Re: ext2 -> ext3 on the fly?

["Robert L. Harris" <Robert.L.Harris@rdlg.net>]

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Thus spake David T Hollis (dhollis@davehollis.com):

> Robert L. Harris wrote:
> 
> >I have a number of servers which are currently mounting /usr as ext2.  I 
> >have a means of doing an tune2fs -j on all of them remotely en mass but
> >I'd rather not reboot them all to enable journaling on machines that are
> >up and not having issues.  I've tried to do a:
> >
> >mount -t ext3 -o remount /usr
> >
> >as well as just a mount -o remount after changing the fstab.
> >
> >on a test box but it just blows out a usage message.  Is there a way to
> >do this remount without a complete reboot that'll be transparant to
> >users?
> >
> >
> >If not, is it dangerous to tune2fs the filesystems, change the fstab and
> >then leave the box up for 2-6 months and let them reboot through
> >atrrition, upgrades, etc?
> >
> >Current kernel is 2.4.21-ac3, getting outages and upgrades is a rather
> >long process involving regression testing, etc.
> >
> >Robert
> >
> >:wq!
> >---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >Robert L. Harris                     | GPG Key ID: E344DA3B
> >                                        @ x-hkp://pgp.mit.edu
> >DISCLAIMER:
> >     These are MY OPINIONS ALONE.  I speak for no-one else.
> >
> >Life is not a destination, it's a journey.
> > Microsoft produces 15 car pileups on the highway.
> >   Don't stop traffic to stand and gawk at the tragedy.
> > 
> >
> I would be inclined to say it's not safe not from a code perspective but 
> an administration perspective.  If you make a change as significant as 
> the file system format but don't test it until you reboot the box six 
> months from now (when you aren't thinking about how you changed it six 
> months ago) problems are likely to happen.  Could be a simple typo or 
> something else, but it can definitely come back to bite you in the 
> backside.  Granted, if you forgot to change your fstab to ext3, you'd 
> still boot and be fine running as ext2, you just never can tell what 
> could happen.  Murphy always likes to visit on those occasions.


My thoughts exactly, just wanted someone else to say it so I can give it
to management.  Unfortunately I know their response will be that our
package management system will ensure this won't happen which
technically it shouldn't but I can think of a couple ways ti still
could.


:wq!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert L. Harris                     | GPG Key ID: E344DA3B
                                         @ x-hkp://pgp.mit.edu
DISCLAIMER:
      These are MY OPINIONS ALONE.  I speak for no-one else.

Life is not a destination, it's a journey.
  Microsoft produces 15 car pileups on the highway.
    Don't stop traffic to stand and gawk at the tragedy.

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