ProxMox as a File Server

Here I use a bind mount to pass a ZFS dataset to an unprivileged LXC running smbd.

Also: step-by-step-install-w-efi-zfs-ssd-cache-file-server

Proxmox Storage Config

I have on duo:

root@duo:~# zpool list
NAME   SIZE  ALLOC   FREE  CKPOINT  EXPANDSZ   FRAG    CAP  DEDUP    HEALTH  ALTROOT
btr    111G  3.82G   107G        -         -     0%     3%  1.00x    ONLINE  -
root@duo:~# zpool status btr
  pool: btr
 state: ONLINE
config:

	NAME                                             STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
	btr                                              ONLINE       0     0     0
	  mirror-0                                       ONLINE       0     0     0
	    ata-KINGSTON_SV300S37A120G_50026B773A0059B3  ONLINE       0     0     0
	    ata-MKNSSDSR120GB_MB2002101005FEB0D          ONLINE       0     0     0

errors: No known data errors

I have on fuji:

root@fuji:~# zpool list -v
NAME        SIZE  ALLOC   FREE  CKPOINT  EXPANDSZ   FRAG    CAP  DEDUP    HEALTH  ALTROOT
tank        464G   688K   464G        -         -     0%     0%  1.00x    ONLINE  -
  sda1      464G   688K   464G        -         -     0%  0.00%      -  ONLINE
root@fuji:~# mount|grep tank
tank on /tank type zfs (rw,xattr,noacl)

Get Container Template

Using the Proxmox GUI downloaded debian-11-turnkey-fileserver_17.1-1_amd64.tar.gz.

Create Container

Choose:

• host name, password,
• pick the template,
• disk - accept default, 8GB, this one is for OS alone,
• Cores: 2,
• Memory: accept the default 512M,
• IP address: DHCP,
• mount turnkey-linux-fileserver.

Do not start it yet.

Configure Container in ProxMox

Start at boot: Yes.

Resources\Mount point (mp0): /tank, mp=/mnt/media,mountoptions=noatime

or edit /etc/pve/lxc/.conf

mp0:/tank,mp=/mnt/media,mountoptions=noatime

Configure Container in GUI

Start the container. I ssh’ed as root.

WebDAV (CGI): https://192.168.10.143 Web shell: https://192.168.10.143:12320 Webmin: https://192.168.10.143:12321 SMB/CIFS: \192.168.10.143 (ports 139/445) SSH/SFTP: root@192.168.10.143 (port 22)

LXC User/Group ID -> Hypervisor User/Group ID

You will need to mess with hypervisor’s file system permission and/or ownership. See the first reference for details.

Performance Benchmarking/Optimization

As tested from my laptop, iperf3 gives 950 Mbits/sec for both send and receive.

Large file transfer in Mint Nemo from laptop to the smb share - 65MB/sec. smbd is observed in htop to consume 24-30% of CPU. Pretty disappointing.

Need to review smbd network settings. The following had little to no effect.

global section

As recommended removed socket options.

Added:

use sendfile = yes
aio read size = 16384
aio write size = 16384

share section(s)

I decided to NOT follow recommendations and to have the case preserved.

case sensitive = true
default case = lower
#preserve case = yes
#short preserve case = yes