EX200 Configure local storage Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. # lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINT NAME SIZE FSTYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 10G ├─sda1 1G xfs /boot └─sda2 9G LVM2_member ├─vg-lv_root 8G xfs / └─vg-lv_swap 1G swap [SWAP] sdb 5G └─sdb1 5G LVM2_member └─vg-lv_data 5G xfs /data sdc 2G sdd 2G
An administrator wants to add the two 2G disks (sdc and sdd) as physical volumes, extend the 'data' logical volume in volume group 'vg' by 2G, and grow the filesystem. Which sequence of commands should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the `-L` option with and without the `+` sign, and mistakenly use `resize2fs` for XFS filesystems, or use `lvresize` instead of `lvextend` without the correct syntax for adding space.
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
✓
pvcreate /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; vgextend vg /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; lvextend -L +2G /dev/vg/lv_data; xfs_growfs /data
It follows the correct sequence: create physical volumes on both disks, extend the volume group with both disks in a single command, extend the logical volume by exactly 2G using the `+` sign, and then grow the XFS filesystem using `xfs_growfs` with the mount point `/data`. The `+` in `lvextend -L +2G` is critical to add 2G rather than resize to 2G total, and `xfs_growfs` requires the mount point (or a block device) for XFS filesystems.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
pvcreate /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; vgextend vg /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; lvresize -L 2G /dev/vg/lv_data; xfs_growfs /data
Why it's wrong here
The command lvresize -L 2G does not increase the logical volume by 2 GiB; it attempts to set the entire LV to exactly 2 GiB. If /dev/vg/lv_data is already larger than 2 GiB, this could shrink it, risking filesystem corruption, and if it is smaller, it will only extend to 2 GiB instead of adding the intended 2 GiB. To add capacity, the correct syntax is lvresize -L +2G or lvextend -L +2G. Although xfs_growfs /data is the proper final step for an XFS filesystem, the LV resize itself is fundamentally wrong.
- ✗
pvcreate /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; vgextend vg /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; lvextend -L +2G /dev/vg/lv_data; resize2fs /dev/vg/lv_data
Why it's wrong here
In this sequence, the physical volume creation, volume group extension, and logical volume extension (lvextend -L +2G) are all correct, but the final resize2fs command is inappropriate. resize2fs is designed for ext2, ext3, and ext4 filesystems, not XFS; running it on an XFS filesystem will likely fail with an error indicating an unknown or unsupported filesystem type. Since /data is XFS, the online grow command must be xfs_growfs /data, which accepts the mount point and expands the filesystem to fill the newly extended LV. Using resize2fs here means the LV is bigger, but the filesystem still sees the old size.
- ✗
pvcreate /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; vgextend vg /dev/sdc; vgextend vg /dev/sdd; lvextend -L +2G /dev/vg/lv_data; xfs_growfs /dev/vg/lv_data
Why it's wrong here
Executing vgextend twice (once for /dev/sdc and once for /dev/sdd) is technically valid but unnecessary, as a single vgextend vg /dev/sdc /dev/sdd accomplishes both additions in one step. The more critical flaw is the final command: xfs_growfs /dev/vg/lv_data passes a block device path, but xfs_growfs expects a mount point (e.g., /data). When given a device path, xfs_growfs will fail because it cannot resolve the device to a mounted filesystem, so the filesystem will not be grown even after the LV extension. The LV and VG steps are correct, but the XFS grow step is misused.
- ✓
pvcreate /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; vgextend vg /dev/sdc /dev/sdd; lvextend -L +2G /dev/vg/lv_data; xfs_growfs /data
Why this is correct
This command chain is fully correct. pvcreate initializes both /dev/sdc and /dev/sdd as physical volumes, then vgextend adds both to volume group vg in a single command. lvextend -L +2G grows lv_data by exactly 2 GiB (the plus sign means 'add' rather than 'set to'), and xfs_growfs /data expands the XFS filesystem that is mounted at /data to consume the additional space. This is the proper order: create PVs, extend the VG, extend the LV, and finally grow the filesystem online without needing to unmount.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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