Create a ZFS storage with SSD cache in Proxmox

ZFS storage spaces can be boosted with an SSD cache. Two commands are all it takes to create a cache… !

A quick and simple tip for everyone who owns ZFS pools and SSDs. If you want to add an SSD that’s sitting idle in your PC, here’s the command to run:

bash
sudo zpool create -f -o ashift=12 nom-zpool /dev/sdxxx cache /dev/sdyyy

Example: sudo zpool create -f -o ashift=12 pool1 /dev/sda cache /dev/sdb

Explanations:

« zpool create -f -o ashift =12 nom-zpool » = Creates a new ZFS storage space named « nom-zpool ». The « -o ashift=12 » parameter is the default option – used in the vast majority of cases, it ensures good alignment on the disk (4K sectors). More info in the OpenZFS documentation .
« /dev/sdxxx » is the disk on which you want to create the ZFS partition/pool
« cache /dev/sdyyy » is the SSD that will serve as the cache. It therefore won’t be usable on its own.

To add the ZFS pool to Proxmox, run the command below:

bash
sudo pvesm set nom-zpool --disable 0

« –disable 0 » is required to enable the pool and make it visible in Proxmox. Mounting is automatic, there’s no need to do anything else.