Number of Files in Directory

[Anon]

I'm uploading lots of files to a server via a web form. (Aproximately 30,000 small jpgs or gifs) I've decided not to use the binary method of storing the files in a database, so I'm going to store as files. My question is under Linux (RH or Mandrake):

Are there any limitations to the number of files I can store in a directory?
Are there Performance issues with so many files?
Should I break them in separate Subdirectories... If So... Where do the Bottlenecks occur in terms of file access.

Thanks,

Joe
[e-mail]

[Anon]

Are there Performance issues with so many files?

There certainly might be. The most meaningful approach is to
try is several ways and measure the results, but 30,000 is not
a small number...

Should I break them in separate Subdirectories...

That is a viable approach.

If So... Where do the Bottlenecks occur in terms of file access.

AFAIK it's just the time to search the directories. Even a simple
method like duplicating the first 2 chars of the filename (e.g.
sa/sample.gif) can give at least an order-of-magnitude decrease
in file-opening time. But if your file names are too regular, you
would want some other method (e.g. the last two chars before
the dot)

[Anon]

Linux' default file-system (ext2) is quite slow when working with directories containing that many files.

I have heard that a file-system like Reiserfs is order of magnitude faster in the mentioned situation.

If installing another file-system on the server is not an option, then yes - you should place the files in a system of sub/sub-directories.