Linux Commands

XFS vs ZFS: A Brief Comparison

A file system provides the structure and a means to store and retrieve the data. The accessibility of data and its integrity depends a lot on what file system does your OS is using. Many file systems are available for adequately managing the files in disk partitions. XFS and ZFS are among those file systems.

However, there is always confusion about how XFS is different from ZFS. In this tutorial, we will give you a complete comparison between XFS and ZFS and help you decide which file system to use.

XFS vs. ZFS: A Brief Comparison

Before moving to the differences between these filesystems, let’s look at the basic definitions of XFS and ZFS.

What Is XFS?

The XFS is a 64-bit journaling file system which is notable for its fast and effective parallel input/output(IO) operations processing. Currently, XFS is the default filesystem in the distributions like RHEL, Rocky Linux, CentOS, and other RedHat-based distros. Hence, this filesystem works well due to its immense speed. XFS works on the principle of allocation groups (AGs). These sub-volumes manage their file data, allowing the file system to perform the concurrent I/O operations over various AGs.

What Is ZFS?

ZFS is a 128-bit file system which is primarily created for storage systems targeted for server-grade and workstation-level storage solutions. ZFS has a free version called OpenZFS and a commercial version which is supported by Oracle.

One of the primary features of ZFS is the self-healing of data inconsistencies and writing failures. It does so by utilizing the checksums and snapshots. There is also a specific RAID layout for ZFS called RAID-Z which improves efficiency by only stripping the data from the necessary discs instead of stripping the data randomly across all devices.

Difference Between XFS and ZFS

Here is the comparison table which provides more clarity about the XFS and ZFS:

Factors XFS ZFS
Definition Journaling file system Volume manager and file system
Conceived in 1993 2001
Architecture 64-bit 128-bit
Maximum File Size 8 exbibytes 16 exbibytes
Key feature Journaling, Fast parallel I/O Copy on write, data consistency
RAID Needs to be configured Has its own implementation, RAID-Z
Advantages 1. High Scalability

2. High Performance

3. Fast Transactions

1. Data Integrity

2. Pooled Storage

3. Increased performance

Disadvantages 1. Doesn’t support journal checksum

2. Cannot disable journaling

3. Size cannot be reduced directly

1. Requires more hardware

2. Complicated setup, comparatively

3. Increased management complexity

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we explained the similarities and the major differences between XFS and ZFS. Both file systems have advantages and disadvantages. You can select either file system based on your requirements. Choose XFS if capacity is your top concern, and go with ZFS if data integrity is your top priority. We briefly explained the key features, advantages, and disadvantages in a simple, easy-to-understand comparison.

About the author

Prateek Jangid

A passionate Linux user for personal and professional reasons, always exploring what is new in the world of Linux and sharing with my readers.