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11.6. Moving a volume group to another system

It is quite easy to move a whole volume group to another system if, for example, a user department acquires a new server. To do this we use the vgexport and vgimport commands.

11.6.1. Unmount the file system

First, make sure that no users are accessing files on the active volume, then unmount it
# unmount /mnt/design/users

11.6.2. Mark the volume group inactive

Marking the volume group inactive removes it from the kernel and prevents any further activity on it.
# vgchange -an design vgchange -- volume group "design" successfully deactivated

11.6.3. Export the volume group

It is now necessary to export the volume group. This prevents it from being accessed on the ``old'' host system and prepares it to be removed.
# vgexport design vgexport -- volume group "design" sucessfully exported
When the machine is next shut down, the disk can be unplugged and then connected to it's new machine

11.6.4. Import the volume group

When plugged into the new system it becomes /dev/sdb so an initial pvscan shows:
# pvscan pvscan -- reading all physical volumes (this may take a while...) pvscan -- inactive PV "/dev/sdb1" is in EXPORTED VG "design" [996 MB / 996 MB free] pvscan -- inactive PV "/dev/sdb2" is in EXPORTED VG "design" [996 MB / 244 MB free] pvscan -- total: 2 [1.95 GB] / in use: 2 [1.95 GB] / in no VG: 0 [0]
We can now import the volume group (which also activates it) and mount the file system.
# vgimport design /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdb2 vgimport -- doing automatic backup of volume group "design" vgimport -- volume group "design" successfully imported and activated

11.6.5. Mount the file system

# mkdir -p /mnt/design/users # mount /dev/design/users /mnt/design/users
The file system is now available for use.

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