Kubernetes : Use External Storage2026/05/14

Configure Persistent Storage in Kubernetes Cluster.

This example is based on the environment like follows.

+----------------------+   +----------------------+
|  [ ctrl.srv.world ]  |   |   [ dlp.srv.world ]  |
|     Manager Node     |   |     Control Plane    |
+-----------+----------+   +-----------+----------+
        eth0|10.0.0.25             eth0|10.0.0.30
            |                          |
------------+--------------------------+-----------
            |                          |
        eth0|10.0.0.51             eth0|10.0.0.52
+-----------+----------+   +-----------+----------+
| [ node01.srv.world ] |   | [ node02.srv.world ] |
|     Worker Node#1    |   |     Worker Node#2    |
+----------------------+   +----------------------+

	For example, configure cluster that pods can use NFS share as external storage on NFS server [nfs.srv.world (10.0.0.35)].
[1]	Configure NFS Server, refer to here. On this example, set [/home/nfsshare] directory as NFS share.
[2]	Create PV (Persistent Volume) object and PVC (Persistent Volume Claim) object.

# create PV definition

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

vi nfs-pv.yml

apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolume
metadata:
  # any PV name
  name: nfs-pv
spec:
  capacity:
    # storage size
    storage: 10Gi
  accessModes:
    # Access Modes:
    # - ReadWriteMany (RW from multi nodes)
    # - ReadWriteOnce (RW from a node)
    # - ReadOnlyMany (R from multi nodes)
    - ReadWriteMany
  persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy:
    # retain even if pods terminate
    Retain
  nfs:
    # NFS server definition
    path: /home/nfsshare
    server: 10.0.0.35
    readOnly: false

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl create -f nfs-pv.yml

persistentvolume "nfs-pv" created
ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl get pv

NAME     CAPACITY   ACCESS MODES   RECLAIM POLICY   STATUS      CLAIM   STORAGECLASS   VOLUMEATTRIBUTESCLASS   REASON   AGE
nfs-pv   10Gi       RWX            Retain           Available                          <unset>                          5s

# create PVC definition

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

vi nfs-pvc.yml

apiVersion: v1
kind: PersistentVolumeClaim
metadata:
  # any PVC name
  name: nfs-pvc
spec:
  accessModes:
  - ReadWriteMany
  resources:
     requests:
       storage: 10Gi

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl create -f nfs-pvc.yml

persistentvolumeclaim "nfs-pvc" created
ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl get pvc

NAME      STATUS   VOLUME   CAPACITY   ACCESS MODES   STORAGECLASS   VOLUMEATTRIBUTESCLASS   AGE
nfs-pvc   Bound    nfs-pv   10Gi       RWX                           <unset>                 4s

[3]	Create Pods with PVC above.

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

vi nginx-nfs.yml

apiVersion: apps/v1
kind: Deployment
metadata:
  # any Deployment name
  name: nginx-nfs
  labels:
    name: nginx-nfs
spec:
  replicas: 3
  selector:
    matchLabels:
      app: nginx-nfs
  template:
    metadata:
      labels:
        app: nginx-nfs
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: nginx-nfs
        image: nginx
        ports:
          - name: web
            containerPort: 80
        volumeMounts:
          - name: nfs-share
            # mount point in container
            mountPath: /usr/share/nginx/html
      volumes:
        - name: nfs-share
          persistentVolumeClaim:
            # PVC name you created
            claimName: nfs-pvc

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl apply -f nginx-nfs.yml

deployment.apps/nginx-nfs created

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl get pods -o wide

NAME                         READY   STATUS    RESTARTS   AGE     IP                NODE               NOMINATED NODE   READINESS GATES
nginx-nfs-668fb57cd5-2g22r   1/1     Running   0          2m31s   192.168.40.196    node01.srv.world   <none>           <none>
nginx-nfs-668fb57cd5-kppdv   1/1     Running   0          2m31s   192.168.241.133   node02.srv.world   <none>           <none>
nginx-nfs-668fb57cd5-w58dn   1/1     Running   0          2m31s   192.168.241.134   node02.srv.world   <none>           <none>

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl expose deployment nginx-nfs --type="NodePort" --port 80

service/nginx-nfs exposed
ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl port-forward service/nginx-nfs --address 127.0.0.1 8081:80 &

# create a test file under the NFS share

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

kubectl exec nginx-nfs-668fb57cd5-2g22r -- sh -c "echo 'NFS Persistent Storage Test' > /usr/share/nginx/html/index.html"

# verify access

ubuntu@ctrl:~$

curl localhost:8081

Handling connection for 8081
NFS Persistent Storage Test

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