File System Structure

Common File Structure

File systems break files down into two logical categories:
Shareable vs. unsharable files
Variable vs. static files
Shareable files are those that can be accessed locally
and by remote hosts; unsharable files are only
available locally.
Variable files, such as documents, can be changed at any
time; static files, such as binaries, do not change
without an action from the system administrator.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
Red Hat nter!rise "inu# uses the Filesystem Hierarchy
Standard $FHS% file system structure, which defines the
names, locations, and !ermissions for many file ty!es
and directories.
The /boot/ Directory - contains static files re&uired to
boot the system, such as the "inu# kernel. 'hese files
are essential for the system to boot !ro!erly.
The /dev/ Directory - contains device nodes that either
re!resent devices that are attached to the system or
virtual devices that are !rovided by the kernel. 'hese
device nodes are essential for the system to function
!ro!erly. 'he udev demon takes care of creating and
removing all these device nodes in (dev(.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
#am!les of common files in the (dev include:
(dev(hda ) the master device on !rimary *+ channel.
(dev(hdb ) the slave device on !rimary *+ channel.
(dev(tty, ) first virtual console.
(dev(tty- ) second virtual console.
(dev(sda ) first device on !rimary S.S* or S/'/ channel.
(dev(l!, ) first !arallel !ort.
The /etc/ Directory - reserved for configuration files that
are local to the machine. 0o binaries are to be !laced
in (etc(. /ny binaries that were once located in (etc(
should be !laced into (sbin( or (bin(.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
The /lib/ Directory - contain only those libraries needed
to e#ecute the binaries in (bin( and (sbin(. 'hese shared
library images are !articularly im!ortant for booting the
system and e#ecuting commands within the root file
system.
The /media/ Directory - contains subdirectories used as
mount !oints for removeable media such as usb storage
media, +V+s, .+)R12s, and 3i! disks.
The /mnt/ Directory - reserved for tem!orarily mounted
file systems, such as 0FS file system mounts.

Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS)
The /ot/ Directory - !rovides storage for most
a!!lication software !ackages.
The /roc/ Directory - contains s!ecial files that either
e#tract information from or send information to the
kernel. #am!les include system memory, c!u
information, hardware configuration etc.
The /sbin/ Directory - stores e#ecutables used by the
root user. 'he e#ecutables in (sbin( are used at boot
time, for system administration and to !erform system
recovery o!erations.

'he e#t4 file system is essentially an enhanced version of the e#t5 file system.
/dvantages are:
!vailability
/fter an !ower failure or system crash $also called an unclean system
shutdown%, each mounted e#t5 file system on the machine must be checked for
consistency by the e"fsc# !rogram. 'his is a time)consuming !rocess that can
delay system boot time significantly, es!ecially with large volumes.
'he 6ournaling !rovided by the e#t4 file system means that this sort of file
system check is no longer necessary after an unclean system shutdown. 'he
only time a consistency check occurs using e#t4 is in certain rare hardware
failure cases, such as hard drive failures.
Data $nte%rity
'he e#t4 file system !revents loss of data integrity in the event that an unclean
system shutdown occurs. 'he e#t4 file system allows you to choose the ty!e and
level of !rotection that your data receives.
Seed
+es!ite writing some data more than once, e#t4 has a higher through!ut in most
cases than e#t5 because e#t47s 6ournaling o!timi8es hard drive head motion.
&asy Transition
*t is easy to migrate from e#t5 to e#t4 and gain the benefits of a robust
6ournaling file system without reformatting.
Feature of e't( file system

'o create a new e#t4 file system.
m#fs)e't( /dev/sda*
Creatin% an e't( file system

'he tune"fs allows you to convert an e#t5 filesystem to e#t4.
/lways use the e"fsc# utility to check your filesystem before and
after using tune5fs. / default installation of Red Hat nter!rise
"inu# uses e#t4 for all file systems.
'o convert an e#t5 filesystem to e#t4, log in as root and ty!e the
following command in a terminal:
/sbin/tune"fs -+ <block_device>
Convertin% to e't( file system

For revertin% a artition from e't( to e't" for any reason,
you must first unmount the artition by lo%%in% in as root
and tyin%,
umount /dev/sdaN
*e't, chan%e the file system tye to e't",
/sbin/tune"fs -- .has/+ournal /dev/sdaN
Chec# the artition for errors,
/sbin/e"fsc# -y /dev/sdaN
Then mount the artition a%ain as e't",
mount -t e't" /dev/sdaN /mount/oint
0emove the )+ournal file at the root level of the artition,
rm -f )+ournal ------------- you have no1 e't" artition
$f you 1ant to ermanently chan%e the artition to e't",
udate the /etc/fstab file)
0evertin% bac# to e't" file system