Need 2nd HD Partition Suggestions

[lynbor]

Hi All,

My office was in need of a new shared file storage machine and didn't want to spend any money on it, so I volunteered to set up a Linux Server running Samba ..

I'm fairly new to Linux, but not new to PCs at all and have an extensive background in Novell servers. So naturally I chose to install SuSE 10.2

I was very pleased with the install of SuSE 10.2 on a fairly modern hardware build. I have 1 GB of RAM, a 3.8GHz processor and an 80GB SATA drive to start with. I got the office to flip for a new 2nd SATA HDD that is 400GB to be the storage area for the network. They have about 30 workstations all running WinXP except for a hand full of old Win98se boxes. They are doing WorkGroup shares. So my immediate thought was to make my new Linux Server be the PDC and work towards eliminating all the network shares thus getting closer to a real client/server style of network.

Anyway, I've installed the 2nd 400GB SATA drive and booted my SuSE server. It sees the drive and I'm in Partition Expert, but now I'm not sure of the best way to partition this new device. Here is what I hope to accomplish and perhaps someone can tell me how to properly config the new partitions.

On the current workgroup system there are 6 groups based on departments, sales, engineering, purchasing, etc..

I'd like to create on partition that is "common". All user can see and use that area freely to share files.

Then I'd like each user group to have a partition just for them, or it could be a single partition that is divided up into the 6 groups. The main thing is that if you are not a member of a group you can not access that groups area.

Then lastly I'd like to have each user have his own "personal" space that only the system Admin and that individual user has access to.

As for sizes I was thinking

100 GB for the Common share
150 GB (30 x 5GB) for the user personal
150 GB for the Groups

So my questions are should or can I make one 400GB partition and then just use secturity/policies to divide it up as mentioned above or would it be better/easier to create 3 partitions as shown above?

Do I need to create an additional swap partition?

What type of file system is best for this useage?

What should the mount point be?

I realize that some of this is just personal preference, but since I'm not familiar with Linux I'd really like to get a little directional nudge so I don't end up having to come back and re-do this later.

Appreciate any and all advice provided.

[gogalthorp]

As for sizes I was thinking

100 GB for the Common share
150 GB (30 x 5GB) for the user personal
150 GB for the Groups

So my questions are should or can I make one 400GB partition and then just use secturity/policies to divide it up as mentioned above or would it be better/easier to create 3 partitions as shown above?

Do I need to create an additional swap partition?

What type of file system is best for this useage?

What should the mount point be?

I realize that some of this is just personal preference, but since I'm not familiar with Linux I'd really like to get a little directional nudge so I don't end up having to come back and re-do this later.

Appreciate any and all advice provided.

It is a lot personal preference. I see nothing wrong in you basic scheme. It should make backup restore fairly easy.


You can mount the partitions as common , personal, group. This will attach them to the directory tree. Then you can assign permissions and sub-directories accordingly.