Instantiating containers with a unified data volume is disclosed. For example, a host includes a first memory, and an orchestrator requests a persistent storage to be provisioned in a second memory located across a network from the host based an image file and/or metadata associated with the image file. The persistent storage is mounted to the host. The image file is copied to the first memory as a lower system layer of an isolated guest based on the image file, where the lower system layer is write protected. An upper system layer is constructed in the first persistent storage based on the image file. A baseline snapshot of the persistent storage is captured, including the upper system layer after the upper system layer is constructed. The isolated guest is launched while attached to the lower system layer and the upper system layer.