Cluster Control Hardware Requirements: RAM, CPU, Storage & Database Fleet Management
Plan ClusterControl hardware for CPU, RAM, monitoring retention, managed-node count, backups, and practical Zima-host deployment recommendations.
Cluster Control hardware requirements at a glance
Size Cluster Control from verified upstream requirements first, then add headroom for workload and persistent data.
- RAM
- 2 GB minimum; 8 GB for 3โ15 nodes
- CPU
- 2 cores minimum; 4 cores for 3โ15 nodes
- Storage
- 20 GB minimum; 50 GB for 3โ15 nodes
- Architecture
- x86_64 only
- Network
- Gigabit Ethernet or higher recommended
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaCube 2 Pro for a small real deployment
From official requirements to the right setup
Start with current upstream facts for Cluster Control, then size the real workload rather than copying generic container or app-store labels.
-
Official requirements
-
Confirm your needs
-
Leave room to grow
-
Run it on ZimaOS
Check every playback client
- Managed node count
- Cluster count
- Monitoring retention
- Prometheus use
- Backup repository use
- SSH/network reachability
- Database mix
- HA requirements
Official minimum requirements
ClusterControl publishes explicit hardware tiers by managed-node count.
The documented minimum is 2 CPU cores, 2 GB RAM, and 20 GB disk on x86_64. The Small tier for 3โ15 nodes is 4 cores, 8 GB RAM, and 50 GB disk.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 cores | Small: 4; Medium: 16; Large: 24. | |
| 2 GB | Small: 8 GB; Medium: 16 GB; Large: 32 GB. | |
| 20 GB | Small: 50 GB; Medium: 150 GB; Large: 300 GB. | |
| x86_64 only | Required. | |
| Gigabit Ethernet or higher | Important for monitoring/provisioning/backup traffic. | |
| RHEL/Rocky/Alma/Ubuntu/Debian | Version ranges are listed upstream. | |
| Not required | No GPU workload. |
When to upgrade your hardware
Managed nodes increase
Monitoring retention grows
Backup repository use
Plan hardware growth with confidence
SSD controller storage
Use SSD for ClusterControl databases and monitoring state.
SSD/NVMeMore RAM
Follow official Small/Medium/Large tiers.
8โ32 GB+ RAMMonitoring storage
Expand disk for Prometheus and long retention.
Larger SSDStronger CPU
Move to the official node-count tier as fleet size increases.
ZimaCube 2 Pro or strongerCan it run on ZimaOS?
Custom install ClusterControl in ZimaOS
No specific public official ZimaOS App Store page was verified, so use Custom Install only if the deployment model can preserve upstream host requirements.
Custom install ClusterControl in the ZimaOS app โPrefer a clean dedicated host or VM
Severalnines installation guidance expects a clean dedicated host for standard installation.
Open ClusterControl installation guidance โFollow official node-count tiers
Use managed-node count, retention, backups, and network placement for sizing.
Open ClusterControl requirements โZima hardware for Cluster Control
ClusterControl is a control-plane and monitoring workload with explicit sizing tiers; it should not be treated like a lightweight home-server utility.
Choose by workload
A 2-core, 2 GB, 20 GB host meets the published minimum, but this is below the Small production-style tier.
Match the official Small tier of 4 cores, 8 GB RAM, and 50 GB disk.
Zima hardware mapping should respect the official node-count tiers and dedicated-host expectations.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaCube 2 Pro | CPU-heavier, database-heavier, and higher-concurrency services | Larger production-style self-hosted workloads |
|
16 GB RAM can still be low for larger enterprise monitoring/search/control-plane deployments | Get Now |
What the Press Says
Highlights from trusted reviewers worldwide.
โZimaCube 2: Not just another NAS, tested with 25TB storage, local AI agents, 4K transcoding, and real homelab workflows.โRead full review
โThe ZimaBoard 2 is a compact x86 server board that can be turned into a mini NAS, home server, media box, or self-hosting hub.โRead full review
โZimaCube 2: A modern, high-performance NAS with plenty of room to growโbuilt for users who want more than basic storage.โRead full review
โCoverage focused on ZimaCube 2's open hardware foundation, no monthly fee, and self-hosting flexibility.โRead full review
Loved by the Community
Stories and reviews from people who build with Zima every day.
Zima Blade Little yet Powerful
Maybe I am not digital natives but I live with PCs since 12 years old in 1984 when IBM PC clone come to my home. Many years have passed and many operating system I've tried. For me Zima blade and CasaOS was a quantum leap for home PC enthusiast and server lab machine to make me stay curious and relevant for this era.
Very good!!
I use ZimaCube Pro as 5th Proxmox cluster node. It runs several VMs and containers, including a VM with GPU passthrough to run a self-hosted LLM. A specific LXC container runs a Samba server for NAS capabilities using four of six RAID 6 SATA HDDs with ZFS.
Great innovation for mini server!
It is very useful and makes a powerful mini server for many purposes, including university and college students in engineering and electronics. Thank you so much for making this server.
Avaliaรงรฃo ZimaBoard 2
Construรญ um servidor de uso pessoal. O desempenho estรก muito bom e funciona perfeitamente onde quer que eu esteja. A surpresa รฉ nรฃo dependermos de grandes estruturas para termos nosso prรณprio servidor de dados. Como iniciante, estou gostando bastante do ZimaOS, pois ele รฉ simples e eficiente.
Frequently asked questions
What is ClusterControl's minimum CPU?
2 cores.
What is the minimum RAM?
2 GB.
What is the minimum disk space?
20 GB.
What does the Small tier require?
4 cores, 8 GB RAM, and 50 GB disk for roughly 3โ15 managed nodes.
Which CPU architecture is supported?
x86_64 only.
What network speed is recommended?
Gigabit Ethernet or higher.
Does ClusterControl need a GPU?
No.
When should I move to larger hardware?
When node count, monitoring retention, or centralized backup usage grows.
