Skip to main content

Mount Volume to Server

After attaching a volume through VNETWORK Cloud interface, additional steps are required for the operating system to recognize and use the volume. This guide covers mounting procedures for both Linux and Windows systems.

For Linux Servers​

1. Identify New Volume​

Login via SSH and run:

lsblk

You'll see the volume list, example: /dev/vdb (new volume)

NAME   MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
vda    253:0    0   20G  0 disk 
└─vda1 253:1    0   20G  0 part /
vdb    253:16   0   50G  0 disk

In this example, vdb is the newly attached 50GB volume.

2. Create Partition (Optional)​

To create partition:

sudo fdisk /dev/vdb

Follow prompts:

  • Press n for new partition
  • Press p for primary partition
  • Press Enter to accept defaults (start/end sectors)
  • Press w to save and exit

3. Format Volume​

Format with ext4 filesystem:

sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/vdb1  # If partition created
# or
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/vdb   # If using entire volume

4. Create Mount Point​

sudo mkdir -p /mnt/data

5. Mount Volume​

sudo mount /dev/vdb1 /mnt/data  # If partition created
# or
sudo mount /dev/vdb /mnt/data   # If using entire volume

6. Verify Disk Space​

df -h /mnt/data

Expected output:

Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/vdb         50G   53M   47G   1% /mnt/data

7. Configure Auto-Mount on Boot​

To auto-mount on server restart, add to /etc/fstab:

Get volume UUID:

sudo blkid /dev/vdb1  # or /dev/vdb if no partition

Expected output:

/dev/vdb1: UUID="4e9eb507-47a4-4f5c-b6e9-a2a1d3e0b259" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="8b413d45-01"

Edit /etc/fstab:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add line to file end:

UUID=4e9eb507-47a4-4f5c-b6e9-a2a1d3e0b259 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2

Test configuration:

sudo mount -a

No errors means successful configuration.

For Windows Servers​

1. Open Disk Management​

Multiple ways to access:

  • Right-click Start menu and select Disk Management
  • Press Windows + X, then select Disk Management
  • Run diskmgmt.msc from Run (Windows + R)

![Figure needed: Windows Disk Management interface showing available disks] Windows Disk Management interface

2. Initialize Volume​

Windows automatically shows initialization dialog for new volumes:

![Figure needed: Volume initialization dialog with GPT/MBR options] Volume initialization dialog

  • Choose partition style:
    • GPT (GUID Partition Table): For volumes larger than 2TB
    • MBR (Master Boot Record): For volumes smaller than 2TB
  • Click OK to continue

3. Create New Partition​

  • Right-click unallocated space on new volume
  • Select New Simple Volume
  • Follow wizard steps:
    • Choose partition size (default is entire volume)
    • Assign drive letter (e.g., E:, F:, etc.)
    • Format with NTFS filesystem
    • Set volume label (e.g., "Data Disk")
    • Select "Perform a quick format"
    • Click "Finish" to complete

![Figure needed: New Simple Volume wizard showing size, drive letter, and format options] New partition creation wizard

4. Using the Volume​

After completing steps:

  • New volume appears in File Explorer
  • Ready for data storage

Benefits of Additional Volumes​

  • Data separation: Keep data separate from operating system
  • Independent backups: Create snapshots for individual volumes
  • Flexibility: Move volumes between different servers
  • Easy expansion: Increase storage capacity as needed
  • Data preservation: Retain data when servers are deleted

Common Troubleshooting​

Linux Servers​

IssueSolution
Volume not showing in lsblk- Check attachment in VNETWORK interface
- Restart server
- Check logs: dmesg | grep -i disk
Format error- Ensure volume not mounted
- Use sudo umount /dev/vdbX if needed
Mount failed- Verify mount point exists
- Ensure correct filesystem format

Windows Servers​

IssueSolution
New volume not visible- Check Disk Management
- Refresh device list (Action > Rescan Disks)
Initialization error- Close and reopen Disk Management
- Restart server
Cannot format- Try alternative format method from Command Prompt
Best Practices
  • Use system volume only for OS and software
  • Store data on separate attached volumes
  • Name volumes based on their purpose for easy management
  • Create regular snapshots for volumes containing critical data