Inspect logical volumes quickly with a single LVM query and targeted switches. 27.06.2026 | reading time: 2 min Want a fast, reliable way to see what logical volumes exist and how they map to physical devices Run the lvs command to list logical volumes, read basic attributes, and get quick diagnostics from the LVM stack. Live example Run this on a machine with LVM and observe the columns; this shows LV names, VGs, attributes, sizes and devices ```bash $ sudo lvs -o lv_name,vg_name,lv_attr,lv_size,devices LV VG Attr LSize Devices root ubuntu -wi-ao---- 20.00g /dev/sda2(0) data ubuntu -wi-ao---- 100.00g /dev/sdb1(0) ``` After executing, read the Attr field to learn if an LV is writable or a snapshot and check Devices to see which PVs host the LV. Useful switches Use -o to select fields, add +devices to append physical mappings, and -a to include snapshots and hidden LVs; combine --units with human-friendly suffixes and -S to filter by attributes so you only show volumes that matter during debugging. Where lvs fits lvs is the quick summary tool in the LVM toolbox: use it for compact overviews, then inspect definitions with lvdisplay or resolve PV layout with pvs and vgs; combine lvs with lsblk when you need block-device context outside LVM. Next steps Start practising lvs on a safe lab system, try different -o views and filters, and then expand into pvs and vgs for full LVM mastery; consider preparing for CompTIA Linux+ or LPIC-1 and take intensive exam prep at bitsandbytes.academy to turn these skills into certification. Join Bits & Bytes Academy First class LINUX exam preparation. storage filesystem utilities troubleshooting infrastructure
