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Re: Application File System Naming Standards

 
Robert Gamble_3
Regular Advisor

Application File System Naming Standards

When I went to my first HP 10.20 Class after its release, the instructor
suggested to put all application software under /opt and make a link to
wherever the application vendor wanted it installed (ie /usr/$APP). I was
wondering what most System Admins do in this situation.

All comments are welcome.
4 REPLIES 4
Neil Gast_1
Frequent Advisor

Re: Application File System Naming Standards

It's a matter of personal preference for manageability. I agree with the /opt
approach. Install all applications into /opt, and make necessary links for
applications that need hard-coded paths (e.g. a link from /usr/foo-app to
/opt/foo-app.v1.4).
I also like to keep my /opt LV limited to one or two PVs if possible.

MrNeil
Paul Heffels_1
Frequent Advisor

Re: Application File System Naming Standards

Hi,

Until now, I have allways been in the fortunate position to have a (raid)
cabinet available. I figured a long time ago that it's best to have all of your
applications on a seperate cabinet that can easily be migrated onto another
machine. New hardware is carried in relatively often, but (old) software
usually stays. I always keep some unallocated room available on the internal
harddisk and free space in /usr and /opt. This way I at least am able to
provide space that some obscure piece of software wants. Later I can always
move it onto my external cabinet and use a link to provide inter-operability.
So far, this has helped me quite well.
Anthony Goonetilleke_1
Regular Advisor

Re: Application File System Naming Standards

Probably the first starting point is having a look at the following file

/usr/share/doc/filesystem.txt

This gives you a history and a good outline of the HP-UX filesystem layout as
well as the SVR4 and OSF/1 layouts in comparison. If my memory serves me
correctly HP follows the AT&T SVR4 standard filesystem layout which stipulates
applications gets stored in /opt the general guide is that /usr be left for
sharable OS commands, libraries and docs.

Basically it comes down to where static files and dynamic files should be
kept. If you have applications keeping logs and files that grow dynamically it
is always a good idea to keep them out of /usr anyway and place them in opt.

As for me personally I keep all application binaries in /opt but I keep any
stuff I compile myself and install in /usr/local/bin

You will find that a lot of the GNU stuff likes /usr by default as well, but it
is generally a good idea to keep vendor applications in /opt

There are also a couple of other directories worth keeping an eye on /etc/opt
and /var/opt which most standard installations will use to store configuration
files and logs respectively. If these are not monitored they can get out of
control.

regards,
AG
Lennox Joseph
New Member

Re: Application File System Naming Standards

Hi
Well it could be different strategies depending on your environment.
Typically, I always make sure that I create a large "/opt", "/var", "/usr".
Reasons are all trhe patches and add-on or third party software that you
typically end up installing.
I create "/opt" as at least a gig, then I create a mount point under
/opt/ora001 as a separate filesystem that can be any size which does not affect
the size of opt and is still under the path of "/opt". It depends on your disk
capacity, or SOP (Standard operating procedures) or SOE (Standard Operating
Environment).
Let's take Documentum, in most cases it requires it's own filesystem structure
and local environment naming convention, but you begin with enough disk space
planned for that specific application. Again, I tend to use the primary
scenario as standard, and also implement this in the case of "var" so
var/adm/sw is a separate filesystem, var/adm/spool (also it's own filesystem).

Good Luck