Partitioning Strategies

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With earlier file systems, partitioning was a means of avoiding the inherent size limits. Using a version of FAT on a large disk can still pose a problem, and partitioning is a way of addressing it. With NTFS supporting huge multidisk volumes, however, that is no longer a consideration. Other reasons to partition, however, include:

• Multiple OS support — This can include supporting multiple versions of Windows or adding a boot partition for Linux or another operating system.

• Separating the operating system from the data files — Putting these two in separate partitions can make it easier to administer them. Limiting access to the drive containing the operating system to those with administrative privileges, while letting users save and access the data files, can eliminate problems connected with unauthorized users accessing particular files.

• Optimizing cluster sizes — Having the properly sized clusters for the type of files can improve overall performance. When both large and small files reside on the same partition, it is difficult to determine the cluster size that optimizes performance. A large database or graphics file, for example, could benefit from using 64-KB clusters, as such a size would mean fewer read/write operations and less fragmentation. A large number of text files, on the other hand, would do better with small clusters, as they would waste considerable space in a large cluster. Putting such files in separate partitions, with appropriate cluster sizes, would boost system performance for both types of operations.

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