Linux server administrators face many options when deciding on a filesystem. Most of the clutter can be cleared away to reveal a few main choices. Selecting the most appropriate filesystem requires understanding the planned workload.

Narrow the Field

On the first install, filesystem choices range from ext2, ext3, or the upcoming ext4, to ReiserFS, Reiser4, JFS, XFS, OCFS, and GFS, to a host of specialty filesystems like OpenAFS, Coda, Lustre, and IBRIX Fusion. Fortunately, making a good selection can be much simpler by narrowing the field.

The following popular Linux filesystems are free and supported by the Linux community in their current kernel distributions. For general purpose servers, ReiserFS and ext3 dominate the installation base. XFS, JFS, and GFS may prove useful for specialized processes.

• ReiserFS and its experimental successor Reiser4, developed by Namesys, offer fast access to lots of small files, sometimes 10 to 15 times faster than competitors. Alternatively, through...