LPIC-2 Practice Question: Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage
Which TWO statements about LVM thin provisioning are correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume thin volumes automatically grow or that discard is optional, but the exam tests the precise requirement that the filesystem must support and enable discard to free space back to the thin pool.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The filesystem on a thin volume must support the 'discard' option to free unused space.
Thin volumes allocate data blocks on demand from a thin pool. To allow the underlying physical storage to reclaim unused blocks when files are deleted, the filesystem must support the 'discard' option (or use fstrim) so that it can notify the device mapper of freed space. Without discard, the thin pool never learns that blocks are no longer in use, preventing space reclamation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Thin pools are created using the 'pvcreate' command.
Why it's wrong here
Thin pools are created with lvcreate --type thin-pool.
- ✓
The filesystem on a thin volume must support the 'discard' option to free unused space.
Why this is correct
fstrim or mount -o discard allows space reclamation.
- ✓
Thin volumes can be over-provisioned, allowing more virtual space than physical storage.
Why this is correct
Over-provisioning is a key feature of thin provisioning.
- ✗
Thin provisioning requires a dm-cache device to function.
Why it's wrong here
dm-cache is a separate feature for caching.
- ✗
Thin volumes automatically grow when they run out of space.
Why it's wrong here
Auto-extension requires monitoring and manual intervention.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.