AIX

in the same VG?

Is there a way we can do this?

We basically have a test server that used to be a production server. Now the newly created test directories have run out of space and the old production directories have alot of free space. Can we transfer that free space over?

If so how? Have never done this before and cant really find an easy explanation.

I'm not sure what you're about to do. "free space" is basically the part of the disk(s), which is not used. You can move around the *used* space, so that specific LPs/PPs become free, but you cannot "move free space". Use the command "lmigratepp" to do so.

On how to use "lmigratepp" refer to this redbook.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

In case you use jfs2 filesystems in your LVs you could simply shrink the less used filesystems with the 'chfs' command. By reducing jfs FS size you free PP which in turn can then be used for increasing the other filesystems (again with the 'chfs' command).
Sometimes fragmentation gets into your way when shrinking. In that case try the 'defrags' command. And start by shrinking in small portions. I.e. if your PP size is 64 MB start by reducing the less used FS by 64 MB. If it works, try bigger chunks. Read the 'chfs' manpage for details.

So much to jfs2. With jfs filesystems that shrinking on the fly would not be possible. In that case you could backup the filesystems by mksysb and use the shrinkfs option at recovery. Or you backup, recreate the FS and restore manually.
If you are using raw devices you could cut off PP but you would need to know for sure that there was no data in the PP being cut of. That often turns out to be a problem so again you would probably fall back to manually backup the data, recreate the raw device and then recover.