Re: [gentoo-user] Partitioning strategy...?

[Alan McKinnon]

On Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:53:17 +0700
Pandu Poluan <pandu@××××××.info> wrote:

> I want to build a Gentoo server box whose structure is
> highly-partitioned, like this:

partition setups are like lovers - highly variable. And the one that
suits you will suit almost no-one else.

Many of the recommendations you find on-line come from an earlier time
and the reason they got going is no longer valid for the most part. So
do take care to evaluate the real reason why you are doing something.

Valid reasons included:

You want to unmount a dir structure (/boot).
The fs type for a partition is different from that fs it mounts to
(often /var/log but these days most often used with tmpfs).
You need to mount an fs with different mount options to the fs it
mounts onto (/home noexec on multi-user setups for example)

The way to do this is not to search Google for recommendations, as
there is no such valid thing, but to figure out for yourself why you
want a mountpoint, calculate how much space *you* need, then do it.
Read other's experiences who use similar software as you by all means,
but that will be mere hints.

My own thoughts:

- I can't find a good reason anymore to have a local /usr separate. It's
  always mounted on my systems, even in maintenance mode (there's
  always at least one decent tool that the distro decided to put
  in /usr/sbin)

- /tmp is only useful on it's own if it's a tmpfs. Mine hasn't ever
  filled up anywhere (despite best efforts of users). tmpfs is general
  is an awesome idea.

- Keeping data and code separate is always a good idea. But only a few
  things in /var are critical like /var/log and /var/<database>.
  Everything else is usually tiny and can safely live on /

- /boot is traditionally separate partly because long long long ago
  BIOSs couldn't read past 1024 cylinders which borked lilo. This is no
  longer true. 


>
> /
> /boot
> /usr
> /tmp
> /usr/portage ==> via NFS
> /var
> /var/lib/postgresql
> /var/tmp
> /var/log
> /var/spool
>
> (Not all of them will reside on the same physical disk; I have
> /dev/sda up to /dev/sdd)
>
> I've been searching high and low for recommended numbers... and there
> are as many number as search-hits.
>
> So. Care to share your partitioning strategy?
>
> (And while we're at it, am I overdoing the partitioning?)
>
> Rgds,



-- 
Alan McKinnnon
alan.mckinnon@×××××.com