[CentOS] When should LVM be used?

[Todd Denniston]

Ron Blizzard wrote, On 07/30/2010 05:16 PM:
> On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 8:33 AM, Todd Denniston
> <Todd.Denniston at tsb.cranrdte.navy.mil> wrote:
> 
>> Best use for LVM I have seen...
>> Reducing the number of times you need to enter the LUKS pass phrase to once per boot, i.e., one LUKS
>> containing an LVM of / and Swap so that the system can boot with one entry of the pass phrase and if
>> you then have other partitions, such as an independent /home, /etc/crypttab can be used (with
>> appropriately constructed and protected cryptpassphrase files).
> 
> At this point I don't even know what a LUKS pass phrase is -- is this
> something I'm liable to run into on a home desktop computer?
> 

Depends on how much you value not letting other folks at your data, with out your permission after
you have properly powered down the machine. :)

LUKS is used with encrypted partitions/filesystems.  I have only used it at the partition level.
It is most easily setup at install time, because anaconda gets the incantations correct for you.

Suggested further reading:
http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/EncryptedFilesystem
http://wiki.centos.org/TipsAndTricks/EncryptedFilesystem/Scripts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Unified_Key_Setup

-- 
Todd Denniston
Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane)
Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter