Mastering Storage Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Installing and Configuring MergerFS on Ubuntu Server

In today’s digital age, efficiently managing storage is crucial, especially for those utilizing a Media Server. MergerFS stands out as a remarkable solution that empowers users to seamlessly combine multiple hard drives into a singular, expansive file system. This functionality not only simplifies data organization but also maximizes available storage space, making it an ideal choice for media libraries and other extensive data needs.

Step-by-Step Installation of MergerFS on Ubuntu Server

While MergerFS is not included by default in Ubuntu Server installations, setting it up is straightforward thanks to its availability in the official Ubuntu repositories. Here’s how you can install it effortlessly:

1. Open a Terminal: Begin by accessing your server through SSH.

2. Update Your Server: Before installing any new software, it is prudent to ensure your server is up to date. Execute the following commands:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade -y

3. Install MergerFS: Once the system updates are complete, install MergerFS with the following command:

   sudo apt install mergerfs

After following these steps, your Ubuntu Server will be ready to use MergerFS.

Identifying Your Drives for MergerFS Integration

Before pooling your storage devices, you must first identify which drives will be used. MergerFS operates as a filesystem aggregator, merging various drives to present them as a unified location.

To list all connected drives, the lsblk command is your best tool:

lsblk -e7 --all

This command provides an overview of all block devices, allowing you to find your drives, commonly identified in the /dev/ directory (e.g., /dev/sda, /dev/sdb, etc.). It’s important to ensure that you’re selecting the correct drives for mounting.

Creating Mount Points for Your Drives

The next step involves establishing mount points for your drives. Each drive will need to be mounted in separate folders before MergerFS can combine them. For example, you could mount /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdc1 as follows:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/drive1
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/drive2

Next, create a pooled mount point:

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/pooled

With the folders created, update the /etc/fstab file to ensure your drives mount automatically at boot. Open the fstab file using:

sudo nano -w /etc/fstab

In this file, add your mount entries, ensuring to tailor them to your specific setup. Note that if your drives are formatted differently from EXT4, you will need to adjust the filesystem type accordingly:

## MergerFS mounts
/dev/sdb1 /mnt/drive1 ext4 defaults 0 0
/dev/sdc1 /mnt/drive2 ext4 defaults 0 0
/mnt/drive1:/mnt/drive2 /mnt/pooled fuse.mergerfs defaults,allow_other 0 0

After making these entries, run the following command to mount all drives:

sudo mount -a

Customizing Your MergerFS Setup

MergerFS offers a variety of options that users can configure within their /etc/fstab mounts, enhancing functionality based on specific needs. To customize these options, revisit the fstab file:

sudo nano -w /etc/fstab

You can use various policies for file creation and general options, including:

• File Creation Policies:

  • epmfs: Always writes files to the drive with the most free space.
  • ff: Sequentially fills drives in the order listed.
  • lfs: Chooses the drive with the most free space.
• General Options:
  • defaults: Applies a standard set of options.
  • allow_other: Permits access to all users.
  • minfreespace: Sets a minimum space limit for file creation.

Each option must be separated by a comma. Once you’ve made the desired changes, save and close the file. Finally, reboot your Ubuntu Server to apply the new configurations.

By following this guide, you can leverage MergerFS to enhance your storage capacity and improve data management on your Ubuntu Server—making it an invaluable tool for any media server setup.