Ubuntu 19.10 Makes It So Easy To Have Your Desktop Running Off A ZFS File-System

As we reported this weekend, the Ubuntu desktop installer "Ubiquity" has landed the much anticipated ZFS install support. That's now propagated through to the Ubuntu 19.10 daily ISOs and does indeed make for a quick and easy setup of Ubuntu Eoan running off a root ZFS file-system.

This work landed just a week ahead of next week's official Ubuntu 19.10 debut. For Ubuntu 19.10 the Ubiquity installer allows an "experimental" option of doing a full-disk install of Ubuntu 19.10 with ZFS as the root file-system rather than the default EXT4. For the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS cycle they are expected to work on exposing more of the advanced partitioning features with ZFS. Also, Canonical developers are still working on their Zsys bits and other ZFS On Linux integration improvements.

But for Ubuntu 19.10, the basics are in place and it is super easy to run the Ubuntu desktop off ZFS!

It's an experimental option, but ZFS On Linux itself is quite mature and in good standing these days.

Of course, I'll have Ubuntu ZFS benchmarks on Phoronix shortly. Look for Ubuntu 19.10 to arrive on 17 October.