# Storage

This operator gives you flexibility to define the storage that will back the `/var/lib/mysql` data directory mounted by `MariaDB`.

## Configuration

The simplest way to configure storage for your `MariaDB` is:

```yaml
apiVersion: enterprise.mariadb.com/v1alpha1
kind: MariaDB
metadata:
  name: mariadb-galera
spec:
  storage:
    size: 1Gi
```

This will make use of the default `StorageClass` available in your cluster, but you can also provide a different one:

```yaml
apiVersion: enterprise.mariadb.com/v1alpha1
kind: MariaDB
metadata:
  name: mariadb-galera
spec:
  storage:
    size: 1Gi
    storageClassName: gp3
```

Under the scenes, the operator is configuring the `StatefulSet`'s `volumeClaimTemplate` property, which you are also able to provide yourself:

```yaml
apiVersion: enterprise.mariadb.com/v1alpha1
kind: MariaDB
metadata:
  name: mariadb-galera
spec:
  storage:
    size: 1Gi
    storageClassName: gp3
    volumeClaimTemplate:
      accessModes:
      - ReadWriteOnce
      resources:
        requests:
          storage: 1Gi
      storageClassName: gp3
```

## Volume resize

{% hint style="warning" %}
The `StorageClass` used for volume resizing must define `allowVolumeExpansion = true`.
{% endhint %}

It is possible to resize your storage after having provisioned a `MariaDB`. We need to distinguish between:

* PVCs already in use.
* `StatefulSet` storage size, which will be used when provisioning new replicas.

It is important to note that, for the first case, your `StorageClass` must support volume expansion by declaring the `allowVolumeExpansion = true`. In such case, it will be safe to expand the storage by increasing the `size` and setting `resizeInUseVolumes = true`:

```yaml
apiVersion: enterprise.mariadb.com/v1alpha1
kind: MariaDB
metadata:
  name: mariadb-galera
spec:
  storage:
    size: 2Gi
    resizeInUseVolumes: true
    waitForVolumeResize: true
```

Depending on your storage provider, this operation might take a while, and you can decide to wait for this operation before the `MariaDB` becomes ready by setting `waitForVolumeResize = true`. Operations such as [Galera cluster recovery](/docs/tools/mariadb-enterprise-operator/topologies/high-availability/galera.md#galera-cluster-recovery) and [primary switchover](/docs/galera-cluster/high-availability.md) will not be performed if the `MariaDB` resource is not ready.

## Ephemeral storage

Provisioning standalone `MariaDB` instances with ephemeral storage can be done by setting `ephemeral = true`:

```yaml
apiVersion: enterprise.mariadb.com/v1alpha1
kind: MariaDB
metadata:
  name: mariadb-galera
spec:
  storage:
    ephemeral: true
```

This may be useful for multiple use cases, like provisioning ephemeral `MariaDBs` for the integration tests of your CI.

<sub>*This page is: Copyright © 2025 MariaDB. All rights reserved.*</sub>

{% @marketo/form formId="4316" %}


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