Single or multiple HDs for multiple partitions

[cad1llac]

I am a relative noob to vbox and want to setup a number of guest VMs (servers, desktops), some using LVM.

When installing an OS with multiple partitions (eg separate boot/swap/root/home for Linux, os/data for Windows), I could either:

- setup one HD with multiple partitions
- setup multiple HDs and install each partition to a separate HD

I thought that using separate HDs might be preferable to:

- separate OS and data into separate HDs (and hence, files)
- make it easier to backup certain partitions/HDs
- make it easier to add additional HDs (PVs) to an LVM setup
- troubleshoot boot/OS problems without affecting any data

Are there any other pros/cons or considerations when deciding to use either method?

Thanks.

cad1llac

[mpack]

Either way works, but I prefer to have my VMs use one VDI because it's easier to backup and port between hosts as a unit.

[cad1llac]

Thanks for your contribution mpack.

A few follow-up questions...

So do you still create separate partitions within your VDIs? Obviously you would have a separate swap partition for linux guests, but do you separate out any other partitions for linux guests and/or use separate os/data partitions for windows guests?

Can you see any advantage to having an LVM setup using separate VDIs so storage for a VM can be extended simply by creating additional VDIs and adding them to a volume group? Or is there a simpler way to add additional storage to an existing VM?

If I used separate VDIs for separate partitions, could I simply use the export functionality to port a VM between hosts?

[cad1llac]

Anyone else care to offer any advice/guidance/experiences with how you set up your HDs/partitions in practice?

Or are most VirtualBox users simply using 1 HD/VDI per VM as per mpack?

I'm not really looking at this from a general system admin perspective, but rather how to go about managing VDIs for a number of VMs that I wish to create. And I know it's not a critical or very sexy issue, but I am fairly knew to VirtualBox and virtualization generally and want to get a few big picture planning decisions resolved (of which this is one) and understand why certain strategies are the best way to go.

[mpack]

So do you still create separate partitions within your VDIs?

No, as a rule my Windows guests have one partition. My Linux guests have more than one.

Can you see any advantage to having an LVM setup using separate VDIs

No. LVM, like Windows Dynamic Disk, is poorly supported by third party tools, so I avoid it. Keep things simple is my motto (English speakers may understand what I mean by "KISS").

Or is there a simpler way to add additional storage to an existing VM?

That's an ironic question to be directed at me. I would just use my CloneVDI tool to enlarge the existing drive.

If I used separate VDIs for separate partitions, could I simply use the export functionality to port a VM between hosts?

I can't answer that because I don't use export/import, I simply copy the VDI (KISS again).

[cad1llac]

No, as a rule my Windows guests have one partition. My Linux guests have more than one.

How do you store your user data? Do you use shared folders or network shares for access to your data? Or do you store your data inside your VDIs? Or some other setup?

No. LVM, like Windows Dynamic Disk, is poorly supported by third party tools, so I avoid it. Keep things simple is my motto (English speakers may understand what I mean by "KISS").

I'm quite partial to a quote often attributed to Einstein: "Simplify as much as possible, but not simpler." Am happy to consider different options if they make sense/provide a net benefit, hence the questions about others' experiences. I'm hoping to gain insight into how others use LVM successfully with VirtualBox before deploying it.

That's an ironic question to be directed at me. I would just use my CloneVDI tool to enlarge the existing drive.

Being only a recent arrival to this forum, your reputation has well and truly preceded me.

[mpack]

How do you store your user data? Do you use shared folders or network shares for access to your data? Or do you store your data inside your VDIs? Or some other setup?

All of the above. If I don't need the data outside the VM, it stays in the VM. If I want to copy out small amounts of data I will use VirtualBox shared folders. If I care about how long the I/O to a shared folder will take (i.e. if I want best performance) then I'll use a network share.

I'm hoping to gain insight into how others use LVM successfully with VirtualBox before deploying it.

Beware: I have no doubt that it's possible to use LVM or Windows Dynamic Disk successfully, and no doubt some users will sing its praises. My concern is that I might some day need to run a third party tool, lets say for data recovery, and if that tool rejects the drive because of a poorly supported partition/boot manager then I would not be happy. I discovered this the hard way with Windows Dynamic Disk, happily that was on a new PC (which I wanted to restore a backup image onto) so it was easy to scrub the drive contents and start again. I've seen similar complaints about LVM, though I've never used it myself.

[cad1llac]

Thanks for that mpack. You have provided a simple set of rules for working with data, and clarified for me your concerns about LVM and what you meant by "poorly supported by third party tools". In theory LVM appears to be a good strategy to manage storage, but I no doubt have more reading/planning to do to understand some of its potential drawbacks.

I appreciate your time/effort in answering my queries. And for your CloneVDI tool, which I've downloaded.

[cad1llac]

Anyone else care to offer any advice/guidance/experiences with how you set up your HDs/partitions in practice?

Or are most VirtualBox users simply using 1 HD/VDI per VM as per mpack?

I'm not really looking at this from a general system admin perspective, but rather how to go about managing VDIs for a number of VMs that I wish to create. And I know it's not a critical or very sexy issue, but I am fairly knew to VirtualBox and virtualization generally and want to get a few big picture planning decisions resolved (of which this is one) and understand why certain strategies are the best way to go.