---
name: "thin_migrate"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "thin-provisioning-tools"
version: "1.3.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/thin_migrate"
---

# thin\_migrate(8)

## NAME

**thin\_migrate**

## SYNOPSIS

```
thin_migrate [options] --source-dev {device} --dest-dev {device}
thin_migrate [options] --source-dev {device} --dest-file {file}
```

## DESCRIPTION

**thin\_migrate copies provisioned data blocks from a thin device to another** **device or file. It is designed for cloning a read-only snapshot or thin** **volume within a live thin-pool. A metadata snapshot is required to read the** **data mappings.**

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  **Print help and exit.**

- **-V, --version**

  **Print version information and exit.**

- **--source-dev {device}**

  **The input read-only thin device to copy.**

- **--dest-dev {device}**

  **The output device as the copy destination.**

- **--dest-file {file}**

  **The output file as the copy destination.**

- **-q, --quit**

  **Suppress output messages, return only exit code.**

- **--buffer-size-meg {size}**

  **Specify the size of the data buffers, in megabytes.**

## EXAMPLE

**Assuming that there's a thin snapshot 'vg/snap' to copy, we must first set** **the snapshot to read-only:**

```
    $ lvchange vg/snap --permission r
```

**Next, create a metadata snapshot for running thin\_migrate:**

```
    $ dmsetup message vg-mythinpool-tpool 0 reserve_metadata_snap
```

**Once the metadata snapshot is created, copy the snapshot into another linear** **or thin volume. The destination volume must have the same size as the source** **device.**

```
    $ thin_migrate --src-device /dev/vg/snap --dest-device /dev/vg2/dest
```

**Alternatively, copy the snapshot into a file. thin\_migrate can optionally** **create the destination file if it is not present, or the size of the file** **will be truncated to match that of the source device.**

```
    $ thin_migrate --src-device /dev/vg/snap --dest-file dest.bin
```

**Finally, release the metadata snapshot after thin\_migrate finishes its job:**

```
    $ dmsetup message vg-mythinpool-tpool 0 release_metadata_snap
```

## DIAGNOSTICS

**thin\_migrate returns an exit code of 0 for success or 1 for error.**

## AUTHOR

**Joe Thornber \<ejt@redhat.com\>**