> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.domino.ai/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Manage External Data Volumes > An External Data Volume mounts a remote file system into Domino executions, backed by a labeled Kubernetes Persistent Volume Claim in the compute namespace. An External Data Volume (EDV) mounts a remote file system into Domino executions, so practitioners read and write files on storage that Domino does not own. Registered EDVs appear in a table listing the name, type, description, and volume access of each one, plus a Projects column showing which Projects have added it. [Remote Data Planes](/cloud/platform-capabilities/core-concepts/data-plane) are needed to use EDVs in Domino Cloud. ## How EDVs work Domino runs on Kubernetes, so every EDV is backed by a Kubernetes [Persistent Volume](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/storage/persistent-volumes/) (PV) bound to a Persistent Volume Claim (PVC). Three things make a PVC eligible: * It carries the label key `dominodatalab.com/external-data-volume`. * The value of that label is the storage type: `NFS`, `SMB`, `EFS`, or `Generic`. * It exists in the Domino compute namespace. Every properly labeled PVC becomes a candidate you can register on the Domino External Data Volumes page. Creating the PVC exposes it to Domino; registering it makes it usable in Projects. ## Set up the Kubernetes PV and PVC A Kubernetes administrator must set up the Kubernetes [persistent volumes](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/storage/persistent-volumes/) (PVs) and Persistent Volume Claims (PVCs). Adjust the Domino compute namespace and the PVC names in the examples before you use them. A static provisioning example for a Network File System (NFS) share. Provision the PV that refers to the NFS share by any mechanism appropriate for your environment. ```yaml theme={null} apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim metadata: name: pvc-nfs namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment labels: "dominodatalab.com/external-data-volume": "NFS" spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany resources: requests: storage: 30Gi volumeName: pv-nfs --- apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolume metadata: name: pv-nfs spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany capacity: storage: 30Gi # Optionally explicitly specify a reference to the PVC that will be using this PV # Name and namespace must match the PVC created claimRef: apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim name: pvc-nfs namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy: Retain nfs: path: /mnt/export server: 10.0.0.26 ``` A static provisioning example for Amazon Elastic File System (EFS). Only the configuration options that the EFS Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver supports are available. For details, see the [EFS CSI documentation](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/aws-efs-csi-driver#example-links). ```yaml theme={null} apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolume metadata: name: pv-efs spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany capacity: storage: 30Gi # Optionally explicitly specify a reference to the PVC that will be using this PV # Name and namespace must match the PVC created claimRef: apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim name: pvc-efs namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy: Retain csi: driver: efs.csi.aws.com volumeHandle: :/ #the path within the file system is optional --- apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim metadata: name: pvc-efs namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE labels: "dominodatalab.com/external-data-volume": "EFS" spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany resources: requests: storage: 30Gi volumeName: pv-efs ``` The Server Message Block (SMB) driver is disabled by default. To use an EDV backed by an SMB persistent volume, add the following to your installer configuration and then run the installer. ```yaml theme={null} release_overrides: csi-driver-smb: installed: true ``` A static provisioning example for SMB. Only the configuration options that the SMB CSI driver supports are available. For details, see the [SMB CSI documentation](https://github.com/kubernetes-csi/csi-driver-smb/blob/master/docs/driver-parameters.md). ```yaml theme={null} apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim metadata: name: pvc-smb namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE labels: "dominodatalab.com/external-data-volume": "SMB" spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany resources: requests: storage: 30Gi --- apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolume metadata: name: pv-smb spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany capacity: storage: 100Gi claimRef: apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim name: pvc-smb namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy: Retain csi: driver: smb.csi.k8s.io nodeStageSecretRef: name: SMB-SECRET-NAME namespace: NAMESPACE-OF-SMB-SECRET volumeAttributes: source: //10.0.0.11/Share #SMB server address and path volumeHandle: volume-handle-unique # must be unique id for the cluster mountOptions: - dir_mode=0777 - file_mode=0777 - vers=3.0 ``` The `Generic` type attaches storage that you deploy and maintain in your own environment. Configure the PV according to the documentation for the system you are using; the example below shows the labeling and namespace that Domino requires. ```yaml theme={null} apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim metadata: name: generic-EDV namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment labels: "dominodatalab.com/external-data-volume": "Generic" spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany resources: requests: storage: 30Gi volumeName: generic-EDV --- apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolume metadata: name: generic-EDV spec: storageClassName: "" accessModes: - ReadWriteMany capacity: storage: 30Gi # Optionally explicitly specify a reference to the generic EDV that will be using this generic EDV # Name and namespace must match the generic EDV created claimRef: apiVersion: v1 kind: PersistentVolumeClaim name: generic-EDV namespace: YOUR-DOMINO-COMPUTE-NAMESPACE #change for your deployment persistentVolumeReclaimPolicy: Retain nfs: path: /mnt/export server: 10.0.0.26 ``` ## Register External Data Volumes In a hybrid deployment, one EDV can serve a shared file system reachable from several [Data Planes](/cloud/admin/platform-configuration/manage-data-planes). Domino matches EDVs to PVCs by the name of both the PVC and the underlying PV, and detects the additional Data Planes automatically during registration. If a PVC appears in a Data Plane you do not intend to use with the EDV, rename that PVC or PV so it no longer matches. From the Admin application, go to **Manage resources** > **External Data Volumes**, then click **Register External Volume**. On the **Volume** step, select the storage type: NFS, Windows Share (SMB), EFS, or Generic. From **Available Volumes**, select the backing Kubernetes PVC. In a hybrid deployment, Domino then lists the [Data Planes](/cloud/admin/platform-configuration/manage-data-planes) where the EDV can be used. Register an External Data Volume wizard showing the storage type and the Available Volumes list. Click **Next**. On the **Configuration** step: | Field | What to enter | | :---------------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Name** | Defaults to the PVC name. Name the EDV so users recognize it from its use case or your organization's naming convention. | | **Relative Mount Path** | Defaults to the PVC name. Must be unique across all registered EDVs. A few words are reserved. | | **Mount as read-only** | Select to make the EDV read-only, or clear it to make the EDV read-write. | | **Description** | Free text shown to users browsing EDVs. | Read-write access is enforced at the Domino layer only. More restrictive access controls at the Kubernetes or NFS layer overrule this setting: if the PVC access mode is read-only, the underlying read-only permission wins regardless of what you select here. Configure an External Data Volume step showing name, mount path, and description fields. Click **Next**. On the **Access** step, select the **Volume Access**: **Everyone** to allow all logged-in users, or **Specific users or organizations** to limit access. Click **Register**. Access step of the External Data Volume registration wizard. Regardless of this setting, you (CloudAdmin) can always access any External Data Volume. ## Associate Data Planes with an EDV In a hybrid deployment, each EDV is associated with specific [Data Planes](/cloud/admin/platform-configuration/manage-data-planes). For security reasons, that set never changes on its own. Change it by modifying the PVCs in the relevant Data Plane, then editing the EDV. ### Add a Data Plane to an EDV 1. Create the PV and PVC in the new Data Plane, with names matching the PVC already used for the EDV. 2. Click the three-dot menu at the right of the EDV row, then click **Edit**. The new Data Plane appears at the bottom of the modal, highlighted in green to show that it is being added. If you do not see it, confirm the name of the PV and the name and label of the PVC. 3. Click **Update**. ### Remove a Data Plane from an EDV 1. Remove the PVC and PV from that Data Plane. 2. Click the three-dot menu at the right of the EDV row, then click **Edit**. The Data Plane appears highlighted in red to show that it is marked for removal. 3. Click **Update**. ## View, edit, and unregister EDVs All three start from **Manage resources** > **External Data Volumes** in the Admin application. | To | Do this | | :------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | See the details of an EDV | Click the **Name** of the EDV. In a hybrid deployment, the list also shows the Data Planes associated with each EDV. | | Change an EDV | Click the three-dot menu at the end of the EDV row, then click **Edit**. | | Unregister an EDV | Click the three-dot menu at the end of the EDV row, click **Unregister**, then click **Yes** to confirm. | ## Control EDV visibility Collaborators on one Project do not necessarily share access to the same EDVs. A user without volume access can never mount that EDV in an execution, but you can choose how much they see of it, trading discoverability against secrecy. | Censorship level | What a user without access sees | Choose it for | | :---------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------- | | Full censorship | Only that some inaccessible EDV exists. Neither the count nor any metadata is revealed. | The highest level of security. | | Inactive censorship (default) | The inaccessible EDVs themselves, including metadata such as name and description. | Discoverability, so users can escalate to you and request access. | To set the level of censorship, please reach out to Domino Support. See [Mount an external volume](/cloud/platform-capabilities/core-concepts/data/external-volumes/use-a-mounted-volume) for what your users see. ## Related * [External Data Volumes](/cloud/platform-capabilities/core-concepts/data/external-volumes) covers what practitioners do with an EDV once you register it. * [Data Sources](/cloud/admin/data-administration/external-data) connect to external databases and object stores by query rather than by mount. * [Domino Volumes for NetApp ONTAP](/cloud/admin/data-administration/netapp-volumes) are Domino-managed NetApp-backed storage, distinct from EDVs. ## Related topics - [External Data Volumes (EDVs)](/cloud/platform-capabilities/core-concepts/data/external-volumes/index.md) - [Glossary](/cloud/reference/glossary.md) - [Manage data](/cloud/admin/data-administration/index.md) - [Manage NetApp Volumes](/cloud/admin/data-administration/netapp-volumes/index.md)