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Volumes

Volumes provide persistent storage for your containerized applications. Data stored in volumes persists even when containers are restarted or redeployed.

What are Volumes?​

Volumes are storage units that can be mounted into your containers. Unlike container filesystems, which are temporary, volumes preserve data across container lifecycles.

When to Use Volumes​

Use volumes for:

  • Database storage: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB data
  • User uploads: Files uploaded by users
  • Application data: Persistent application state
  • Logs: Application and access logs
  • Shared data: Data shared between containers

Volume Types​

Block Volumes​

Block volumes behave like raw block devices with low-latency access. They can be mounted to one application at a time.

Use cases

  • Databases requiring consistent IOPS (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB)
  • Caches requiring warm storage (Valkey, Redis, Memcached)
  • High-performance workloads that manage files locally

NFS Volumes (Coming soon)​

Network File System volumes provide shared, network-attached storage that multiple containers can mount simultaneously. Support for NFS is planned but not yet available; monitor release notes for availability.

Use cases

  • Collaborative applications needing shared read/write access
  • Media processing pipelines sharing large asset libraries
  • Legacy applications expecting a shared filesystem

Volumes Mount options​

Available to all Applications​

Volumes that persist data indefinitely.

Use Cases:

  • Production databases
  • User-generated content
  • Application state

Deleted with Applications​

Volumes automatically deleted when the application is removed.

Use Cases:

  • Development environments
  • Caching
  • Temporary processing

Creating a Volume​

Step 1: Navigate to Volumes​

  1. Go to Attachments > Volumes
  2. Click "Create Volume"

Step 2: Configure Volume​

Name​

Unique identifier for the volume:

postgres-data
user-uploads
app-cache

Size​

Storage capacity in GB:

Small: 1-10 GB
Medium: 10-50 GB
Large: 50-100+ GB
tip

Start with a smaller size and expand as needed.

Volume Type​

  • Persistent: Data preserved permanently
  • Temporary: Deleted with application

Step 3: Save Volume​

Click "Create Volume" to provision the storage.

Attaching Volumes to Applications​

During Application Creation​

  1. In the application form, find "Volumes" section
  2. Click "Add Volume"
  3. Select existing volume or create new
  4. Specify Mount Path

For Existing Applications​

  1. Edit the application
  2. Navigate to "Volumes" section
  3. Attach volume and set mount path
  4. Redeploy application

Mount Paths​

The mount path determines where the volume appears inside the container.

Common Mount Paths​

Databases​

PostgreSQL: /var/lib/postgresql/data
MySQL: /var/lib/mysql
MongoDB: /data/db
Redis: /data

Web Applications​

Uploads: /app/uploads
Static files: /app/public
Data: /app/data

Logs​

Application logs: /var/log/app
Access logs: /var/log/nginx

Best Practices​

  • ✅ Use absolute paths (start with /)
  • ✅ Match application's expected paths
  • ✅ Document mount paths in application description
  • ❌ Don't mount to system directories (/etc, /bin, /usr)
  • ❌ Don't overlap mount paths

Volume Management​

Viewing Volume Details​

Click on a volume to see:

  • Size: Current and maximum capacity
  • Usage: How much space is used
  • Attached Applications: Which apps use this volume
  • Created: When the volume was created
  • Type: Persistent or temporary

Expanding Volumes​

To increase volume size:

  1. Navigate to volume details
  2. Click "Expand Volume"
  3. Enter new size (must be larger than current)
  4. Confirm expansion
caution

Expanding a volume may require restarting attached applications.

Deleting Volumes​

To delete a volume:

  1. Detach from all applications first
  2. Navigate to volume details
  3. Click "Delete Volume"
  4. Confirm deletion
danger

Deleting a volume permanently removes all data. This action cannot be undone!

Performance Considerations​

Volume Size and Performance​

  • Larger volumes may have better IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second)
  • Over-provisioning slightly can improve performance
  • Monitor usage and adjust accordingly

Monitoring Volumes​

Storage Usage​

Track volume utilization:

  • Used Space: Current data size
  • Available Space: Remaining capacity
  • Usage Percentage: Used/Total ratio

Common Patterns​

Database Volume​

Name: postgres-production
Size: 100 GB
Type: Persistent
Mount Path: /var/lib/postgresql/data
Backup: Daily, 30 days retention

File Upload Volume​

Name: user-uploads
Size: 50 GB
Type: Persistent
Mount Path: /app/uploads
Backup: Daily, 7 days retention

Cache Volume​

Name: redis-cache
Size: 10 GB
Type: Temporary
Mount Path: /data
Backup: None

Shared Configuration​

Name: shared-config
Size: 1 GB
Type: Persistent
Mount Path: /etc/app/config
Read-only: true (for most applications)

Troubleshooting​

Volume Full​

Symptoms: Application errors, "No space left on device"

Solutions:

  • Expand volume size
  • Clean up old data
  • Check for log rotation
  • Verify application isn't leaking storage

Permission Denied​

Symptoms: "Permission denied" when writing to volume

Solutions:

  • Check Dockerfile user/group IDs
  • Ensure application has write permissions

Mount Failed​

Symptoms: Container won't start, mount errors

Solutions:

  • Verify mount path is valid
  • Review application logs

Data Loss​

Symptoms: Data disappeared after restart

Solutions:

  • Ensure correct mount path
  • Contact support for recovery options

Best Practices​

Naming​

Use descriptive names indicating purpose:

  • ✅ postgres-production-data
  • ✅ api-upload-storage
  • ❌ volume1, data

Sizing​

  • Start conservative, expand as needed
  • Monitor usage regularly
  • Plan for growth (use 70% rule)

Next Steps​