vxdg

vxdg [-g diskgroup] action [arguments...]

-g diskgroup
    Specifies the disk group to operate on. If omitted, some operations will default or require other specification.

create diskgroup
    Creates a new disk group named 'diskgroup'.

destroy diskgroup
    Destroys the specified disk group. This operation should be performed with caution as it removes all volume configuration data associated with the disk group.

import diskgroup
    Imports a disk group, making it available for use. This is necessary after a system reboot or after the disk group has been deported.

deport diskgroup
    Deports a disk group, making it unavailable for use. This is typically done before moving disks to another system.

list
    Lists the attributes of disk groups and disks in the systems.

add diskname...
    Adds one or more disks to the specified disk group.

rm diskname...
    Removes one or more disks from the specified disk group.

rename newdiskgroup
    Renames a existing diskgroup

-n
    Use the specified diskgroup name, needed when importing disks.

The vxdg command in Veritas Volume Manager (VxVM) is a command-line utility used to manage disk groups. Disk groups are collections of disks that VxVM uses to create and manage volumes. vxdg allows you to perform tasks such as creating, destroying, importing, deporting, and modifying disk groups. You can also use it to display information about existing disk groups, add and remove disks, and change disk group attributes. Proper management of disk groups is essential for ensuring the availability, performance, and manageability of storage resources.

Using vxdg involves specifying various options along with the command. These options control the specific operation to be performed on the disk group. For example, you might use the create option to create a new disk group, or the import option to bring a disk group online after it has been exported. Other common operations include adding disks to a disk group, removing disks from a disk group, and changing the name of a disk group.

By strategically organizing disks into disk groups, administrators can simplify storage management, improve data protection, and enhance the overall reliability of their systems.

Destroying a disk group is a destructive operation and will result in data loss if volumes within the disk group are not properly backed up. Always ensure you have adequate backups before performing destructive operations on disk groups.

Disk groups have versions that define the features they support. Newer versions may offer enhanced capabilities but may not be compatible with older VxVM installations. When creating a disk group, the version to use can be specified with a command option.

Create a disk group: vxdg create mydg
Import disk group: vxdg -n mydg import mydg
Add disk c1t0d0 to mydg: vxdg -g mydg add c1t0d0

vxdg is a core component of Veritas Volume Manager (VxVM), which was originally developed by Veritas Software. VxVM has evolved over time with new features and enhancements added to improve storage management capabilities. Its initial widespread adoption was in enterprise environments that demanded sophisticated volume management and RAID capabilities.

vxdisk(1M), vxvol(1M), vxassist(1M)