> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.zmanda.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.zmanda.com/start-here/step-4-adding-a-new-storage-vault.md).

# Step 4: Adding a New Storage Vault

How to add Zmanda Pro Storage Vaults.

Zmanda Pro allows you to store backup data on various storage media, from on-prem NAS/SAN devices to S3-compatible cloud services. Some storage targets can be templatized, allowing for easy addition to user profiles.

### Before you begin...

#### Key Points About Zmanda Pro Storage Vaults

**Overview**

* **Definition**: Storage vaults are logical partitions of a larger storage medium, allowing multiple vaults to exist within a single physical or cloud storage target.
* **Concurrent Access:** Multiple, simultaneous backups into the same Vault are usually not a problem, and doing so can result in better deduplication ratios. Some devices that shut down frequently, such as laptops, can occasionally cause issues. Lock issues are rare unless a device unexpectedly stops or pauses. Consider separate Vaults for these cases. 

**Encryption and User Access**

* Vault encryption keys are tied to the backup user's password. (For more information, [see here](https://docs.zmanda.com/guide/encryption-and-key-management)).
* Vaults cannot be shared between different backup users.
* Deleting and recreating a user can cause issues if the new user points to an existing storage vault. This will trigger the warning: *"Couldn't decrypt vault contents,"* and result in a failed job.

**Deduplication**

* **Deduplication Unit**: Data from different protected items backed up to the same vault will be deduplicated against existing data.

**Resource Usage**

* **RAM Requirements**: For every 1TB of storage vault size, expect approximately 1GB of RAM usage during backup jobs.
  * Example: If source data is 2TB but deduplicates to 1TB, the backup job will require about **1GB of RAM**.
  * Note: Actual usage may vary; this is a conservative estimate.

#### **Best Practices for Managing Storage Vaults**

1. **Consistent Naming**:
   * Properly name each vault in the Zmanda Pro console and your storage target using a consistent naming convention for easy configuration.
2. **Ensure Adequate RAM**:
   * Verify you have enough RAM to support the size of your data.
   * If RAM is insufficient, configure the system to use temporary files instead (available on the schedule configuration page of each protected item).

***

### Video Tutorial

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/1EaawV5ZSJw?si=NIteKXLvr12-Jvd3>" %}

### How to add a storage vault

1. Go to the **User's account page** on the Zmanda Pro console.
2. Navigate to the **Storage Vaults** tab.
3. Click **Add New Vault** and choose the type of storage:
   * **Storage provided by (...)**: Use this option if you have already configured a storage template
   * **Custom...**: Select this to manually enter details for a different storage location not covered by the templates.
4. Fill in the required fields for your chosen storage type, including retention policies to apply on the storage level, and click **Save Changes.**

<figure><img src="https://1846973900-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FPSSsZ7NTpC1G3n2CzF9L%2Fuploads%2FU25PNud7TprugWVIyLrQ%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=a67e16a9-07f9-4d17-95d1-42f120669d03" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Create a storage template (optional)

{% hint style="info" %}
This feature may be disabled on some accounts. If you need access to this feature, please contact <sales@zmanda.com> to enable it.&#x20;
{% endhint %}

Storage templates allow you to easily provision new storage vaults for users without manually inputting storage details within each user profile.

1. Go to **Settings**
2. Select the **Storage** tab
3. Click **Add** under the Storage Templates section

<figure><img src="https://1846973900-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FPSSsZ7NTpC1G3n2CzF9L%2Fuploads%2FzHJxHjN0yNwHlTirZstz%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=edf48df7-961c-4330-a421-4afde077cbc0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

4. Select your storage target and input the corresponding connection details

<figure><img src="https://1846973900-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FPSSsZ7NTpC1G3n2CzF9L%2Fuploads%2FEdjsphlxgIFLs66VgJ3h%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=0e2103a3-83fa-4d85-b8bb-68aa827a7e2d" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

5. Click **Save** on the creation wizard, and **Save Changes** on the settings page

<figure><img src="https://1846973900-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FPSSsZ7NTpC1G3n2CzF9L%2Fuploads%2FvcwW4wmJjtXwH9tkHI5f%2Fimage.png?alt=media&amp;token=eb037c07-1ed7-4926-9906-7349d64a97fe" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

6. You can now add storage vaults with a click of a button (see step 3 from [this section](#add-storage-vaults-to-individual-user-profiles))