CIFS Limits

[A. Daniel King_1]

Hi, folks.

Does anyone know how HP-UX handles large CIFS file systems, say in the multiple-TB range?

What are the maximum number of entries that can be in a single CIFS directory/mount-point?

Any and all information is appreciated!

[Bill Hassell]

Which direction? Exporting Tb filesystems to a PC, or importing from a PC? HP-UX 11.0 and higher supports 1 Tb filesystems and files although without some of the latest patches, you can probably create multi-TB filesystems/files. The real question is likely: can a PC handle multi-TB filesystems (native or shared). I would be very concerned about that much data being shared between unrelated operating systems.

As far as entries, the same question applies. Essentially, CIFS is a translator, taking an existing filesystem and mapping requests to/from the client(s). If the concern is with a TB filesystem with millions (or billions) of files, I would look at a very different design for sharing such data.

[Vincent Fleming]

You mean as a CIFS server? ala' SAMBA?

SAMBA does not have any pre-set limit, as far as I've ever seen or heard. The SMB/CIFS protocol is pretty flexible in that regard as well.

I believe that any restrictions of that sort would come from the underlying filesystem - HFS or JFS.

So, your UNIX filesystem defines what the maximum is.

I don't know what the maximums are for JFS - pretty much unlimited, if I remember correctly. HFS is much more restrictive, and I would not recommend using it for things like this.

Good luck!

Vince

[Steven E. Protter]

I'm currently running tests, exporting larger and larger filesystems. Also running load tests.

I'm also doing it in my private business doing the same thing on Linux.

I'm finding Samba/CIFS to be much more robust than NT SErver, and NT server is pretty darned reliable if you ask me.

SEP

[A. Daniel King_1]

Thanks for the replies. I should have been more explicit.

Linux/Samba server ...

HP-UX CIFS client ...

My concern is that the Linux exported file system (proprietary, non-hierarchical, VERY large), will run into some HP-UX kernel or operational limit. The potential for this systems is to grow to many TB and billions of files!

[Steven E. Protter]

What kind of linux fs? As noted above, I've done it with both.

SEP

[A. Daniel King_1]

Red Hat Linux release 7.2 (Enigma)
Kernel 2.4.18-19.7.xsmp on an i686

Thanks for the follow up.

[A. Daniel King_1]

File system ... proprietary and based upon perlfs.