📄 TorresVault – SSD Pool Expansion Procedure (Mirror VDEVs) Overview

This document explains how to:

Add a new pair of SSDs to Proxmox

Passthrough each SSD directly to the TrueNAS VM

Wipe the disks clean inside TrueNAS

Add the SSDs as a new mirror vdev to the existing pool (ssd-pool)

Verify TRIM and health

This process is repeated for each new pair of SSDs until all 11 mirror vdevs are created.

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🧩 STEP 1 — Install the SSDs into pve-nas

Physically install the two new SSDs into your Proxmox host.

TrueNAS will show them as ~1.75 TiB after formatting. This is normal.

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🧩 STEP 2 — Identify the new SSDs in Proxmox

SSH or console into pve-nas:

ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/ | grep SAMSUNG

Look for the two new drives. They will look like:

ata-SAMSUNG_MZ7LM1T9HCJM-00003_S1YXXXXX12345 -> ../../sdX ata-SAMSUNG_MZ7LM1T9HCJM-00003_S1YXXXXX67890 -> ../../sdY

These by-id names will be used for passthrough.

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🧩 STEP 3 — Passthrough SSDs to TrueNAS VM

Assume your TrueNAS VM = 108 (If this changes, update the commands.)

Add SSD #1: qm set 108 -scsiX /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_MZ7LM1T9HCJM-00003_S1YXXXXX12345 Add SSD #2: qm set 108 -scsiY /dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_MZ7LM1T9HCJM-00003_S1YXXXXX67890

Use increasing scsi numbers each time (scsi2, scsi3, scsi4, scsi5, etc).

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🧩 STEP 4 — Reboot TrueNAS VM (Fully)

Power off → Start, not reboot.

TrueNAS must perform a fresh device scan.

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🧩 STEP 5 — Wipe the SSDs in TrueNAS

Navigate to:

Storage → Disks

Find the two new 1.75 TiB SSDs.

For each disk:

Click ⋮ (menu)

Select Wipe

Choose Quick

This removes old GPT/MBR signatures so ZFS can use them.

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🧩 STEP 6 — Add SSDs as New Mirror VDEV to ssd-pool Go to:

Storage → Pools → ssd-pool → Expand

Choose Manual Disk Selection

You will see:

2 × Unused Disks (1.75 TiB)

Select both disks → they will appear as a new VDEV.

Set layout: Mirror Then click: Add VDEVs

Your pool now grows by one mirror vdev.

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🧩 STEP 7 — Verify Pool Expansion

Go to:

Storage → Pools → ssd-pool → Status (or Topology)

You will see:

ssd-pool  ├── mirror-0  (first pair)  ├── mirror-1  (new pair)  ├── mirror-2  └── ...

Each time you add two SSDs, you get a new mirror vdev.

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🧩 STEP 8 — Enable TRIM (If Not Already On)

Go to:

Storage → Pools → ssd-pool → Edit Auto TRIM

Enable:

Auto-TRIM: On

This keeps SSD performance and lifespan optimal.

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🧩 STEP 9 — Verify SMART Health

Go to:

Storage → Disks → (select each new SSD) → S.M.A.R.T. Tests

Enable:

Short test (daily or weekly)

Long test (monthly)

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🧩 STEP 10 — Repeat for Each New Pair of SSDs

For each additional mirror:

Install SSDs

Identify by-id

qm set passthrough

Reboot TrueNAS

Wipe disks

Expand ssd-pool with new mirror vdev

Verify TRIM & SMART

Repeat until all 11 mirrors are added.

🎉 End Result (11 mirror vdev pool)

Your final pool layout will be:

ssd-pool  ├── mirror-0  ├── mirror-1  ├── mirror-2  ├── mirror-3  ├── mirror-4  ├── mirror-5  ├── mirror-6  ├── mirror-7  ├── mirror-8  ├── mirror-9  └── mirror-10

Total usable SSD space ≈ 21 TB Total raw = ~42 TB Insane read and write performance.

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