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Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2004 20:39:08 +0200
From: Geert Hendrickx <geert.hendrickx@ua.ac.be>
To: oceanare@pacific.net.sg
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cc: freebsd-performance@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: spreading partitions over multiple drives
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> Not for this usage.
> > 
> > Fragmentation may be LESS of a problem with UFS, but a moving target
> > like one big /usr (incl src, obj, ports) will get fragmented as well.
> 
> This is how you see it. I have not heard that there is any tool to help 
> here.
> 
> I would not call this fragmentation. It is more like spreading the files 
> from one directory all over the disk.

Ok but the effect is the same: constant movement of the head.  

> > Splitting up partitions would reduce this fragmentation (as you are
> > essentially defining some "super large blocks"), and may increase
> > filesystem stability in case of crashes etc.  
> > 
> It might not affect stability but it increases the chances to fix a 
> problem in case of a crash.

Yes I meant stability of the filesystem not of the running OS.  


Ok but the original question was about spreading partitions amongst
multiple disks, not pro/con splitting partitions on one disk. :-)  

GH