Linux File System Types and Management on AlmaLinux

Bob needed to understand the Linux file system, its types, and how to manage partitions, mounts, and attributes.
by İbrahim Korucuoğlu ( @siberoloji) |
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  4 minute read  

Bob’s manager tasked him with organizing and managing the server’s storage effectively. To do so, Bob needed to understand the Linux file system, its types, and how to manage partitions, mounts, and attributes.

“The file system is the skeleton of my server—it’s time to learn every bone!” Bob declared as he dove into this essential topic.

Chapter Outline: “Bob Explores Linux File System Types and Management”

  1. Introduction: Why File Systems Matter

    • Overview of Linux file system types and their use cases.
    • Exploring the File Hierarchy Standard (FHS).

  2. Understanding File System Types

    • Popular Linux file systems: ext4, xfs, btrfs, etc.
    • When to choose each file system.

  3. Creating and Managing Partitions

    • Partitioning a disk with fdisk and parted.
    • Formatting partitions with mkfs.

  4. Mounting and Unmounting File Systems

    • Temporary mounting with mount.
    • Persistent mounts with /etc/fstab.

  5. Exploring Advanced File System Features

    • File attributes with lsattr and chattr.
    • Managing quotas and permissions.

  6. Monitoring and Maintaining File Systems

    • Checking usage with df and du.
    • Repairing file systems with fsck.

  7. Conclusion: Bob Reflects on File System Mastery

Part 1: Introduction: Why File Systems Matter

Bob learned that the file system is the structure used by an operating system to organize and store files on a disk. A well-maintained file system ensures data reliability, security, and performance.

Key Concepts

  • File Hierarchy Standard (FHS): Defines the standard layout of directories (e.g., /home, /var, /etc).
  • Mount Points: Locations where file systems are made accessible (e.g., /mnt/data).

“A well-organized file system is like a clean desk—everything is where it should be!” Bob thought.

Part 2: Understanding File System Types

Bob explored the most common file systems used on Linux:

  1. ext4:
    • Default file system for many Linux distributions.
    • Reliable and widely supported.
  2. xfs:
    • High-performance file system, especially for large files.
    • Default in AlmaLinux for / partitions.
  3. btrfs:
    • Advanced features like snapshots and compression.
    • Ideal for modern systems requiring scalability.

Choosing a File System

  • ext4 for general-purpose servers.
  • xfs for high-performance workloads.
  • btrfs for advanced features like snapshots.

“Each file system has its strengths—pick the right tool for the job!” Bob said.

Part 3: Creating and Managing Partitions

Step 1: Partitioning a Disk with fdisk

Bob needed to create a new partition on a secondary disk (/dev/sdb).

  • Launch fdisk:

    sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

  • Use the following commands:

    • n: Create a new partition.
    • p: Make it a primary partition.
    • Enter defaults for partition size.
    • w: Write changes to the disk.

Step 2: Formatting the Partition

After creating the partition, Bob formatted it with the ext4 file system:

  • Format the partition:

    sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

  • Verify the file system:

    sudo blkid /dev/sdb1

“A clean, formatted partition is ready to use!” Bob said.

Part 4: Mounting and Unmounting File Systems

Step 1: Temporary Mounting

Bob mounted the new partition to a directory:

  • Create a mount point:

    sudo mkdir /mnt/data

  • Mount the partition:

    sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data

  • Verify the mount:

    df -h | grep /mnt/data

Step 2: Persistent Mounts with /etc/fstab

To ensure the partition was mounted at boot, Bob edited /etc/fstab:

  • Find the UUID of the partition:

    sudo blkid /dev/sdb1

  • Add an entry to /etc/fstab:

    UUID=your-uuid-here /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2

  • Test the configuration:

    sudo mount -a

“Persistent mounts make sure my file systems are always available!” Bob noted.

Part 5: Exploring Advanced File System Features

File Attributes with lsattr and chattr

Bob explored advanced file attributes:

  • List attributes of a file:

    lsattr file.txt

  • Make a file immutable (cannot be modified or deleted):

    sudo chattr +i file.txt

“Immutability is great for protecting critical files!” Bob said.

Managing Quotas

Bob set quotas to limit disk usage for users:

  • Install quota tools:

    sudo dnf install -y quota

  • Enable quotas on a file system by adding usrquota or grpquota to /etc/fstab.

  • Assign quotas to a user:

    sudo edquota -u username

“Quotas prevent anyone from hogging resources!” Bob said.

Part 6: Monitoring and Maintaining File Systems

Checking Disk Usage

Bob monitored disk usage with:

  • df for file system-level stats:

    df -h

  • du for directory-level stats:

    du -sh /var/log

Repairing File Systems with fsck

Bob used fsck to repair a corrupted file system:

  • Unmount the file system:

    sudo umount /dev/sdb1

  • Run fsck:

    sudo fsck /dev/sdb1

“A healthy file system keeps everything running smoothly!” Bob said.

Conclusion: Bob Reflects on File System Mastery

By mastering file system management, Bob could now handle partitions, mounts, attributes, and maintenance with ease. His confidence as a sysadmin grew as he organized his server like a pro.

Next, Bob plans to explore Advanced Bash Scripting on AlmaLinux.


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