vgimport(1M)vgimport(1M)NAMEvgimport - import an LVM volume group onto the system
SYNOPSIS
mapfile] vg_name pv_path ...
mapfile] infile] vg_name
mapfile vg_name
DESCRIPTION
The command adds the specified volume group to the system. The physi‐
cal volumes, specified as pv_path ..., are scanned to obtain the volume
group information and logical volume information. This command works
much like A user may explicitly create the vg_name directory and the
file before importing the volume group. If absent, the command will
automatically create the directory and the file, assigning the minor
number as explained in the command man page (see vgcreate(1M)). The
vg_name is added to the or file, and the associated logical volume
device files are added to the system.
assumes that the volume group information has already been created on
the physical volumes.
This command is useful in conjunction with the command (see vgex‐
port(1M)), to move volume groups from one system to other systems
within a high availability cluster.
creates logical volume device files under the vg_name directory using
the naming convention given in mapfile or using the default naming con‐
vention used by the command (see lvcreate(1M)).
The command reconstructs the newly imported volume group entry in the
or file. The order of the disks belonging to the newly imported volume
group could be different than it was before.
When a bootable volume group is imported (volume groups version 1.0
only), the boot information present in the boot disks might be incor‐
rect due to the change in the order of disks in the file. This is
because the boot information on the boot disks assumes a certain order
of disks in and requires a resynchronization of this information after
the first activation of a newly imported bootable volume group. To
resynchronize the information on the boot disk after the first activa‐
tion of a newly imported bootable volume group, run the command in
recovery mode option).
does not activate the imported volume group due to the many possible
options at volume group activation time. To activate the volume group
once it has been successfully imported, use the command (see
vgchange(1M)).
Options and Arguments
recognizes the following options and arguments:
pv_path The block device path names of a physical volume.
This argument is not used with the and related
options.
vg_name The path name of the volume group.
Specify the name of the file
from which logical volume names and numbers are
to be read. This option is optional when used as
in the first command line format of the If this
option is not specified, logical volume names are
created using the default naming convention where
is the decimal representation of logical volume
minor number. When used with the option, the
volume group specified in the mapfile can be
shared among the exporting system and the import‐
ing systems.
Configure the volume group by populating persistent device spe‐
cial
files in the or file, corresponding to the volume
group, vg_name. (See intro(7) for information
about device special files.) This option can
only be used with option. If is invoked without
a option, legacy device special files will be
used to populate the or file.
This option may become obsolete in future
releases.
Scan option. Scan each of the disks connected to the
system and update the or file with the physical
volumes that have matching volume group informa‐
tion, as found in the mapfile. This option
should always be used in conjunction with the
option. The specified mapfile is the file gener‐
ated by running the command, also with and
options.
Preview the actions to be taken but do not update the
or file or add the logical volume device files.
This option is best used in conjunction with the
option.
Print verbose messages including names of the logical volumes.
Import the set of
pv_paths held in the infile into the volume
group. This option is used as an alternative to
specifying the pv_paths on the command line.
Each pv_path must appear on a new line in the
infile. This option may not be used together
with the option.
WARNINGS
The option may become obsolete in future releases.
No more than eight paths to any physical volume will be added to the or
file. All other paths wll be omitted.
The following warnings apply to the option, when importing disks with
alternate paths:
The command does not preserve the path ordering, when a volume group is
exported and then imported. This may cause the primary and alternate
paths to be different on an importing system, from that of an exported
system. Also, additional alternate paths that were not configured on
the exported system may get discovered and configured on the importing
system.
If the original primary path of a disk gets configured as an alternate
path after the volume group is imported, the order can easily be
reverted by using to remove the primary path and then reconfiguring the
same path again as an alternate, using
If additional alternate paths were added to the newly imported volume
group, use to reduce any alternate paths that were added but not
required.
EXTERNAL INFLUENCES
Environment Variables
determines the language in which messages are displayed.
If is not specified or is null, it defaults to "C" (see lang(5)).
If any internationalization variable contains an invalid setting, all
internationalization variables default to "C" (see environ(5)).
EXAMPLES
Import the volume group that is located on physical disks and
Activate the volume group following a successful import:
Import the volume group using the mapfile, was previously specified by
the command on another system. The volume group, is specified in and
will be used by the importing system only:
Import the volume group using the mapfile, was previously specified by
the command on another system. The volume group, is specified in and
will be shared among the exporting system, this system, and other sys‐
tems importing the volume group as shared:
Import the volume group using the infile, was previously specified by
the command on another system, and it assumes that pv_paths in the are
identical on both systems.
SEE ALSOvgexport(1M), vgscan(1M), intro(7), lvm(7).
vgimport(1M)
