What is Distributed File System?
A distributed file system (DFS) is a file system that is distributed on
various file servers and locations. It permits programs to access and store
isolated data in the same method as in the local files. It also permits the user
to access files from any system. It allows network users to share information
and files in a regulated and permitted manner. Although, the servers have
complete control over the data and provide users access control.
DFS's primary goal is to enable users of physically distributed systems to
share resources and information through the Common File System (CFS).
It is a file system that runs as a part of the operating systems. Its
configuration is a set of workstations and mainframes that a LAN connects.
The process of creating a namespace in DFS is transparent to the clients.
DFS has two components in its services, and these are as follows:
1. Local Transparency
2. Redundancy
Local Transparency
It is achieved via the namespace component.
Redundancy
It is achieved via a file replication component.
In the case of failure or heavy load, these components work together to
increase data availability by allowing data from multiple places to be
logically combined under a single folder known as the "DFS root".
It is not required to use both DFS components simultaneously; the
namespace component can be used without the file replication component,
and the file replication component can be used between servers without the
namespace component.
Features
There are various features of the DFS. Some of them are as follows:
Transparency
There are mainly four types of transparency. These are as follows:
1. Structure Transparency
The client does not need to be aware of the number or location of file servers
and storage devices. In structure transparency, multiple file servers must be
given to adaptability, dependability, and performance.
2. Naming Transparency
There should be no hint of the file's location in the file's name. When the file
is transferred form one node to other, the file name should not be changed.
3. Access Transparency
Local and remote files must be accessible in the same method. The file
system must automatically locate the accessed file and deliver it to the
client.
4. Replication Transparency
When a file is copied across various nodes, the copies files and their
locations must be hidden from one node to the next.
Scalability
The distributed system will inevitably increase over time when more
machines are added to the network, or two networks are linked together. A
good DFS must be designed to scale rapidly as the system's number of
nodes and users increases.
Data Integrity
Many users usually share a file system. The file system needs to secure the
integrity of data saved in a transferred file. A concurrency control method
must correctly synchronize concurrent access requests from several users
who are competing for access to the same file. A file system commonly
provides users with atomic transactions that are high-level concurrency
management systems for data integrity.
High Reliability
The risk of data loss must be limited as much as feasible in an effective DFS.
Users must not feel compelled to make backups of their files due to the
system's unreliability. Instead, a file system should back up key files so that
they may be restored if the originals are lost. As a high-reliability strategy,
many file systems use stable storage.
High Availability
A DFS should be able to function in the case of a partial failure, like a node
failure, a storage device crash, and a link failure.
Ease of Use
The UI of a file system in multiprogramming must be simple, and the
commands in the file must be minimal.
Working of Distributed File System
There are two methods of DFS in which they might be implemented, and
these are as follows:
1. Standalone DFS namespace
2. Domain-based DFS namespace
Standalone DFS namespace
It does not use Active Directory and only permits DFS roots that exist on the
local system. A Standalone DFS may only be acquired on the systems that
created it. It offers no-fault liberation and may not be linked to other DFS.
Domain-based DFS namespace
It stores the DFS configuration in Active Directory and creating namespace
root at domainname>dfsroot> or FQDN>dfsroot>.
DFS namespace
SMB routes of the form are used in traditional file shares that are linked to a
single server.
\\<SERVER>\<path>\<subpath>
Domain-based DFS file share paths are identified by utilizing the domain
name for the server's name throughout the form.
\\<[Link]>\<dfsroot>\<path>
When users access such a share, either directly or through mapping a disk,
their computer connects to one of the accessible servers connected with that
share, based on rules defined by the network administrator. For example, the
default behavior is for users to access the nearest server to them; however,
this can be changed to prefer a certain server
Applications of Distributed File System
There are several applications of the distributed file system. Some of them
are as follows:
Hadoop
Hadoop is a collection of open-source software services. It is a software
framework that uses the MapReduce programming style to allow distributed
storage and management of large amounts of data. Hadoop is made up of a
storage component known as Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). It
is an operational component based on the MapReduce programming model.
NFS (Network File System)
A client-server architecture enables a computer user to store, update, and
view files remotely. It is one of various DFS standards for Network-Attached
Storage.
SMB (Server Message Block)
IBM developed an SMB protocol to file sharing. It was developed to permit
systems to read and write files to a remote host across a LAN. The remote
host's directories may be accessed through SMB and are known as "shares".
NetWare
It is an abandon computer network operating system that is developed by
Novell, Inc. The IPX network protocol mainly used combined multitasking to
execute many services on a computer system.
CIFS (Common Internet File System)
CIFS is an accent of SMB. The CIFS protocol is a Microsoft-designed
implementation of the SIMB protocol.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Distributed File
System
There are various advantages and disadvantages of the distributed file
system. These are as follows:
Advantages
There are various advantages of the distributed file system. Some of the
advantages are as follows:
1. It allows the users to access and store the data.
2. It helps to improve the access time, network efficiency, and availability of
files.
3. It provides the transparency of data even if the server of disk files.
4. It permits the data to be shared remotely.
5. It helps to enhance the ability to change the amount of data and exchange
data.
Disadvantages
There are various disadvantages of the distributed file system. Some of the
disadvantages are as follows:
1. In a DFS, the database connection is complicated.
2. In a DFS, database handling is also more complex than in a single-user
system.
3. If all nodes try to transfer data simultaneously, there is a chance that
overloading will happen.
4. There is a possibility that messages and data would be missed in the network
while moving from one node to another
