# thin_dump - dump thin provisioning metadata from device or file to... - man(8) - [phpMan]

[_thin_dump_(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thindump/8/markdown)                           System Manager's Manual                          [_thin_dump_(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thindump/8/markdown)

## NAME
       **thin_dump **- dump thin provisioning metadata from device or file to standard output.

## SYNOPSIS
       **thin_dump **[_options_] {device|file}

## DESCRIPTION
       **thin_dump  **dumps  binary thin provisioning metadata (optionally from alternate block; see op‐
       tion **--metadata-snap**) created by the device-mapper thin provisioning target on  a  device  or
       file  to  standard output for analysis or postprocessing in either XML or human readable for‐
       mat.  XML formated metadata can be fed into thin_restore (see [**thin_restore**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinrestore/8/markdown))  in  order  to
       put it back onto a metadata device (to process by the device-mapper target) or file.

       This tool cannot be run on live metadata unless the **--metadata-snap **option is used.

## OPTIONS
### -h, --help
              Print help and exit.

### -V, --version
              Print version information and exit.

### -f, --format {xml|human_readable|custom}
              Choose output format.

           Custom formats are supported via shared library plugins.  They should be
           specified as in this example:

             $ thin_dump --format custom=mylib.so /dev/sda


### -r, --repair
              Repair the metadata whilst dumping it.

### -m, --metadata-snap{=<block nr>}
              Dump metadata snapshot.

           If block is not provided, access the default metadata snapshot created by
           the thin provisioning device-mapper target, else try the one at block nr.
           See the thin provisioning target documentation on how to create or release
           a metadata snapshot and retrieve the block number from the kernel.


### --dev-id {natural}
              Dump the specified device.

           This option may be specified multiple times to select more than one thin
           device.


### --transaction-id {natural}
              Override the transaction id given in the input xml.

### --data-block-size {natural}
              Override the data block size given in the input xml.

### --nr-data-blocks {natural}
              Override the nr data blocks given in the input xml.

### --skip-mappings
              Do not dump the mappings.

### -o {xml file}
              Specify a file for the output rather than writing to stdout.

## EXAMPLES
       Dumps the thin provisioning metadata on logical volume /dev/vg/metadata to standard output in
       human readable format:

           $ thin_dump -f human_readable /dev/vg/metadata

       Dumps the thin provisioning metadata on logical volume /dev/vg/metadata to standard output in
       XML format:

           $ thin_dump /dev/vg/metadata

       Dumps  the thin provisioning metadata snapshot on logical volume /dev/vg/metadata to standard
       output in human readable format (not processable by [**thin_restore**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinrestore/8/markdown)):

           $ thin_dump --format human_readable --metadata-snap /dev/vg/metadata


## DIAGNOSTICS
       **thin_dump **returns an exit code of 0 for success or 1 for error.

## SEE ALSO
       [**thin_check**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thincheck/8/markdown), [**thin_repair**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinrepair/8/markdown), [**thin_restore**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinrestore/8/markdown), [**thin_rmap**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinrmap/8/markdown), [**thin_metadata_size**(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thinmetadatasize/8/markdown)

## AUTHOR
       Joe Thornber <<ejt@redhat.com>>, Heinz Mauelshagen <<HeinzM@RedHat.com>>

System Manager's Manual                  Device Mapper Tools                            [_thin_dump_(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/thindump/8/markdown)