vgimport

vgimport VolumeGroupName [PhysicalVolumePath...]

VolumeGroupName
    The name of the Volume Group to import. This is required.

PhysicalVolumePath...
    The paths to the Physical Volumes belonging to the Volume Group. If no physical volumes are specified, vgimport searches all known physical volumes.

-a|--all
    Attempt to import all inactive Volume Groups. This is usually not needed as specifying the VG name is the preferred method.

-d|--debug
    Enable verbose debugging output.

-f|--force
    Force import even if other problems are found, like conflicting metadata. Use with caution! Data loss may occur.

-h|--help
    Display help text and exit.

-n|--noudevsync
    Disable udev synchronisation during activation or deactivation. Can speed up operations on very busy systems.

-p|--physicalvolume PhysicalVolumePath
    Specifies a single physical volume to scan. You can use it multiple times.

-q|--quiet
    Suppress non-essential messages.

-t|--test
    Run in test mode; does not make any changes.

-v|--verbose
    Provide more verbose output. Can be specified multiple times for increased verbosity.

--version
    Display version information and exit.

The `vgimport` command in Linux is used to make inactive Volume Groups (VGs) known to the system. This is crucial when you've moved physical volumes (PVs) belonging to a VG from one system to another, or when the system has forgotten about the VG's metadata (e.g., after a system crash or unexpected shutdown). It scans the specified physical volumes (or all PVs if none are specified) for VG metadata and attempts to activate the VG. The command essentially rebuilds the system's knowledge of the VG, making its logical volumes (LVs) accessible again. Without importing the VG, you won't be able to mount or use the logical volumes contained within. Using the correct parameters with vgimport is important as it directly affects the state of physical and logical volumes in the system. Incorrect usage can lead to data loss.
Important: Before importing, ensure no other system is actively using the same Volume Group to avoid data corruption.

Always double-check the correct physical volumes before importing, especially when using `-f` option. Ensure that the physical volumes are not in use by another system to prevent data corruption. Backups are highly recommended before any LVM operation.

Importing a Volume Group does not automatically activate the logical volumes within it. After importing, you will typically need to use the `vgchange -ay VolumeGroupName` command to activate the logical volumes, making them accessible for mounting and use.

If `vgimport` detects metadata conflicts (e.g., a Volume Group with the same name already exists), it will usually refuse to import the Volume Group unless the `-f` flag is used. Use the `-f` flag with caution and only after thoroughly investigating the conflicts.

If physical volumes have been added or removed from the system since the last scan, it might be necessary to run `pvscan` before `vgimport` to ensure that the system has an up-to-date view of the available physical volumes.

The `vgimport` command is part of the Linux Logical Volume Manager (LVM), which has been developed and refined over many years. It's designed to provide flexible and advanced storage management capabilities. Initially, LVM aimed to address the limitations of traditional partitioning schemes by allowing dynamic resizing and management of storage. `vgimport` was designed to allow import of previously created volume groups in a simple easy manner. As LVM has matured, `vgimport` has become a crucial tool for recovering and managing VGs across different systems, adapting to the evolving needs of storage management in Linux environments.

vgcreate(8), vgremove(8), vgchange(8), pvcreate(8), pvscan(8), lvscan(8), vgs(8), pvs(8), lvs(8)