Cloud Computing
Distributed File System
Distributed File System
A Distributed File System (DFS) as the name
suggests, is a file system that is distributed on
multiple file servers or multiple locations. It
allows programs to access or store isolated
files as they do with the local ones, allowing
programmers to access files from any network
or computer.
Distributed File System
The main purpose of the Distributed File System
(DFS) is to allows users of physically distributed
systems to share their data and resources by
using a Common File System. A collection of
workstations and mainframes connected by a
Local Area Network (LAN) is a configuration on
Distributed File System. A DFS is executed as a
part of the operating system. In DFS, a
namespace is created, and this process is
transparent for the clients.
Components of DFS
DFS has two components:
Location Transparency: Location Transparency
achieves through the namespace component.
Redundancy: Redundancy is done through a file
replication component.
File system replication:
DFS Replication” was developed by Windows
Server 2003 R2 (DFSR). By only copying the
portions of files that have changed and
minimizing network traffic with data compression,
it helps to improve FRS.
File system replication:
• Naming transparency :
There should not be any hint in the name of the file to
the location of the file. Once a name is given to the
file, it should not be changed during transferring from
one node to another.
• Replication transparency:
If a file is copied on multiple nodes, both the copies of
the file and their locations should be hidden from one
node to another.
File system replication:
• User mobility :
It will automatically bring the user’s home directory to the node where the
user logs in.
• Performance :
Performance is based on the average amount of time needed to convince
the client requests. This time covers the CPU time + time taken to access
secondary storage + network access time.
• High availability :
A Distributed File System should be able to continue in case of any partial
failures like a link failure, a node failure, or a storage drive crash.
File system replication:
Scalability :
Since growing the network by adding new machines or
joining two networks together is routine, the distributed
system will inevitably grow over time.
High reliability :
The likelihood of data loss should be minimized as much as
feasible in a suitable distributed file system. That is,
because of the system’s unreliability, users should not feel
forced to make backup copies of their files.
Properties:
• File transparency: users can access files without knowing
where they are physically stored on the network.
• Load balancing: the file system can distribute file access
requests across multiple computers to improve
performance and reliability.
• Fault tolerance: the file system can continue to operate even
if one or more of its components fail.
• Data integrity: the file system can ensure that the data
stored in the files is accurate and has not been corrupted.
Properties:
• NFS
NFS stands for Network File System. It is a client-server architecture
that allows a computer user to view, store, and update files remotely.
The protocol of NFS is one of the several distributed file system
standards for Network-Attached Storage (NAS).
• CIFS
CIFS stands for Common Internet File System. CIFS is an accent of
SMB. That is, CIFS is an application of SIMB protocol, designed by
Microsoft
Working of DFS :
Standalone DFS namespace –
It allows only for those DFS roots that exist on the local computer and are
not using Active Directory. A Standalone DFS can only be acquired on
those computers on which it is created. Domain-based DFS namespace –
It stores the configuration of DFS in Active Directory, creating the DFS
namespace root accessible at \\<domainname>\<dfsroot> or
\\<FQDN>\<dfsroot>
Advantages :
•Advantages :
• DFS allows multiple user to access or store the data.
• It allows the data to be share remotely.
• It improved the availability of file, access time, and
network efficiency.
• Improved the capacity to change the size of the data
and also improves the ability to exchange the data.
• Distributed File System provides transparency of data
even if server or disk fails.
Disadvantages :
• In Distributed File System nodes and
connections needs to be secured therefore we
can say that security is at stake.
• There is a possibility of lose of messages and
data in the network while movement from one
node to another.
• Database connection in case of Distributed File
System is complicated.
