Storage pools
A storage pool is where virtual machine disks, ISO images and cloud images live. Quantix supports:
| Type | Shared between hosts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NFS | Yes | Network file storage on a NAS. VMs on NFS can be live-migrated and restarted on another host by high availability. |
| iSCSI | One active host at a time | Block storage on a SAN. |
| Local Directory | No | A disk inside one host. Fast and simple, but VMs on it cannot be migrated to another host. |
In the QvDC dashboard, pools appear under Storage → Storage Pools in two groups: Shared datastores and Local storage.
Prerequisites
- For NFS: an NFS export reachable from every host that will use it, with read and write access for those hosts (root squashing disabled for the hosts).
- For iSCSI: the target's portal address and IQN, and CHAP credentials if the target uses them.
- For Local Directory: an unused disk in the host. You can also create local pools during host installation.
- A user with storage management permission (admin or System administrator).
Create an NFS pool
- Go to Storage → Storage Pools and click Create Pool.
- Select Type — choose NFS and click Continue.
- Configure — enter:
- Pool Name and an optional Description;
- Server Address — the NAS's address, for example
nas.example.com; - Export Path — for example
/export/vms; - NFS Version — NFSv4.2 by default; choose the newest version your NAS supports.
- Assign Hosts — tick every host that should use the pool, or Select All. Only hosts in the READY state are listed.
- Review, then click Create Pool.
Expected result: the pool appears under Shared datastores with its capacity. On the pool's Nodes tab, every assigned host is connected.
Create an iSCSI pool
- Create Pool → iSCSI → Continue.
- Enter the Pool Name, Portal Address (for example
203.0.113.50:3260) and Target IQN. If the target uses CHAP, tick Enable CHAP Authentication and enter the CHAP Username and CHAP Password. - Assign Hosts — choose one host. To move the pool to another host later, reassign it from the pool's Nodes tab.
- Review, then Create Pool.
Create a local pool
- Create Pool → Local Directory → Continue.
- Choose the host, then pick one of its disks (each shows its free space).
- Enter the Pool Name, then Review and Create Pool.
On a single host without QvDC, use the Host UI instead: Local Storage → Physical Disks, select the disk, enter a Storage Pool Name, tick the confirmation that the disk will be erased, and click Initialize as qDV.
WARNING
Initializing a disk permanently erases everything on it.
Standalone hosts: create a pool in the Host UI
On a host that is not managed by QvDC, go to Local Storage → Storage Pools → Create Pool in its Host UI:
- NFS Share — NFS Server, Export Path, and under Advanced Options the NFS Version (NFSv4.1 by default) and extra Mount Options.
- Local Directory — a Directory Path on one of the host's data disks. Choose a path on a disk you initialized, not the default system location.
Work with a pool
Open a pool from Storage Pools to see:
- Files — browse the pool, Upload files and create folders;
- Volumes — the VM disks stored in the pool and which VM each is attached to. Disks are created, resized and deleted from the VM's Storage tab;
- Nodes — Assign or Unassign hosts. A host cannot be unassigned while VMs on it still use the pool;
- Settings — connection details, for example a changed NFS server address.
Reconnect retries the connection on every assigned host after a storage outage. Delete asks you to type the pool name to confirm; move or delete the VMs on a pool before deleting it.
Storage → Storage Options sets the Default Storage Pool and Default Provisioning (Thin or Thick) that pre-fill the VM creation wizard.
Images and ISOs
The Image Library holds installation media:
- Cloud Images — ready-made images for Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux, Fedora, CentOS Stream, openSUSE, Amazon Linux, Arch Linux and others. Choose a pool in the toolbar and click Download on an image. Choose All NFS to place it on every NFS pool so VMs built from it can move between pools.
- Add Custom Image imports a cloud image from a URL.
- ISO Images → Upload ISO — from a URL or a file on your computer. Pick the Storage Pool it goes to.
- OVA Templates → Upload OVA imports a virtual appliance.
Downloads and uploads show their progress under Operations.