Monday, December 12, 2016

Linux file systems




Linux file systems

Open-source Linux OS aims at implementing, testing and using different concepts of file systems. The most popular Linux file systems nowadays are:
  • Ext2, Ext3, Ext4 - 'native' Linux file system. This file system falls under active developments and improvements. Ext3 file system is just an extension to Ext2 which uses transactional file write operations with a journalExt4 is a further development of Ext3, extended with support of optimized file allocation information (extents) and extended file attributes. This file system is frequently used as a 'root' file system for most Linux installations.
  • ReiserFS - alternative Linux file system is created to store huge amount of small files. It has good capability of files search and enables compact files allocation by storing file tails or small files along with metadata in order not to use large file system blocks for the same purpose.
  • XFS - file system derived from SGI company and was initially used for company’s IRIX servers. Now XFS specifications are implemented in Linux. XFS file system has great performance and is widely used to store files.
  • JFS - file system is developed by IBM for the company’s powerful computing systems.JFS1 usually stands for JFSJFS2 is the second release. Currently this file system isopen-source and implemented in most modern Linux versions.
The concept of 'hard links' used in this kind of OS is a common feature of Linux file systems of not regarding the file name as file attribute and rather defined as an alias for a file in certain directory. File object can be linked from many locations, even multiply from the same directory under different names. This may present serious and even insurmountable difficulties for recovery of file names after file deletion or file system damage.

For information about data recovery from these file systems please visit 
Deleted files: chances for recovery page.

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