vgs

Overview

vgs reports LVM volume groups (VGs): how physical volumes are pooled and how much space is free for logical volumes. Use with pvs and lvs for a full LVM picture.

Syntax

vgs [options] [VG...]

Common Options

Option	Description
-o fields	Custom columns
-v	Verbose
--units h	Human-readable sizes
-a	Include hidden/internal where applicable

Examples with Explanations

List volume groups

sudo vgs
sudo vgs -o+vg_extent_size,vg_extent_count,vg_free_count

Create VG from PVs (workflow)

sudo vgcreate vg_data /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1
sudo vgs

Free space before creating an LV

sudo vgs --units g -o vg_name,vg_size,vg_free

Notes & Pitfalls

• Extent size is fixed at VG creation — plan large VGs carefully.
  
• Cluster/shared VGs need locking infrastructure (not covered here).

Related Commands

• vgcreate / vgextend / vgreduce / vgremove
  
• pvs / lvs
  
• lvmdiskscan

Additional Resources

• man vgs
  
• man vgcreate