dmsetup

List all device mapper devices

$ dmsetup ls

$ dmsetup status [device_name]

$ dmsetup info

$ dmsetup table [device_name]

$ dmsetup create [name] --table "[0 size linear /dev/sda 0]"

$ dmsetup remove [device_name]

$ dmsetup suspend [device_name]

dmsetup command [options] [devicename_]

dmsetup is the low-level administration tool for the Linux device-mapper. Device-mapper provides a generic way to create virtual block devices that map onto physical devices through various target types.
The tool can create, configure, and manage device-mapper devices including linear mappings, striped volumes, snapshots, mirrors, and more. It's the foundation underlying LVM, dm-crypt, and other Linux storage technologies.
While typically used indirectly through LVM or cryptsetup, dmsetup provides direct access for debugging, custom configurations, or understanding device-mapper internals.

COMMAND

Operation: ls, status, info, table, create, remove, etc.

List device mapper devices.

Show device status.

Show detailed information.

Show device table.

Create new device.

Remove device.

Suspend/resume device.

Device table specification.

Requires root privileges. Incorrect use can cause data loss. Tables must specify valid targets and parameters. Some operations require suspended devices.

dmsetup is part of the device-mapper component of LVM2, developed primarily by Red Hat and Sistina Software. Device-mapper was merged into the Linux kernel in 2003, providing the foundation for flexible storage management.

lvm(8), cryptsetup(8), dmraid(8)