How to Increase LVM Size for Proxmox Backups

To Change Backup Locations in Proxmox and Increase LVM Storage Size for Backups

To change backup locations in Proxmox and increase LVM storage size for backups, you have several options to solve this task. In your situation with local storage “local” and “local-lvm”, you can use several approaches.

Table of Contents

• Basic Differences Between local and local-lvm
• Methods to Increase LVM Storage Size
• Redistributing Space Between local-lvm and local
• Safe Storage Configuration Changes
• Backup Recommendations

Basic Differences Between local and local-lvm

In Proxmox VE, two types of storage are created by default:

local - directory-based storage:

• Path: /var/lib/vz
• Type: dir
• Content: iso,vztmpl,backup
• Intended for ISO images, container templates, and backups

local-lvm - LVM-based storage:

• Type: lvmthin
• Thin pool: data
• Volume group: pve
• Content: rootdir,images
• Intended exclusively for virtual machine disks

As stated in the official Proxmox documentation, an LVM thin pool (lvmthin) can only contain logical volumes (block devices), so it’s not suitable for file operations such as storing backups in vma/tar format.

Methods to Increase LVM Storage Size

1. Extending the Root Filesystem

If you want to increase space for the local storage, which uses the root filesystem, you can execute the following commands:

# Check current volume sizes
lvdisplay

# Extend the root volume
lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/pve/root

# Resize the filesystem
resize2fs /dev/mapper/pve-root

As explained in a Reddit discussion, this method doesn’t require backup and allows you to use all available space on the disk.

2. Using GParted

A safer method is to use GParted:

1. Download the GParted ISO image
2. Create a bootable medium (USB or CD)
3. Boot into GParted
4. Visually resize the partitions

As noted in the Proxmox forum, GParted provides a convenient graphical interface for working with partitions.

Redistributing Space Between local-lvm and local

Since you have 3 TB on local-lvm and a small amount on local for backups, you can redistribute the space. However, this requires caution:

Option 1: Complete Reinstallation (Recommended)

As experienced users often advise in the Proxmox forum, the simplest approach is:

1. Create backups of all VMs and containers
2. Reinstall Proxmox VE
3. During installation, configure custom sizes for “local” and “local-lvm”

Option 2: Manual Redistribution

If you want to keep your current system:

1. Backup - be sure to save all important data
2. Remove local-lvm:
   bash

   lvremove /dev/pve/data --force
   

3. Create a new LVM thin pool with the desired size:
   bash

   lvcreate -L 2T -T pve/data
   

4. Configure storage in the GUI

This method is detailed in David Yin’s article.

Safe Storage Configuration Changes

Important Steps Before Making Changes:

1. Check current configuration:

   bash

   vgs
   lvs
   df -h
   

2. Create backups:

   bash

   pvdisplay
   lvdisplay
   

3. Plan changes - determine how much space you need for backups

Adding Separate Storage for Backups

Instead of modifying existing storage, you can create a separate one:

# Create a new logical volume for backups
lvcreate -L 500G -n backups pve

# Create filesystem
mkfs.ext4 /dev/pve/backups

# Mount
mkdir /mnt/backups
mount /dev/pve/backups /mnt/backups

# Add to Proxmox configuration
echo 'dir: backups
path /mnt/backups
content backup' >> /etc/pve/storage.cfg

This approach is mentioned in a Reddit discussion.

Backup Recommendations

Safe Practices:

1. Store backups separately - don’t store backups on the same disk as running VMs
2. Regular testing - periodically verify your ability to restore from backups
3. Use remote storage - to comply with security policies

Alternative Solutions:

1. NFS storage - connect network storage for backups
2. Proxmox Backup Server - specialized backup solution
3. External cloud storage - integration with S3-compatible services

As users note in the forum, best practice is to use a separate physical device for backups.

Conclusion

1. To increase LVM storage size, use the lvextend and resize2fs commands or the GParted graphical tool
2. Space redistribution between local and local-lvm is possible but requires full backup and reinstallation of Proxmox for safe implementation
3. For backups, it’s recommended to create a separate dir type storage on a separate disk or network storage
4. Security requires storing backups separately from working data, preferably on remote storage
5. Simple solution - reinstall Proxmox with proper space distribution between storage during initial installation

Sources

1. Official Proxmox VE Documentation - Storage
2. What is the difference between “local” and “local-lvm” on Proxmox VE
3. How to resize the Proxmox VE default disks - David Yin’s Blog
4. Resize local or local-lvm and how? - Proxmox Forum
5. Use local-lvm as backup folder - Reddit
6. Remove local-lvm and increase local - Proxmox Forum
7. Proxmox create backup to Local-LVM? - Reddit
8. Local LVM vs Local - Proxmox Forum
9. Increase local-lvm and VM disk size - Proxmox Forum
10. Resizing local and local-lvm - Reddit