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LVM + dm-cache (unencrypted)

NOTE: This partition scheme is tailored towards a desktop computer setup with enough RAM and no SWAP (and therefore no hibernate/suspend-to-disk support).

CAUTION: This setup does NOT utilize LUKS disk encryption.

LVM cache combines the benefits of a fast mass storage device (e.g. SSD) with a slow mass storage device (HDD), utilizing the former as a read/write cache for the latter. This allows the system to manage blocks of data in a way such that often used blocks are kept on the fast cache device, making the whole system a lot more responsive. Over time the cache device fills up with frequently accessed data and the system accesses the cache device more often than the origin device (the HDD). This can be used to cost-effectively speed up an inexpensive large storage device (think Apple Fusion Drive).

This guide assumes the following:

  • /dev/nvme0n1 is the primary disk (cache device)
  • /dev/sda is the secondary disk (origin device)

Nomenclature

Term Description
Physical Volume (PV) On-disk partitioning format to be combined in a VG to a common storage pool
Volume Group (VG) Grouping of one or more PVs to provide a combined storage pool from which storage can be requested in the form of LVs.
Logical Volume (LV) Logical partition format which can be accessed like a block device to hold file systems and data.

Preparing the cache device

    First

    Listthe available disks need to be determined. This can easily be achieved with fdisk:

    fdisk -l

    To

    start

    Startthe partitionaingactual toolpartitioning forprocess primarystart disk (cfdisk isand apoint little easierit to usethe asdisk ityou haswish ato nice TUI)partition:

    WARNING: Make sure to select your actually desired device!

    cfdisk /dev/nvme0n1

    Partition withthe disk in the following schemeway:

    FS Type Size Mount Point Comment

    |

    vfat |1G 1G | /boot | EFI System | | LVM | (remaining) | | Linux LVM |

    Preparing the origin device

      Partition

      the

      Startdisk partioningby toolstarting cfdisk and pointing it to the disk for secondarythe diskorigin device:

      WARNING: Make sure to select your actually desired device!

      cfdisk /dev/sda

      Partition withthe disk in the following schemeway:

      FS Type Size Mount Point Comment

      |

      LVM | (all) | | Linux LVM |

      Creating physical volumes, volume group and logical volumes

        To

        Create LVMcreate physical volumes as the basis for the LVM setup, use pvcreate and point it to the partitions you created in the two previous steps:

        pvcreate /dev/nvme0n1p2   # SSD
pvcreate /dev/sda1        # HDD

        Continue

        by

        Createcreating LVMa volume group with vgcreate that spans both physical volumes you just created:

        NOTE: vg0 is used as an example here. Use whatever you like.

        vgcreate vg0 /dev/nvme0n1p2 /dev/sda1

        Next,

        Create LVMcreate logical volumes inside the volume group with lvcreate, using 100% of the available space on the HDD and specifying the cache pool on the SSD:

        lvcreate -l 100%FREE -n lv_root vg0 /dev/sda1
lvcreate --type cache-pool -n lv_cache -l 100%FREE vg0 /dev/nvme0n1p2
#
        Link 
        lvconvert --type cache --cachepool vg0/lv_cache vg0/lv_root

        Formatting devices

          Format

          Createthe partitions with the appropriate mkfs subcommand: 
          mkfs.fat -F 32 /dev/nvme0n1p1        # EFI System Partition
mkfs.btrfs /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root   # Btrfs root file system

          Mount

          Createthe root Btrfs subvolumesfile system: 
          # First, mount root file system
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root /mnt
#
          Create

          Next, create the subvolumes with the btrfs user space tools:

          btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@
btrfs subvolume create /mnt/@home
          Mount partitions 
          #

          Unmount the root file system again:

          umount -R /mnt
#

          Mount the @ subvolume at /mnt:

          mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@ /mnt
#

          Create mountpointsdirectories for subsequent mount points:

          mkdir -p /mnt/{boot,home}
#

          Mount the remaining partitions/subvolumesfile systems:

          mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot
mount /dev/mapper/vg0-lv_root -o noatime,compress-force=zstd,space_cache=v2,subvol=@home /mnt/home
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