LVM stands for Logical Volume Manager, and it refers to a software component or utility used in Linux-based operating systems that manages disk partitions and storage volumes. In simple terms, LVM enables the flexible allocation and utilization of storage space across disks and allows dynamic resizing and management of Logical Volumes (LVs) with ease.
With LVM, physical storage devices such as hard drives or solid-state drives (SSDs) are combined into Volume Groups (VGs). These VGs serve as a pool of storage capacity from which Logical Volumes can be created. Logical Volumes are then divided into smaller units called Logical Extents (LEs), which map to the physical extents on the underlying storage devices.
One of the significant advantages of LVM is its ability to perform operations such as adding or removing disks, resizing volumes, or even creating snapshots without requiring downtime or impacting the running system. This ability to dynamically manage storage brings flexibility, scalability, and improved utilization to the storage infrastructure in Linux systems.
LVM provides convenient features like striping, mirroring, and snapshots, allowing for improved performance, redundancy, and backups. Moreover, it supports features such as online data migration, which allows the movement of data from one physical device to another without disrupting the system's normal operation.
Overall, LVM is a powerful tool for managing storage in Linux systems, providing an abstraction layer that simplifies the management and use of storage devices while offering flexibility and efficient utilization of available storage capacity.
