vgimport(1M)

NAME

vgimport — import an LVM volume group onto the system

SYNOPSIS

/usr/sbin/vgimport [-m mapfile] [-p] [-v] [-f infile] vg_name pv_path ...

/usr/sbin/vgimport -m mapfile -s -v vg_name

DESCRIPTION

The vgimport command adds the specified volume group to the system. The physical volumes, specified as pv_path ..., are scanned to obtain the volume group information and logical volume information. This command works much like vgcreate by requiring that the volume group device directory and the group special file be created before the command is executed (see vgcreate(1M)). The vg_name is added from the /etc/lvmtab file, and the associated logical volume device files are added to the system.

vgimport assumes that the volume group information has already been created on the physical volumes.

This command is useful in conjunction with the vgexport command (see vgexport(1M)), to move volume groups from one system to other systems within a high availability cluster.

vgimport creates logical volume devices files under the vg_name directory using the naming convention given in mapfile or using the default naming convention used by the lvcreate command (see lvcreate(1M)).

Sharable Option, Series 800 Only

In the second format of the command line shown in SYNOPSIS, the volume group specified in the mapfile is shared.

vgimport 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 vgchange command (see vgchange(1M)).

Options and Arguments

vgimport recognizes the following options and arguments:

pv_path: The block device path names of a physical volume. This argument is not used with the -s and related options.
vg_name: The path name of the volume group.
-m mapfile: 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 SYNOPSIS. If this option is not specified, logical volume names are created using the default naming convention lvolnn where nn is the logical volume minor number. When used with the -s option, the volume group specified in the mapfile can be shared among the exporting system and the importing systems.
-s: Sharable option, Series 800 only. When the -s option is specified, then the -p, -v, and -m options must also be specified. The specified mapfile is the same mapfile specified by using the vgexport command also using the -p, -m, and -s options. The mapfile is used to create the volume groups on the importing systems.
-p: Preview the actions to be taken but do not update the /etc/lvmtab file or add the devices file. This option is best used in conjunction with the -v option.
-v: Print verbose messages including names of the logical volumes.
-f infile: 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 -s option.

WARNINGS

The following warnings should only apply to the -s option when importing devices such as (NIKE) or disks with alternate path:

Since the -s option causes a search on the system for each disks with the same vg_id. When vgimport reconstruct the newly imported volume group entry in /etc/lvmtab file, the order of disks could be different than it was before. And the following will happen:

The designated primary and alternate link might not be the same as it was configured before.
Alternate links will be added to the importing volume group even if they might not be configured in the volume group initially.

If the original primary path of a disks become an alternate path after the newly imported volume group entry is created in /etc/lvmtab, the order can be easily reverted by using vgreduce to remove the primary path and then use vgextend to add the path back again.

If additional alternate paths were added to the newly imported volume group, use vgreduce to reduce any alternate paths that were added but they were not needed.

ADDITIONAL WARNINGS

Starting at 10.20, the vgimport command is supporting additional EMC Symmetrix disk product functionality (see vgchgid(1M)). The vgimport command will be enforcing a new rule such that the group of disks to be imported must have the same EMC Symmetrix attributes. Clearly this checking only applies if the disks involved in the operation are EMC Symmetrix. Should the command find an incompatibility, a message of the following type will be produced:

"Attempt to mix incompatible EMC Symmetrix disk types failed. Physical volume /dev/dsk/cxtxdx is EMC BCV disk, but physical volume /dev/dsk/cxtxdx is a standard disk. Please consult the EMC Symmetrix documentation, if applicable".

If duplicate VGIDs (volume group id) were found in different types of EMC Symmetrix disks during the vgimport -s operation, the above error message will appear, and the command will fail. Please refer to vgchgid(1M) on how to modify VGID on the EMC Symmetrix disk.

Note that EMC Symmetrix disks which do not have any of the additional attributes can still be mixed with non-EMC disks in a single volume group.

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

Environment Variables

LANG determines the language in which messages are displayed.

If LANG 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 /dev/vg01 that is located on physical disks /dev/dsk/c0t1d0 and /dev/dsk/c0t3d0:

vgimport -v /dev/vg01 /dev/dsk/c0t1d0 /dev/dsk/c0t3d0 

Activate the volume group following a successful import:

vgchange -a y vg01 

Import the volume group /dev/vg01 using the mapfile, /tmp/vg01.mymap. mymap was previously specified by the vgexport command on another system. The volume group, /dev/vg01, is specified in mymap and will be used by the importing system only:

vgimport -v -m /tmp/vg01.mapfile /dev/vg01 \ 
/dev/dsk/c0t5d0 /dev/dsk/c0t7d0 

Import the volume group /dev/vg02 using the mapfile, /tmp/vg02.mymap. mymap was previously specified by the vgexport command on another system. The volume group, /dev/vg02, is specified in mymap and will be shared among the exporting system, this system, and other systems importing the volume group as shared:

vgimport -v -s -m /tmp/vg02.mymap dev/vg02 

Import the volume group /dev/vg02 using the infile, /tmp/vg02.infile. infile was previously specified by the vgexport command on another system.

vgimport -v -f /tmp/vg02.infile /dev/vg02 