[linux-lvm] Is LVM safe?

[John Rowe]

With a 'standard' disk partition (ext3, etc.) I can be confident that if
I have the partition I have the data: I can always just move the disk to
another system and mount it. Is the same true for LVM? 

I am concerned that the LVM system also seems to need some information
kept on the host files system in /etc/lvm* and that if I lose that I'm
in serious trouble.

John