Unlike most file systems, /proc contains neither text not binary files. Instead, it houses virtual files; hence, /proc is normally referred to as a virtual file system. These virtual files are typically zero bytes in size, even if they contain a large amount of information.

The /proc file system is not used for storage per se. Its main purpose is to provide a file-based interface to hardware, memory, running processes, and other system components. You can retrieve real-time information on many system components by viewing the corresponding /proc file. Some of the files within /proc can also be manipulated (by both users and applications) to configure the kernel.

The following /proc files are relevant in managing and monitoring system storage:

For more information about the /proc file system, refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Deployment Guide.