LVM Logical Volume Management Cheat Sheet

sudo pvs -o pv_name,pv_uuid,vg_name,pv_size,pv_free,pv_attr,dev_size
sudo vgs -o vg_name,vg_uuid,vg_size,vg_free,pv_count,lv_count,vg_attr
sudo lvs -a -o lv_full_name,lv_size,segtype,lv_attr,origin,pool_lv,data_percent,metadata_percent,devices
lsblk -o NAME,PATH,TYPE,SIZE,FSTYPE,UUID,MOUNTPOINTS
findmnt --real --output TARGET,SOURCE,FSTYPE,OPTIONS

sudo lvm fullreport --reportformat json_std

device=/dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50012345678
readlink --canonicalize "$device"
lsblk -o NAME,PATH,TYPE,SIZE,FSTYPE,UUID,MOUNTPOINTS "$device"
sudo wipefs --no-act "$device"
sudo pvs --all -o pv_name,pv_uuid,vg_name "$device"

sudo pvcreate /dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50012345678
sudo vgcreate vgdata /dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50012345678
sudo lvcreate --name app --size 100G vgdata
sudo lvs -o lv_full_name,lv_size,segtype,devices vgdata

Note: These commands write storage metadata. Run them only after independent target verification and a tested recovery plan.

findmnt --target /srv/app --output TARGET,SOURCE,FSTYPE,OPTIONS
sudo vgs vgdata -o vg_name,vg_free
sudo lvextend --size +20G /dev/vgdata/app
sudo resize2fs /dev/vgdata/app
findmnt --target /srv/app --output TARGET,SOURCE,FSTYPE,SIZE,USED,AVAIL

findmnt --target /srv/app --output TARGET,SOURCE,FSTYPE,OPTIONS
sudo vgs vgdata -o vg_name,vg_free
sudo lvextend --size +20G /dev/vgdata/app
sudo xfs_growfs /srv/app
xfs_info /srv/app

findmnt --source /dev/vgdata/archive --output TARGET,SOURCE,FSTYPE,OPTIONS
sudo lvs /dev/vgdata/archive -o lv_full_name,lv_size,segtype,lv_attr
sudo lvreduce --test --size 80G /dev/vgdata/archive

sudo umount /srv/archive
sudo e2fsck -f /dev/vgdata/archive
sudo resize2fs /dev/vgdata/archive 78G
sudo lvreduce --size 80G /dev/vgdata/archive
sudo resize2fs /dev/vgdata/archive
sudo e2fsck -f /dev/vgdata/archive
sudo mount /srv/archive

Note: This permanently discards LV extents. Substitute sizes only from a reviewed runbook, and restore rather than improvise if any step fails.

sudo lvcreate --type thin-pool --name pool0 --size 500G vgdata
sudo lvcreate --type thin --name tenant1 --virtualsize 2T --thinpool vgdata/pool0
sudo lvchange --monitor y vgdata/pool0
sudo lvs -o lv_full_name,segtype,lv_size,data_percent,metadata_percent,pool_lv,discards

activation {
    thin_pool_autoextend_threshold = 70
    thin_pool_autoextend_percent = 20
}

Note: Size the threshold and reserved VG space from measured growth, then test dmeventd behavior and alerting before production use.

set -euo pipefail
frozen=0
unfreeze() {
  if [ "$frozen" -eq 1 ]; then
    sudo fsfreeze --unfreeze /srv/app
  fi
}
trap unfreeze EXIT
sudo fsfreeze --freeze /srv/app
frozen=1
sudo lvcreate --snapshot --name app-prechange --size 20G /dev/vgdata/app
sudo fsfreeze --unfreeze /srv/app
frozen=0
trap - EXIT

Note: Coordinate application-level quiescing separately and keep the freeze window short.

sudo lvs /dev/vgdata/app /dev/vgdata/app-prechange -o lv_full_name,origin,lv_size,data_percent,lv_attr
findmnt --source /dev/vgdata/app
sudo lvconvert --test --merge /dev/vgdata/app-prechange

Note: A real merge discards all origin changes made after snapshot creation. Stop consumers and obtain explicit rollback approval first.

source_pv=/dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50011111111
destination_pv=/dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50022222222
sudo pvs -o pv_name,pv_uuid,vg_name,pv_size,pv_free,pv_used "$source_pv" "$destination_pv"
sudo pvmove "$source_pv" "$destination_pv"
sudo pvs -o pv_name,vg_name,pv_size,pv_free,pv_used "$source_pv" "$destination_pv"

source_pv=/dev/disk/by-id/wwn-0x5000c50011111111
sudo pvs --select "pv_name=$source_pv" -o pv_name,vg_name,pv_used,pv_free
sudo vgreduce --test vgdata "$source_pv"

Note: After confirming pv_used is zero, the real vgreduce is destructive metadata work and needs a fresh backup and approval.

sudo lvchange --addtag production vgdata/app
sudo lvs -o lv_full_name,lv_size,lv_tags -S 'tags={production}'

sudo lvs -o lv_full_name,lv_size,lv_tags -S 'tags={production} && lv_size>=100g'

Note: Never translate a report selection directly into a bulk modifying command without reviewing the complete selected set.

findmnt --source /dev/vgdata/app
lsblk -o NAME,PATH,TYPE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINTS /dev/vgdata/app
sudo dmsetup ls --tree
sudo lvchange --test --activate n vgdata/app

sudo lvs vgdata/app -o lv_full_name,lv_attr,lv_active,autoactivation
sudo lvchange --setautoactivation n vgdata/app
sudo lvs vgdata/app -o lv_full_name,lv_active,autoactivation

sudo vgs vgdata -o vg_name,vg_uuid,vg_seqno,vg_attr
sudo pvs --select 'vg_name=vgdata' -o pv_name,pv_uuid,vg_name
sudo vgcfgbackup --file /var/backups/lvm/vgdata.conf vgdata
sudo vgcfgrestore --list vgdata

sudo vgchange --activate n vgdata
sudo vgcfgrestore --test --file /var/backups/lvm/vgdata.conf vgdata

Note: Deactivation is disruptive and the actual restore rewrites metadata. Validate payload backups and obtain expert review, especially for thin pools.

sudo lvmdevices
sudo lvmdevices --check
sudo lvmconfig --type current devices/use_devicesfile devices/filter

sudo lvs vgdata/pool0 -o lv_full_name,segtype,discards
sudo lvchange --discards nopassdown vgdata/pool0
sudo lvs vgdata/pool0 -o lv_full_name,discards

Note: Changing discard propagation affects performance and lower-layer behavior; validate it with the storage owner before deployment.

sudo lvm version
systemctl status lvmlockd --no-pager
sudo vgs -o vg_name,vg_uuid,vg_attr,vg_systemid,vg_locktype
sudo lvmlockctl --info

sudo vgchange --lockstart vgshared
sudo vgs vgshared -o vg_name,vg_locktype,vg_attr
sudo lvs vgshared -o lv_full_name,lv_attr,segtype

Note: Run this only after the external lock manager, fencing, host membership, and storage visibility have been validated.