Add a Storage Worker
Repeat enrollment for a dedicated storage worker.
Enroll a storage worker
A storage worker uses the same controller trust and enrollment mechanism as a compute worker, but its Host Manager role is storage. STRATUM is Datacenter as an Application: the same STRATUM container image is used across controller, compute, and storage roles; the node role determines which services and responsibilities are activated.
A dedicated storage worker is optional. Use one when VM disks need to live on one or more storage locations, including multiple storage mount points on a single node such as the controller. STRATUM Storage does not replace hardware RAID or the storage system underneath it; it adds an application-level storage fabric above those devices so VM disks can be placed and consumed through the same STRATUM interface. The same design scales from one host to many storage nodes as a storage mesh.
Procedure
Copy Enrollment Files To Storage Worker
Copy the controller CA, enrollment token, and generated host configuration to the storage worker using a protected transfer method.
Prepare Storage Worker Host
A storage worker can be prepared through the Host Manager TUI, using the same workflow shown for the controller earlier in this guide, or entirely from the stratum-host CLI. In the example, the host first verifies that the controller resolves and is reachable, installs the enrollment token and controller Certificate Authority into /etc/stratum/secure, installs the generated host.yaml, changes the role from worker to storage, and runs stratum-host apply --yes. Host Manager then loads the same STRATUM container image used by the other node roles.
Storage Worker Host Setup Complete
Host setup should complete without error before the storage worker is started.
Start Storage Worker
Start the storage worker, then check its status with the normal Docker or Podman container-status and log commands used for the selected runtime.
Storage Worker Visible In Network Fabric
Refresh Network Fabric and confirm that the storage worker appears ONLINE with the storage role. Its FABRIC Address is computed automatically by STRATUM as part of the zero-configuration Continuum. That virtual address is independent of the site’s physical subnet and is one of the mechanisms that lets the STRATUM mesh span datacenters, clouds, edge sites, labs, and other platforms as one logical network.
The outcome you should see
The storage host appears ONLINE in Network Fabric and is available to the Storage Fabric UI as a placement target for VM image content.