UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook, 5th Edition

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Storage

Data storage systems are looking more and more like a giant set of Lego blocks that you can assemble in an infinite variety of configurations. You can build anything from a lightning-fast storage space for a mission-critical database to a vast, archival vault that stores three copies of all data and can be rewound to any point in the past.

Mechanical hard drives remain a popular storage medium when capacity is the most important consideration, but solid state drives (SSDs) are preferred for performance-sensitive applications. Caching systems, both software and hardware, help combine the best features these storage ...