5.9.2. File System Basics
Red Hat Enterprise Linux includes support for many popular file systems, making it possible to easily access the file systems of other operating systems.
This is particularly useful in dual-boot scenarios and when migrating files from one operating system to another.
The supported file systems include (but are not limited to):
- EXT2
- EXT3
- NFS
- ISO 9660
- MSDOS
- VFAT
The following sections explore the more popular file systems in greater detail.
5.9.2.1. EXT2
Until recently, the ext2 file system had been the standard file system for Linux. As such, it has received extensive testing and is considered one of the more robust file systems in use today.
However, there is no perfect file system, and ext2 is no exception. One problem that is commonly reported is that an ext2 file system must undergo a lengthy file system integrity check if the system was not cleanly shut down. While this requirement is not unique to ext2, the popularity of ext2, combined with the advent of larger disk drives, meant that file system integrity checks were taking longer and longer. Something had to be done.
The next section describes the approach taken to resolve this issue under Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
