Configure Persistent Storage
Choose the durable VM image and snapshot location before first startup; migrate it safely if the host storage changes later.
Plan the persistent data location
STRATUM keeps VM images, snapshots, controller state, and other durable data on host storage outside the replaceable container. By default, the Host Manager Persistent root is /persistent/stratum (under the /persistent storage directory).
Choose the filesystem and capacity before starting STRATUM for the first time. A dedicated volume or mounted storage filesystem avoids filling the host OS disk as images and snapshots grow. Make sure the volume is mounted and writable before the container starts.
Procedure
Choose and mount your storage
Provision storage sized for VM disks, snapshots, artifacts, and future growth. You can mount a dedicated disk at /persistent and keep the default /persistent/stratum root, or select a different persistent root in Host Manager. Configure the mount to survive reboots.
# Confirm which filesystem backs /persistent
findmnt -T /persistent
df -h /persistent
# If /persistent is intended to be a dedicated mount,
# confirm findmnt shows that volume rather than only /.
ls -ld /persistentCheck disk UUIDs and /etc/fstab before mounting a new filesystem. Do not format or overwrite a disk holding existing STRATUM data.
Set the Persistent root in Host Manager
Open STRATUM Host Manager → Runtime → Persistent root. The default is /persistent/stratum. Leave it unchanged when your dedicated volume is mounted at /persistent, or set the full destination path for your chosen storage directory. Press Ctrl-S to save.
The configuration file shown by Host Manager is /etc/stratum/host.yaml (with .yaml, not .yml). Prefer Host Manager for edits to avoid changing unrelated settings.
Apply configuration and start STRATUM
Confirm the mount is online, then apply host configuration and start STRATUM. Run the binary from the directory containing stratum-host; the example uses ./ because it may not be installed on your PATH.
# From the directory containing stratum-host
sudo ./stratum-host apply --yes
sudo ./stratum-host startContinue with Start STRATUM → and Runtime, Persistent State & Logs →.
Move persistent storage later
If you change the backing disk, mount, or Persistent root after STRATUM has been used, stop the application first. Changing the configuration alone does not move the existing data. Make a verified backup, preserve permissions and file ownership, and copy the complete existing persistent root to the new location.
Use Host Manager to save the new path (or carefully edit /etc/stratum/host.yaml). Do not remove the previous data until STRATUM is running and all VM images and controller state have been verified at the new location.
Container recreation after moving storage
The short sequence below follows the same supported stratum-host replacement path as Update STRATUM →. Perform the stop/remove before changing the configured path, then migrate the storage data while STRATUM is stopped. Run apply/start only after the new mount and complete data copy are verified.
# From the directory containing stratum-host, using the OLD configuration
sudo ./stratum-host stop
sudo ./stratum-host remove --yes
# Back up and copy the entire existing persistent root to the new volume.
# THEN update Persistent root in Host Manager and save it (Ctrl-S).
# Confirm the destination has all data and permissions before continuing.
sudo ./stratum-host apply --yes
sudo ./stratum-host startA new empty persistent root can make an existing installation appear new. The data has not been migrated automatically. Verify the destination and keep the original backup until validation is complete.
The outcome you should see
The configured persistent root is backed by the intended filesystem, survives reboots, and retains STRATUM data across container replacement. You can confirm it from Host Manager and the host filesystem.