When installing Linux, most people don't spend a whole lot of time agonizing over which file system to use. In fact, I would guess that many distributions, especially the ones trying to ease the transition from Windows to Linux, don't even give you a choice.
But since the 11 of you who read this blog are
techno-savvy geeks experts, perhaps
this
benchmark test of ext3/reiser/xfs/jfs
will be of some interest. To cut to the conclusion:
Based on all testing done for this benchmark essay, XFS appears to be the most appropriate filesystem to install on a file server for home or small-business needs :
- It uses the maximum capacity of your server hard disk(s)
- It is the quickest FS to create, mount and unmount
- It is the quickest FS for operations on large files (>500MB)
- This FS gets a good second place for operations on a large number of small to moderate-size files and directories
- It constitutes a good CPU vs time compromise for large directory listing or file search
- It is not the least CPU demanding FS but its use of system resources is quite acceptable for older generation hardware.
YMMV. Insert disclaimer here. As with any testing, which test(s) you employ and how you actually use your PC may impact which file system is right for you.
Aloha!
