Linux HD defragmentation ?

[Slime]

Guys,

Does Linux suffer from much defrgamentation with moderate/heavy use ? If so, what tools are most commonly used to help ?

I'm going to replace an NT server with a Linux server (probably using reiserfs) and want to know wether i need to keep an eye out for degrading HD performance. Ideally i just want to fire it up and forget about it (as much as possible).

Cheers
Slime

[aef]

The standard Linux filesystem (ext2) does not suffer from fragmentation-related performance problems to anything like the extent that certain *ahem* other filesystems do. I have had Linux happily using disks for years without touching them (but then, I'm not a server performance freak).

However, there are tools to defrag ext2, should you feel the urge. Look for a package called 'e2fsprogs'. I don't think you can (at the moment) defrag a mounted filesystem, but an average IDE disk will probably fail (terminally or non-terminally) more often than you need to defrag it anyway.

AEF

[Slime]

Thanks - useful info.

Slime

[aef]

Originally posted by Slime
Thanks - useful info.


Oops... just notice that you specified ReiseFS. I suspect that ReiserFS will also not have huge fragmentation problmes (the way that Linux handles disk buffering/caching helps.) I don't know about defragging tools, but I suspect you'll find information on the ReiserFS website.

AEF

[Slime]

Will do - i forgot about the resierfs webby :doh:

Cheers
Slime