TL4 for AIX 6.1 now allows you to rename logical volumes (LV) while they are still online i.e. open.

I confirmed this on a test system today.

# oslevel -s

6100-04-01-0944

I renamed the logical volume for the /home/nmon filesystem. The original LV name was nmonlv.

# df -m /home/nmon

Filesystem MB blocks Free %Used Iused %Iused Mounted on

/dev/nmonlv 256.00 254.73 1% 23 1% /home/nmon

# lsvg -l rootvg | grep nmon

nmonlv jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /home/nmon

I changed the LV name to nmon_lv.

# chlv -n nmon_lv nmonlv

The df command did not show any change i.e. it still displayed the old LV name. As expected.

# df -m /home/nmon

Filesystem MB blocks Free %Used Iused %Iused Mounted on

/dev/nmonlv 256.00 254.73 1% 23 1% /home/nmon

However, the lsvg command confirmed that the LV name had indeed changed. As did the stanza in /etc/filesystems.

# lsvg -l rootvg | grep nmon

nmon_lv jfs2 1 1 1 open/syncd /home/nmon

# grep -p nmon /etc/filesystems

/home/nmon:

dev = /dev/nmon_lv

vfs = jfs2

log = /dev/hd8

mount = true

options = rw

account = false

quota = no

After re-mounting the filesystem, the df command now displayed the new LV name.

# umount /home/nmon

# mount /home/nmon

# df /home/nmon

Filesystem 512-blocks Free %Used Iused %Iused Mounted on

/dev/nmon_lv 524288 521696 1% 23 1% /home/nmon

Not a big deal you say? Well, prior to TL4, I would have to unmount the filesystem first and then change the LV name. e.g.

# oslevel -s

6100-02-02-0849

# chlv -n nmon_lv nmonlv

0516-708 chlv: Cannot rename open logical volume. If LV

contains a filesystem, unmount to close logical volume nmonlv.

Just another enhancement to the usability features of the AIX operating system.

Not as impressive as being able to shrink a filesystem on-the-fly, but its certainly making life easier for AIX administrators. J