Quick how to: extend a linux encrypted partition

You have a linux virtual machine with an encrypted hard drive. How to quickly extend it ?


Environment (this method may apply to other environments):

• Virtualization type: 
• VMWare ESX
• Linux:
• RHEL 5.7
• using main root partition as an LVM encrypted with LUKS
  / in /dev/sda2
• using a boot partition /boot in /dev/sda1

Quick method:

• give more space from VMWare
•  edit settings / Hardware / Hard Disk / change the value in "provisioned size"
  (it is usually grayed out when you already have a snapshot)
• create a snapshot (to roll back in case of problem)
• boot a live CD
• from VMWare, Edit Settings / CD DVD adapter / load ISO (I used a debian7 cd image) + connected at poweron
• edit bios setting to boot on cd
• Boot on virtual CD: for my Debian 7, I booted in ExpertMode / Rescue Disk 
• From the live cd console
• extend physical parition
  fdisk /dev/sda
  sequence is: d 2 n p 2 t 2 8e w
  (sequence meaning: delete partition2, new partiiton primary, number2, change type of parititon2 to LVM (8e) )
• Open CRYPT
  cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda2 crypt1
• extend  CRYPT:
  cryptsetup resize crypt1
• entend PV:
  pvdisplay /dev/mapper/crypt1
  pvresize /dev/mapper/crypt1
  pvdisplay /dev/mapper/crypt1
• entend LV:
  lvdisplpay
  lvresize -L +30G /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
  lvdisplay
• reboot your server as usual
• extend filesystem:
  resize2fs  -p /dev/mapper/VolGroup00-LogVol00
• check new available size:
  df -h

That's it

Notes:
this is a quick (and dirty) how to.
It does not cover good practice like writing random data in the disk space we merge with our LUKS partition. It uses a live cd to avoid lock and root unmount problems.
I hope it will be useful for some readers ! Comments welcome