102.1: Designing a Disk Partitioning Scheme for Linux

Designing a Disk Partitioning Scheme for Linux #

Designing a disk partitioning scheme is a fundamental task when setting up a Linux system. It involves planning how to allocate different filesystems and swap space across various partitions or disks. This tutorial will guide you through the essential considerations and provide real-world examples to help you understand the process.

Key Concepts and Terminology #

Before diving into the design process, let’s familiarize ourselves with some key concepts and terminology:

  1. Filesystem: A method for organizing and storing files on a disk.
  2. Partition: A section of a disk that is treated as a separate unit.
  3. Swap Space: Disk space used to extend the system’s RAM, providing additional virtual memory.
  4. Mount Point: A directory where a filesystem is attached to the overall filesystem tree.
  5. LVM (Logical Volume Manager): A system for managing disk drives and partitions in a more flexible manner than traditional partitioning.
  6. / (root) Filesystem: The top-level directory of the filesystem hierarchy.
  7. /var Filesystem: Typically used for variable data such as logs and spool files.
  8. /home Filesystem: Contains users’ personal files and directories.
  9. /boot Filesystem: Contains the kernel and bootloader files necessary to start the system.
  10. EFI System Partition (ESP): A special partition required for systems booting in UEFI mode.

Step-by-Step Guide #

Step 1: Identify System Requirements #

Understanding the intended use of the system is crucial for designing an efficient partitioning scheme. For instance:

  • Desktop Systems: Prioritize user data and applications.
  • Server Systems: Emphasize reliability, performance, and data storage.

Step 2: Basic Partition Layout #

A typical partition layout might include:

  1. / (root): The main filesystem, containing the operating system and applications.
  2. /boot: A separate partition for bootloader files.
  3. /home: A separate partition for user data.
  4. swap: Space allocated for virtual memory.

Step 3: Allocate Filesystems and Swap Space #

Here’s an example layout for a desktop system with a 500GB disk:

  • / (root): 20GB
  • /boot: 1GB
  • /home: 450GB
  • swap: 29GB
Device        Size     Mount Point
/dev/sda1     1GB      /boot
/dev/sda2     20GB     /
/dev/sda3     450GB    /home
/dev/sda4     29GB     swap

Step 4: Tailor the Design #

For a server, you might need to tailor the partitioning based on specific roles:

  • Web Server: Allocate more space to /var for logs.
  • Database Server: Separate the database files to improve performance and reliability.

Example layout for a database server with a 1TB disk:

  • / (root): 20GB
  • /boot: 1GB
  • /var: 200GB (database storage)
  • /home: 300GB
  • swap: 16GB
  • LVM for database: 463GB
Device        Size      Mount Point
/dev/sda1     1GB       /boot
/dev/sda2     20GB      /
/dev/sda3     200GB     /var
/dev/sda4     300GB     /home
/dev/sda5     16GB      swap
/dev/sda6     463GB     (LVM for database)

Step 5: Ensure /boot Conforms to Hardware Requirements #

For systems using BIOS, /boot should be within the first 1024 cylinders of the disk. For UEFI systems, create an EFI System Partition (ESP).

Example for UEFI system:

  • /boot/efi: 512MB (ESP)
  • / (root): 20GB
  • /home: 450GB
  • swap: 29GB
Device        Size     Mount Point
/dev/sda1     512MB    /boot/efi
/dev/sda2     20GB     /
/dev/sda3     450GB    /home
/dev/sda4     29GB     swap

Step 6: Use LVM for Flexibility #

LVM allows resizing partitions without rebooting. For example, creating a volume group and logical volumes:

# Create physical volume
pvcreate /dev/sda3

# Create volume group
vgcreate vg_data /dev/sda3

# Create logical volumes
lvcreate -L 200GB -n lv_var vg_data
lvcreate -L 250GB -n lv_home vg_data

Mount them accordingly:

Device             Size      Mount Point
/dev/vg_data/lv_var   200GB   /var
/dev/vg_data/lv_home  250GB   /home

Conclusion #

Designing a disk partitioning scheme involves understanding the system’s needs and allocating space accordingly. Using LVM adds flexibility, allowing dynamic resizing of partitions. By following these guidelines and examples, you can create an efficient partitioning layout tailored to your specific requirements.