Problem

How should I size /var on Linux systems for VA 5.0 onward

Resolution

Starting with Validation Authority 5.0, the CRLs directory on Linux systems is in <VADataDir>. The default location of <VADataDir> is /var/lib/va. The full path name to the CRLs directory is <VADataDir>/entserv/crls which for default installations is /var/lib/va/entserv/crls. This means the filesystem containing <VADataDir> must be large enough to contain all your CRLs. So, you must plan for the growth of this directory to contain all your CRLs as well as the usual contents of /var. If you have an installation pre-dating 5.0, you can use the size of your CRL directory as an estimate.

Another consideration to take into account when sizing the /var file system is that archiving important VA Server data is written to <VADataDir>/ServerArchives and <VADataDir>/ServerBackups. Normally these directories will be /var/lib/va/ServerArchives and /var/lib/va/ServerBackups. The amount of additional disk space for file system /var required will depend on the frequency you use the archive and cleanup options to the vacleaner command.

If you can, using LVM (Logical Volume Manager) to manage your disk space and file systems would be beneficial here. LVM allows you to dynamically allocate additional disk space to your file systems as the need arises. This takes much of the guess work out of sizing /var.