Choosing a file system – Apple Mac OS X Server (Version 10.6 Snow Leopard) User Manual
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Chapter 5
Installation and Deployment
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If you’re using an installation disc for Mac OS X Server v10.6, you can perform these
tasks from another networked computer using VNC viewer software, such as Apple
Remote Desktop, before beginning a clean installation.
WARNING:
Before partitioning a disk, creating a RAID set, or erasing a disk or
partition on a server, preserve user data you want to save by copying it to another
disk or partition.
Choosing a File System
A file system is a method for storing and organizing computer files and the data they
contain on a storage device such as a hard disk. Mac OS X Server supports several
types of file systems. Each file system has its own strengths. You must decide which
system fits your organization’s needs.
For more information, see .
The following systems are available for use:
Mac OS Extended (Journaled) aka HFS+J
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Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Case-Sensitive) aka HFSX
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About Mac OS Extended (Journaled) aka HFS+J
An HFS+J volume is the default file system for Mac OS X Server.
An HFS+J volume has an optional journal to speed recovery when mounting a volume
that was not unmounted safely (for example, as the result of a power outage or
crash). The journal makes it easy to restore the volume structures to a consistent state,
without scanning all structures.
The journal is used only for volume structures and metadata. It does not protect the
contents of a fork. In other words, this journal protects the integrity of the underlying
disk structures, but not data that is corrupted due to a write failure or catastrophic
power loss.
More information about HFS+J can be found in Apple’s Developer Documentation at:
About Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Case-Sensitive) aka HFSX
HFSX is an extension to HFS Plus and allows volumes to have case-sensitive file and
directory names. Case-sensitive names means that you can have two objects whose
names differ only by the case of the letters in the same directory at the same time.
For example, you could have Bob, BOB, and bob in the same directory as uniquely
named files.