Tips for managing Linux filesystems
SSHFS for Remote Filesystems
Mounting a filesystem locally via SSH is not rocket science with sshfs. You don't even need root privileges, after all sshfs is a FUSE:
$ sshfs tktest@192.168.56.105:/home/tktest ./sshdir/ tktest@192.168.56.105's password: $ cat /proc/mounts | grep ssh tktest@192.168.56.105:/home/tktest /home/user/tmp/sshdir \ fuse.sshfs rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=1000,group_id=1000 0 0
In the preceding commands, an sshfs call is sufficient to mount the /home/tktest directory locally on the server 192.168.56.105. You can work with the target directory as with any other normal directory; the difference is that it is actually on the remote server.
As an alternative to the featured simple block devices, you can also created stackable block devices with Linux that offer additional features, such as the Logical Volume Manager (LVM), software RAID (md-raid), the Distributed Replicated Block Device (DRBD), or Device-Mapper targets.
Table 2
Filesystems Differences
| Ext3 | Ext4 | XFS | Btrfs |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production Ready? |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Partially |
| Filesystem Tools |
2fsprogs |
e2fsprogs |
xfsprogs |
btrfs-progs |
| mke2fs, resize2fs, e2fsck, tune2fs |
mkfs.xfs, xfs_growfs, xfs_repair, xfs_admin |
mkfs.btrfs, btrfs resize, btrfsck, btrfs filesystem |
||
| Maximum Filesystem Size |
16 TiB |
1 EiB |
16 EiB |
16 EiB |
| Maximum File Size |
2 TiB |
1 EiB |
8 EiB |
8 EiB |
| Expanding on the Fly? |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Shrinking on the Fly? |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
| Expanding Offline? |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
| Shrinking Offline? |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
| Discard (ATA trim) |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Metadata CRC |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Data CRC |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
| Snapshots/clones/internal RAID/compression |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Infos
- Understanding EXT4 extents: http://digital-forensics.sans.org/blog/2010/12/20/digital-forensics-understanding-ext4-part-1-extents/
- Ext4 kernel documentation https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/filesystems/ext4.txt
- Ext4 data loss: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/317781/comments/45/
« Previous 1 2 3
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you've found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Arch Linux 2023.12.01 Released with a Much-Improved Installer
If you've ever wanted to install Arch Linux, now is your time. With the latest release, the archinstall script vastly simplifies the process.
-
Zorin OS 17 Beta Available for Testing
The upcoming version of Zorin OS includes plenty of improvements to take your PC to a whole new level of user-friendliness.
-
Red Hat Migrates RHEL from Xorg to Wayland
If you've been wondering when Xorg will finally be a thing of the past, wonder no more, as Red Hat has made it clear.
-
PipeWire 1.0 Officially Released
PipeWire was created to take the place of the oft-troubled PulseAudio and has finally reached the 1.0 status as a major update with plenty of improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Rocky Linux 9.3 Available for Download
The latest version of the RHEL alternative is now available and brings back cloud and container images for ppc64le along with plenty of new features and fixes.
-
Ubuntu Budgie Shifts How to Tackle Wayland
Ubuntu Budgie has yet to make the switch to Wayland but with a change in approaches, they're finally on track to making it happen.
-
TUXEDO's New Ultraportable Linux Workstation Released
The TUXEDO Pulse 14 blends portability with power, thanks to the AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU.
-
AlmaLinux Will No Longer Be "Just Another RHEL Clone"
With the release of AlmaLinux 9.3, the distribution will be built entirely from upstream sources.
-
elementary OS 8 Has a Big Surprise in Store
When elementary OS 8 finally arrives, it will not only be based on Ubuntu 24.04 but it will also default to Wayland for better performance and security.
-
OpenELA Releases Enterprise Linux Source Code
With Red Hat restricting the source for RHEL, it was only a matter of time before those who depended on that source struck out on their own.