Disk Layout/Partitioning Practices

[Alan Dunkley]

On Wednesday 28 Jan 2004 3:01 pm, Ron Herardian wrote:
> Hello,
>
> When installing everything and allowing for future updates and packages I
> am using the following disk layout:
>
> 	Mount Point	Size
> 	/boot		100MB
> 	/		500MB
> 	/usr		4GB
> 	/var		2GB
> 	swap		2x physical RAM, e.g., 1GB
> 	/home		TBD, e.g., 1GB per user
>         /opt		TBD/catchall [3rd party servers will be installed here]
>
> I want to have enough space on required partitions but not waste space on
> infrequently modified filesystems where add-on packages will probably not
> go.
>
> I'd like to get an idea what other folks are doing in terms of disk
> layouts. What are the best practices?
>
> Ron
>

This is something that I have considered a lot, since I first started using 
Unix back in 1985.  It very much depends on what you are using the system for 
and how much disk space is available.  Generally, you should not let 
filesystems get more than about 75% full because performance can start to 
tail off.  I use 2.5x physical RAM for swap and have multiple swap partitions 
for good measure.

My layout is

	/			1GB
	/boot			256 MB
	/tmp			4 GB
	/usr			8 GB	
	/usr/local		8GB		(aka /opt)
	/usr/src		16GB
	/var			8GB
	/home		52 GB

Never, underestimate how much disk space users use.  My 52GB /home has 18GB of 
data stored on it by 1 user (me).  I would recommend allowing at least 16GB 
per user nowadays.  I also link /var/tmp/ -> /tmp so all the true temporary 
areas are using storage in one place (/usr/tmp is already linked to 
/var/tmp).  What you are trying to avoid is a rogue hog (process) from 
filling either /usr or /var thus causing instabilities in your system.

Hope this helps, I have based my current system design on years of  
experience, (and no decent LVM, not like AIX anyhow) probably not valid 
nowadays but old habits ...  and having 2x80GB RAID-1 disks helps.

The real question you have to answer is what is a good backup/recovery 
strategy for your system.  Disks may be more reliable nowadays but this still 
break when you least expect !
-- 
Alan D