As an extension of the original filesystem piece, I’ve taken a closer look at the methods available for simply moving around directory trees on the Unix filesystem, including across a network.

Occasionally, you need to copy around an entire UNIX directory tree, either between areas on the same system or between different systems. There are many different methods of achieving this, but not all preserve the right amount of information or are compatible across different systems. This article discusses the various options available for UNIX and how best to make them work.

The article covers cp, tar, cpio and some basic scp examples. Read System Administrators Toolkit: Migrating and moving UNIX directory trees.