[linux-lvm] Is LVM safe?

[Rainer Krienke]

On Montag 20 Juni 2005 14:02, John Rowe wrote:
> 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.

The main difference between a partition and lvm is in my eyes that in lvm you 
usually do not have a single disk where your data is on. Instead you will 
have a bunch of disks and possibly your data are spread across all of these 
disks (depending on the setup of your volumegroups). 
 
So if you want to move your disk to another system you will have to move all 
disks that have been part of the lvm structure. Since lvm scans all disks to 
build up the volumegroups and logical volumes it should also work after you 
moved your disks to another system. 

If you modified you /etc/lvm/lvm.conf file you probably will have to take a 
look at this file on the old and new system to get things right since you can 
for example determine which of the systems disks are scanned for physical 
volumes and volumegroups. Since there might be a different set of disks in 
the old and new system (aside from the disks you moved) the configuration 
could need an update in this case.

Have a nice day
Rainer
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Rainer Krienke, Universitaet Koblenz, Rechenzentrum, Raum A022
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