[MLUG] repartitioning in Linux

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Is it impossible to change a filesystem in Linux after the drive has been
partitioned?  For example, is it possible to change the sizes of /usr,
/var, /tmp, etc., if those were all separate partitions when Linux was
installed?  (I mean without backing up to tape, repartitioning the drive,
and reinstalling the files.)  I would think there might be software to
allow this, but is there any such software?

I'm asking because we are in the process of getting Linux running
satisfactorily on our first fairly-big Linux server and one of our IT guys
sent me this:

  One big difference that we can see already between Red Hat and the Tru64
  Unix that we are running is that Tru64 has an optional file system
  called the Advanced File System that allows disk volumes to be altered
  while still full of data.  For example, on one Tru64 system we needed to
  expand the size of the disk partition that is being used to store data.
  We did not just want a second partition, since the added space was
  needed because the files involved are huge (several gigabytes each) the
  ideal solution was to grow he existing data partition.  With AdvFS we
  can add another raid set to the raid controller, and then instruct AdvFS
  to include that volume in with the ones that currently make up the data
  partition.  Without even shutting down, much less backing up and
  restoring, we can add space to an existing partition. Very slick.

My experience of Solaris was that you couldn't change the disk partition,
so I wouldn't be surprised if Linux works that way too, but it would be
nice to be able to tell these guys that Linux can do a little more than
they knew!

Thanks in advance.

Mike
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