CIFS share on Proxmox with FreeNAS as storage solution.

Purpose:

An CIFS share on a FreeNAS server which will be available in the Proxmox server to be used for example as Backup for VM's, ISO image storage or VM Storage.




Used Software:

Proxmox VE 2.2
FreeNAS 8.3.0

Necessary / Tested with:

Server 1:  FreeNAS 8.3.0
Server 2:  Proxmox VE 2.2 / 3.3 / 3.4

A running DHCP server in the network.

Installation:

Server 1:

Install FreeNAS with default settings or anyway you would like it.

Change the default admin password:

-       Account – Admin Account – Change Password

Make a disk volume:

-       Storage – Volumes – Volume Manager

o    Type in a Volume Name

o    Choose the disks that have to be added to the volume

o    Select ZFS as filesystem

Make a ZFS Dataset to keep everything tidy for example shares / services / rights.

-       Storage – Volumes – “the just created volume name” – Create ZFS Dataset

o    Type a Dataset Name

o    Add Dataset

Adjust the permission rights of the Dataset, so that everybody including Guest can access and modify the Dataset.

-       Storage – Volumes – “The just created Volume Name ” – “The just created Dataset Name” – Change Permissions

o    Check all setting in Mode.

Make a CIFS Share.

-       Sharing – Windows (CIFS) Shares – Add Windows (CIFS) Share

o    Type a share name ("PVE_Backup" for example)

o    Browse Path: choose the just created ZFS Dataset

o   Check Allow Guest Access.

-       A notification will appear if the service needs to be started. Click Yes

Check with a windows client if you can access the just created CIFS share and that you can create a folder on it.

When this is possible, you have created succesfully created a share.

Next Server 2 installation and Configuration



Server 2:

Install Proxmox VE
  

Open the Proxmox Shell

Create a directory where the share will be attached too.

-       mkdir /mnt/vm_backup                       (vm_backup is an example name)

Adjust the file system table,this is a list where all the disc and partitions will be in.

-       Type: nano /etc/fstab

Type the following:

//windows-or-samba-server-name/PVE_backup /mnt/vm_backup cifs  username=yourusername,password=yoursecretpassword,domain=yourdomainname 0 0

Activate the  CIFS share.

-       type: mount //windows-or-samba-server-name/PVE_backup

Add the share in ProxMox

-       In the webinterface click on the directory Datacenter and then click on tab Storage.

-       Click Add – Directory

o    Type an ID number ("backup" for example)

o    Directory: Type a Name (example: /mnt/vm_backup)

o   Choose content which will be placed on the share

o   Adjust the other options accordanly 

The CIFS share now been added to your proxmox server.