RHEL5 Automatic Partitioning

[tonykent]

I have just installed RHEL 5 for the first time on a new machine. Having used the 'Automatic Partitioning' option during installation I have been surprised to discover upon completion that other than the swap partition (LogVol00) it has allocated all the remaining disc space (1.6 terabytes) to a single root file system (LogVol01). Having now read the manual I see that this is what the automated option is meant to do, but this has surprised me somewhat since I have been brought up to believe that separate partitions should be created at least for /var and /home.

Before proceeding any further with configuring the machine I thought I would ask for the opinions of people with more experience of this than myself. Is a single file system a sensible way to proceed or would I better off re-partitioning/re-installing?

 

[Noway2]

I don't think that there is any one right answer on this and that there are advantages and disadvantages both ways. From a practical standpoint, I would look at it in terms of what are you using the server for and pay particular attention to your security needs. For example, if you have a separate /tmp partition you can mount the partition with noexec to help prevent rogue scripts from being executed if someone manages to use remote file inclusion on a web server. If /var is separate, you won't run out of root disk space from a excessive log or email queue problem. If /home is separate, it makes it easier to encrypt as well as running multiple OS's. This is certainly one of those YMMV situations.

 

[tonykent]

Thanks for your thoughts. The more I think about it the more I tend to feel that separate partitions are best.