📄 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.
🧩 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.
🧩 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.
🧩 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).
🧩 STEP 4 — Reboot TrueNAS VM (Fully)
Power off → Start, not reboot.
TrueNAS must perform a fresh device scan.
🧩 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.
🧩 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.
🧩 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.
🧩 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.
🧩 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)
🧩 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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