VERITAS Volume Manager 3.1 Migration Guide

Converting LVM to VxVM
Converting LVM Volume Groups to VxVM Disk Groups
Chapter 232
NOTE The vxvmconvert utility itself also saves a snapshot of the LVM
metadata in the process of conversion for each disk. This data is saved in
a different format from that of vgcfgbackup. It can only be used via the
vxvmconvert program. With certain limitations, you can reinstate the
LVM volumes after they have been converted to VxVM using this data.
(See section “Example: displaying the vxvmconvert menu”.) Even though
vxvmconvert provides this level of backup of the LVM configuration, you
are advised to use vgcfgbackup before running vxvmconvert.
Backing up user data To back up user data, use your regular backup
processes.
CAUTION Before you do the backup, you should carefully review “step “9.
Implementing changes for new VxVM logical volume names”.” Backup
processes and systems themselves may have dependencies on the volume
names currently in use on your system. The conversion to VxVM changes
those names. You are advised to understand the implications name
changes have for restoring from the backups you are about to make.
File system back up of user data You can use the backup utility that
you normally use to back up data on your logical volumes. For example,
to back up logical volumes that contain file systems, the fbackup (1M)
command can be used to back up the data to tape.
For example, to backup the data on /dev/vg01/lvol3 mounted on
/foodir, use the following command:
# fbackup -0i /foodir -f /dev/rmt/c0t0d0BEST
Non-file system back up If a logical volume you are converting does
not contain a file system, and is being used directly by an application
(such as a database application), use the backup facilities provided by
the application. If no such facility exists, consider using the dd command.
5. Planning for new VxVM logical volume names
When you change from LVM volumes to VxVM volumes, the device
names by which your system accesses data are changed. LVM creates
device nodes for its logical volumes in /dev under directories named for