This page explains how to configure custom storage layouts for MAAS-deployed machines. Note that custom storage is only available for MAAS versions 3.1 and higher.
MAAS version 3.1 and higher allow you to define a custom storage layout for a machine, via a custom commissioning script. You must upload a script which conforms to the following rules:
- it must run after the
40-maas-01-machine-resourcesscript and before the50-maas-01-commissioningone, so it should have a name that starts with anything between41-and49-. This ensures the script can access the JSON file created by the former which provides info about the machine hardware and network resources. In addition, the custom script can directly inspect the machine it’s running on to determine how to configure storage. - it can read machine hardware/network information from the JSON file at the path specified by
$MAAS_RESOURCES_FILE - it must output a JSON file at the path specified by
$MAAS_STORAGE_CONFIG_FILEwith the desired storage layout - names of disks provided in the custom layout must match the ones detected by MAAS and provided in the resources file.
Config format
The configuration contains two main sections:
layout, which lists the desired storage layout in terms of disks and volumes, along with their setup (partitions, volumes, …).
This consists of a dictionary of device names and their configuration. Each device must have atypeproperty (see below for supported types).mounts, which lists the desired filesystem mount points.
As an example:
"mounts": {
"/": {
"device": "sda2",
"options": "noatime"
},
"/boot/efi": {
"device": "sda1"
},
"/data": {
"device": "raid0"
}
}
A complete $MAAS_STORAGE_CONFIG_FILE would look like this:
{
"layouts": {
"sda": {
...
},
"raid0": {
...
},
...
},
"mounts": {
"/": {
...
},
...
}
}
The following device types are supported in the "layout" section:
Disk
"sda": {
"type": "disk",
"ptable": "gpt",
"boot": true,
"partitions": [
{
"name": "sda1",
"fs": "vfat",
"size": "100M"
"bootable": true,
}
]
}
A disk entry defines a physical disk.
The following details can be specified:
- the partition table type (
ptable), which can begptormbr - whether it should be selected as
bootdisk - optionally, a list of partitions to create, with their
sizeand filesystem type (fs)
LVM
"lvm0": {
"type": "lvm",
"members": [
"sda1",
"sdb1",
],
"volumes": [
{
"name": "data1",
"size": "5G",
"fs": "ext4"
},
{
"name": "data2",
"size": "7G",
"fs": "btrfs"
}
]
}
An lvm entry defines a VG (volume group) composed by a set of disks or partitions (listed as members). Optionally it’s possible to specify the the LVs (logical volumes) to create.
Those are defined similarly to partitions, with a name and size (and optionally the filesystem).
Bcache
"bcache0": {
"type": "bcache",
"cache-device": "sda",
"backing-device": "sdf3",
"cache-mode": "writeback",
"fs": "ext4"
}
A bcache entry must specify a device to use as cache and one to use as storage. Both can be either a partition or a disk.
Optionally the cache-mode for the Bcache can be specified.
RAID
"myraid": {
"type": "raid",
"level": 5,
"members": [
"sda",
"sdb",
"sdc",
],
"spares": [
"sdd",
"sde"
],
"fs": "btrfs"
A raid entry defines a RAID with a set of member devices.
Spare devices can also be specified.
Config examples
Here’s a few examples of custom storage layout configurations that a script could output to the $MAAS_STORAGE_CONFIG_FILE. The examples assumes that the machine has 5 disks (named sda to sde).
Note that there’s no need to add entries for those devices in the layout section if the disks are not explicitly partitioned, but just used by other devices (e.g. RAID or LVM).
Simple single-disk layout with GPT partitioning
{
"layout": {
"sda": {
"type": "disk",
"ptable": "gpt",
"boot": true,
"partitions": [
{
"name": "sda1",
"fs": "vfat",
"size": "500M",
"bootable": true
},
{
"name": "sda2",
"size": "5G",
"fs": "ext4"
},
{
"name": "sda3",
"size": "2G",
"fs": "swap"
},
{
"name": "sda4",
"size": "120G",
"fS": "ext4"
}
]
}
},
"mounts": {
"/": {
"device": "sda2",
"options": "noatime"
},
"/boot/efi": {
"device": "sda1"
},
"/data": {
"device": "sda4"
},
"none": {
"device": "sda3"
}
}
}
In the mounts section, options for mount points can be specified. For swap, an entry must be present (with any unique name that doesn’t start with a /), otherwise the swap will be created but not activated.
RAID 5 setup (with spare devices)
{
"layout": {
"storage": {
"type": "raid",
"level": 5,
"members": [
"sda",
"sdb",
"sdc"
],
"spares": [
"sdd",
"sde"
],
"fs": "btrfs"
}
},
"mounts": {
"/data": {
"device": "storage"
}
}
}
Both full disks and partitions can be used as RAID members.
LVM with pre-defined volumes
{
"layout": {
"storage": {
"type": "lvm",
"members": [
"sda",
"sdb",
"sdc",
"sdd"
],
"volumes": [
{
"name": "data1",
"size": "1T",
"fs": "ext4"
},
{
"name": "data2",
"size": "2.5T",
"fs": "btrfs"
}
]
}
},
"mounts": {
"/data1": {
"device": "data1"
},
"/data2": {
"device": "data2"
}
}
}
If no volumes are specified, the volume group is still created.
Bcache
{
"layout": {
"data1": {
"type": "bcache",
"cache-device": "sda",
"backing-device": "sdb",
"cache-mode": "writeback",
"fs": "ext4"
},
"data2": {
"type": "bcache",
"cache-device": "sda",
"backing-device": "sdc",
"fs": "btrfs"
}
},
"mounts": {
"/data1": {
"device": "data1"
},
"/data2": {
"device": "data2"
}
}
}
The same cache set can be used by different bcaches by specifying the same backing-device for them.
LVM on top of RAID with Bcache
{
"layout": {
"bcache0": {
"type": "bcache",
"backing-device": "sda",
"cache-device": "sdf"
},
"bcache1": {
"type": "bcache",
"backing-device": "sdb",
"cache-device": "sdf"
},
"bcache2": {
"type": "bcache",
"backing-device": "sdc",
"cache-device": "sdf"
},
"bcache3": {
"type": "bcache",
"backing-device": "sdd",
"cache-device": "sdf"
},
"bcache4": {
"type": "bcache",
"backing-device": "sde",
"cache-device": "sdf"
},
"raid": {
"type": "raid",
"level": 5,
"members": [
"bcache0",
"bcache1",
"bcache2"
],
"spares": [
"bcache3",
"bcache4"
]
},
"lvm": {
"type": "lvm",
"members": [
"raid"
],
"volumes": [
{
"name": "root",
"size": "10G",
"fs": "ext4"
},
{
"name": "data",
"size": "3T",
"fs": "btrfs"
}
]
}
},
"mounts": {
"/": {
"device": "root"
},
"/data": {
"device": "data"
}
}
}
The RAID is created by using 5 bcache devices, each one using a different disk and the same SSD cache device. LVM is created on top of the RAID device and volumes are then created in it, to provide partitions.
Last updated 2 days ago.