XFS

[Jerry McBride]

On Friday 09 October 2009 11:37:51 Michael Hipp wrote:
> Gary Wilson wrote:
> > Is anyone using XFS? I have an 18TB NAS that I have to set up. I've
> > always used ext3. But fsck for 18TB is unbearable to think about. XFS
> > seems to be actively supported, but the one time I used it a couple of
> > years ago was disastrous. A sudden shutdown of the system left the
> > partition unrecoverable. Linux Journal this month has a
> > Point/Counterpoint 'debate' on Ext3 vs. XFS but it's not conclusive. Any
> > suggestions, recommendations?
> 
> I used XFS on several systems a few years ago. Then went through a spate of
> problems where the apc daemon was shutting down prematurely with near full
> batteries. This happened several times. Also had a UPS go bad and shut off
>  a system.
> 
> XFS was unrecoverable in most cases. The xfs tools would run forever, spit
>  lots of scary stuff to the screen, and then give up. Had to restore from
>  backups.
> 
> I've had these same kinds of systems crash hard in a variety of scenarios
>  with ext3 and was able to recover in every case I can remember. Never
>  needed the backups. I'd have little worry to walk up to any ext3 system
>  and yank the cord out of the wall at any moment. That's worth something.
> 
> Having good hardware and infrastructure is a must. But I can't excuse a
> filesystem that is evidently so *delicate* that it can't recover from a
>  hard poweroff. What, exactly, is the point of a journaling file system for
>  if not for that? <scratches head>
> 
> I know XFS has many things to recommend it. But I think "robustness" isn't
> among them.
> 
> Just my experiences.
> 
> Michael
> 
> P.S. But before I'd put 18TB on ext3, I'd figure out a way to bear the
>  periodic downtime for preventative fscks.
> 
> P.P.S. Why does the choice always seem to come down to a contest between
>  ext3 and xfs? Aren't there others worth considering that perhaps represent
>  some middleground?
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Nice post...

A few years ago, when looking for a a better file system than ext2, I had a 
long hard look at ext3. Part of it was some of the most brutal testing I have 
ever done to a computer, in an effort to cause issues with an ext3 file 
system. One test I did, was during a hard run on a mysql database, I would 
simply "pull the plug"... after a reboot and a re-read of the journal, the 
file system would come up with zero errors... time, after time, after time... 
never a bit or byte out of place... From what I have read, and I admit this is 
all "hear/read say",  XFS can and does die a horrible death with less than 
that... 


As for "middle ground"... there's always reiserfs... not the 4.x version. 

Jerry

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                             Jerome D. McBride
                                       
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