: Allow module developers to define which volumes can use additional disks.
• Sysadmin: Enable and manage additional disks on cluster nodes for application use.
• Sysadmin: During app install, restore, or clone, allow selection of the node’s additional disk to host the app’s volume.

Alternative solution

• Support additional filesystem mount points, making them available for applications.
• Allow module developers to define a volume role. Matching between available mount points and volumes can be automatic or user-supervised.
• Define data migration policy: existing data may be preserved, migrated, or trigger a fatal error, depending on the developer’s decision.

See also

• https://community.nethserver.org/t/nethserver-project-milestone-8-2/24747#p-170826-minidisc-disks-and-storage-configuration-for-ns8-13
• Team sync-up Sep '25 https://mattermost.nethesis.it/nethesis/pl/mppgx8zbbtnw7jdjfd3o49cnzy
• World war :z discussion: https://mattermost.nethesis.it/nethserver/pl/966mas6czinkjjytt6mjpoyrxo