Volumes Dashboard Overview - Persistent Storage Management | Nife
The Volumes Dashboard provides a comprehensive interface for managing persistent storage volumes across all your deployed applications.
Dashboard Features#
Volume Management#
The Volumes Dashboard allows you to:
- View all volumes: See all persistent storage volumes across deployed applications
- Track storage usage: Monitor volume sizes and capacity
- Organize by application: View volumes grouped by the applications they serve
- Manage snapshots: Create, restore, and manage volume snapshots
- Monitor distribution: See how storage is distributed across applications
- Export data: Export volume information for analysis and reporting
Persistent Storage#
Persistent volumes provide:
- Durable storage that survives application restarts
- Data preservation across deployments
- Multi-region storage capabilities
- Snapshot and backup functionality
- High availability and redundancy
Dashboard Layout#
Page Header#
Title and Description
- "Volumes" title with description of storage management
- Total volume count badge
Key Metrics
- Applications: Number of apps with volumes
- Total Volumes: Total number of persistent volumes
- Average per App: Average volumes per application
Quick Action Buttons#
Refresh Button
- Click to reload volume data
- Shows loading indicator while refreshing
- Updates volume information in real-time
Export Button (Overflow menu)
- Click to export all volumes as JSON
- Downloads volumes data to your computer
- Includes volume name, size, region, and creation date
Summary Cards#
Three overview cards display key metrics:
Total Applications with Volumes
- Number of applications that have persistent volumes
- Indicates how many apps use storage
- Updated in real-time
Total Volumes
- Complete count of all volumes
- Sum across all applications
- Shows total storage infrastructure
Average Volumes per App
- Calculated average volumes per application
- Helps identify resource distribution
- Zero if no apps with volumes
Volumes by Application Section#
The main content area displays all applications with their volumes organized hierarchically.
Application Card Structure#
Each application is shown as an expandable card with:
Application Header
- App Icon: Visual indicator of application
- Application Name: Name of the deployed application
- Status Badge: Current application status (running, deployed, etc.)
- Organization: Which organization owns the application
- Regions: Geographic regions where application is deployed
- Volume Count: Number of volumes for this application
Expandable Details
- Click the application card to expand/collapse
- Shows detailed volume table when expanded
- Hide Details button to collapse
Volume Table#
When an application is expanded, a table displays all volumes:
Column Headers
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Volume Name | Name assigned to the volume |
| Size | Storage capacity in GB |
| Region | Geographic region where volume is located |
| Created At | Date volume was created |
| Actions | Snapshot management buttons |
Volume Information
Volume Name
- User-friendly identifier for the volume
- Describes purpose (e.g., "database", "logs", "cache")
- Unique within the application
Size
- Storage capacity in GB
- Indicates how much space is allocated
- May vary based on application needs
Region
- Geographic location of the volume
- Examples: us-east-1, eu-west-1, ap-south-1
- Affects latency and data residency
Created At
- Date and time the volume was created
- Formatted for easy reading
- Helps track volume age
Actions Column
Snapshots Button
- Opens snapshot management interface
- Shows existing snapshots for the volume
- Allows creating new snapshots
- Enables snapshot restoration
Empty State#
When no applications have volumes:
Display
- HardDrive icon
- Message: "No Volumes Found"
- Description: "None of your applications have persistent volumes configured yet"
What This Means
- No applications currently use persistent storage
- Applications may not require persistent data
- Volumes can be added during application creation
Status Indicators#
Application Status Badge#
Status Types
- Running: Application is active and operational
- Deployed: Application has been deployed
- Stopped: Application is not currently running
Color coding helps identify at a glance:
- Green: Active/running
- Gray: Stopped/inactive
- Blue: Deployed
Loading States#
While data loads:
- Skeleton placeholders show loading progress
- Header appears first
- Summary cards load next
- Application list loads as data arrives
Error Handling#
If there's an issue loading volumes:
- Error message displays with details
- Application continues to function
- Can retry loading by clicking Refresh
Data Refresh#
Auto-Refresh#
- Dashboard background refresh (if configured)
- Updates volume data silently
- Shows latest information
Manual Refresh#
- Click Refresh button in header
- Shows loading spinner while updating
- Updates all volume data and metrics
Volume Statistics#
The dashboard calculates and displays:
Total Metrics
- Total applications with volumes
- Total number of volumes
- Average distribution across apps
Per-Application Metrics
- Number of volumes per app
- Sum of volumes displayed in badge
- Shows as "X Volumes" or "X Volume"
Viewing Volume Details#
Accessing Details#
Click Application Card
- Click anywhere on the application row
- Volume table expands below
- Shows all volumes for that application
- Click again to collapse
Information Available
- Volume name and purpose
- Storage size in GB
- Geographic region
- Creation timestamp
- Snapshot availability
Snapshot Management#
Snapshot Overview#
Snapshots provide:
- Point-in-time backup of volume data
- Quick recovery from data loss
- Data versioning capability
- Disaster recovery option
Accessing Snapshots#
From Volume Table
- Expand application to see volumes
- Click "Snapshots" button on volume row
- Snapshots dialog opens
- Shows all existing snapshots
- Option to create new snapshot
Snapshot Dialog#
Display Elements
- Volume name being managed
- List of existing snapshots
- Create Snapshot button
- Restore button for each snapshot
- Snapshot details (name, status, size, date)
Exporting Data#
Export Function#
From Header
- Click overflow menu (three dots)
- Select "Export Volumes"
- JSON file downloads to computer
- Includes all volume data
Exported Data Includes
- Application name
- Volume name
- Volume size
- Region
- Creation date
File Format
Keyboard Shortcuts#
- Click application: Expand/collapse volume details
- Click Snapshots: Open snapshot management
Navigation#
The dashboard provides easy navigation:
Breadcrumbs (optional)
- Home → Volumes
Quick Actions
- Refresh data with Refresh button
- Export with Export button
- Manage snapshots from volume rows
Performance Tips#
- Expand Selectively: Expand only applications you're interested in
- Use Export: Export data for offline analysis
- Monitor Size: Watch for volumes approaching capacity
- Regular Snapshots: Create snapshots before making changes
- Review Organization: Keep volumes organized by purpose
Best Practices#
- Naming Convention: Use descriptive volume names (e.g., "database", "logs", "cache")
- Regular Snapshots: Create snapshots before updates
- Monitor Growth: Track volume size trends
- Cleanup: Remove old unused volumes
- Documentation: Keep notes on volume purposes
Key Concepts and Terminology#
Volume: Persistent storage attached to applications that survives restarts and deployments Snapshot: Point-in-time backup of volume data for recovery and versioning Region: Geographic location where volume data is stored Capacity: Total storage space allocated to a volume
Next Steps#
- Managing Volumes - Create and manage persistent storage volumes
- Snapshot Management - Create and restore point-in-time backups
- Volume Details - Access detailed volume information and properties
- Export and Analysis - Export and analyze volume data for reporting