# How to Configure LVM (Logical Volume Management) on DRBD (Distributed Replicated Block Device)

> URL: https://www.atlantic.net/vps-hosting/how-to-configure-lvm-drbd/ | Published: 2016-01-26 | Updated: 2025-11-03 | Author: Alexander Wise

## Introduction

This how-to will help walk you through adding LVM to DRBD. Distributed Replicated Block Device (DRBD) is a block level replication between two or more nodes and is used as a replacement for shared storage by created a networked mirror. DRBD is used in environments that require systems or data to be Highly Available.

## Configuring LVM on DRBD

Before we start adding LVM to DRBD you should disable the LVM cache by setting:

```
write_cache_state = 0
```

After you disable the LVM cache, make sure to remove any stale cache entries by deleting the following:

```
/etc/lvm/cache/.cache
```

You must repeat the above steps on all DRBD nodes.

Now that we have our DRBD volume in Primary/Primary mode we need to add LVM to this device.

## LVM Filters

Update your lvm.conf:

You will need to update the filter section in the LVM configuration. This needs to be done on both nodes:

```
nano /etc/lvm/lvm.conf
```

# By default we accept every block device:

```
filter = [ "r|/dev/sdb|", "r|/dev/disk/|", "r|/dev/block/|", "a/.*/" ]
```

Note: if you device is not /dev/sdb update this according to your system

## Physical Volume Creation

Create the physical volume for LVM:

On one node, create the physical volume:

```
proxmox-host01:~# pvcreate /dev/drbd0
Physical volume "/dev/drbd0" successfully created
proxmox-host01:~#
```

Check your physical volumes, they should look like similar to this:

```
proxmox-host01:~# pvscan
PV /dev/drbd0 lvm2 [100.00 GB]
Total: 1 [100.00 GB] / in use: 1 [100.00 GB] / in no VG: 1 [4.00 GB]
proxmox-host01:~#
```

## Volume Group Creation

Create the volume group:

On one node, create the volume group:

```
proxmox-host01:~# vgcreate vg_vm100 /dev/drbd0
Volume group "drbdvg" successfully created
proxmox-host01:~#
```

Check your physical volumes again, they should look like similar to this:

```
proxmox-host01:~# pvscan
PV /dev/drbd0 VG vg_vm100 lvm2 [149.04 GB / 149.04 GB free]
Total: 1 [100.00 GB] / in use: 1 [100.00 GB] / in no VG: 1 [4.00 GB]
proxmox-host01:~#
```

## Logical Volume Creation

Create a logical volume for your VM:

```
proxmox-host01:~# lvcreate --name vm100 --size 50G vg_vm100
proxmox-host01:~#
```

The above command will create a new 50GB Logical Volume named  *vm100* and assign it to the *vg_vm100* volume group. From here, you’re ready to add a new VM using your LVM as your storage partition (/dev/vg_vm100/vm100).

In order to check that things are fully working, create a new KVM VM and store the VM disk on the previously created DRBD storage.

Check out our helpful article for [DRBD Replication and Configuration!](https://www.atlantic.net/vps-hosting/how-to-drbd-replication-configuration/)

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