Great find pfSense Squid Cache on NVMe (Persistent Across Reboots) ======================================================
Goal: ----- Use an existing directory on an already-mounted NVMe drive as Squid’s cache, while satisfying pfSense’s requirement that the cache live under /var/squid. This method: - Works across reboots - Survives pfSense & Squid upgrades - Does NOT use symlinks (which do not work) - Does NOT destroy existing data on the drive -------------------------------------------------------- Prerequisites: -------------- - NVMe drive already mounted (example: /nvme) - Existing cache directory on the drive: /nvme/LOGS_Optane/Squid_Cache - Squid package installed -------------------------------------------------------- Step 1: Create the mount point under /var/squid ------------------------------------------------ (Only creates an empty directory if it doesn’t exist) mkdir -p /var/squid/cache -------------------------------------------------------- Step 2: Bind-mount (nullfs) the existing directory -------------------------------------------------- (This makes the NVMe directory appear inside /var/squid) mount_nullfs /nvme/LOGS_Optane/Squid_Cache /var/squid/cache NOTE: - No data is moved or copied - Existing cache contents are used directly -------------------------------------------------------- Step 3: Make the mount persistent (IMPORTANT) ------------------------------------------------ pfSense GUI: 1. Go to: System → Advanced → fstab 2. Click "Add" 3. Set the following: - Type: nullfs - Device: /nvme/LOGS_Optane/Squid_Cache - Mount point: /var/squid/cache - Options: rw 4. Save 5. Apply Changes -------------------------------------------------------- Step 4: Configure Squid to use the new path ------------------------------------------- pfSense GUI: Services → Squid Proxy Server → Local Cache Set: Cache directory: /var/squid/cache Save and restart Squid. -------------------------------------------------------- Step 5: Verify -------------- Check that the mount is active: df -h | grep squid mount | grep nullfs You should see the NVMe filesystem mounted at: /var/squid/cache -------------------------------------------------------- Behavior After Reboot: ---------------------- - Mount persists across reboots - pfSense package manager no longer complains - Squid cache cleanup works normally - No manual remounting required -------------------------------------------------------- Important Notes: ---------------- - Symlinks do NOT work (pfSense resolves real paths) - nullfs is the correct and supported workaround - MSDOS/FAT filesystems work but are not ideal long-term - UFS or ZFS is recommended if you ever reformat -------------------------------------------------------- End of file Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ squid-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.squid-cache.org/listinfo/squid-users
