Does it makes sense to partition a dedicated server hard drive?

Question

I am going to install Debian on our new dedicated server and I have a chance to set up hard drive partitions.

The server has two 750GB drives configured as RAID 1. We are going to have 10 Postgresql databases, where each database will be about 2 GB. There will be of course Apache/PHP on this server too. We'll use the server for only our own web applications.

The hosting company strongly recommends to create separate two partitions. First small one for "/" and second very big for the "/home". But I have some doubts about this. I have a feeling that one big partition for "/" directory is just fine. Answers to this question suggest also that it doesn't make sense to divide the disk into several partitions.

Is disk partitioning still relevant in such cases?

Answer 1

I don't think it's relevant anymore in terms of performance or for any practical reason.

Just be aware that RAID1 may only save you in case of a hardware fault. It's not a backup solution.

Answer 2

It is relevant if you have a place where data may fill up the partition and prevent something else from running; application log files may fill up a partition and leave no tmp space for other apps to write to, or the OS to write to, so yes, there are still relevant reasons to partition. Just look at what you need and decide if anything could prevent the rest of the system from being used. If so, you want to partition that off so if it does max out space, it only harms itself.

Answer 3

As stated in the thread you pointed to, about the only gain from multiple partitions is the ability to wipe and rebuild the OS without messing with your data. But you're running Debian on a remote server, so it is unlikely you would ever do that.

There also use to be reasons based on backup tape capacity when dumping entire partitions, but that is sooo last century.

Bottom line: don't partition.

Answer 4

I agree with your hosting company.

I always use partitioning to separate "my stuff" from the operating system. I assume the worst which is that the operating system will get screwed up to the point I will have to format and reinstall it and I dont want to lose any of my data. I usuaal format leaving a partition so that I can install a second operating system.

I do this on both LINUX and Windows systems although it has proved to be valuable on Windows many more times than for Linux. (I always have a duplicate Windows OS installation ready to sort out the main one!).

BTW if you are trying to get the most performance out of your disks then should realize that the place that data gets stored effects the read/write times -- by up to factor of 2. You can take advantage of this, for example, by formatting a disk into 3 partitions. The speed of the "first" will be faster than the "third"