Episode 14 — Filesystems in practice: ext4 vs xfs vs btrfs vs tmpfs, when and why
Linux+ tests filesystem knowledge because different filesystems imply different behaviors under load, different recovery options, and different best practices for growth and snapshots. This episode compares ext4, xfs, btrfs, and tmpfs in practical terms, focusing on why an administrator would choose one over another and how those choices change troubleshooting. You’ll learn the exam-level characteristics that matter: traditional stability and broad compatibility, scalability patterns, copy-on-write behaviors, and the special case of memory-backed temporary storage. The purpose is not to turn you into a filesystem engineer, but to give you enough clarity to interpret scenario questions that mention filesystem types, mount behavior, or performance symptoms tied to metadata and allocation patterns.
we translate filesystem differences into decision-making and failure handling. You’ll practice recognizing what “goes wrong” looks like: a filesystem remounting read-only after errors, unexpected space usage patterns due to snapshots, or applications failing because temporary storage is exhausted in a memory-backed mount. We also discuss safe maintenance thinking: choosing the right time to run checks, validating that a filesystem supports the resizing direction you intend, and ensuring mount options align with workload and security requirements. Finally, you’ll learn how to avoid the exam trap of treating all filesystems the same by asking the right questions first: what is the workload, what is the recovery expectation, and what persistence guarantees does the mount actually provide. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.
