Andrew File System
The Andrew File System (AFS) is a distributed network file system that enables files from any AFS machine across the country to be accessed as easily as files stored locally. It is an enterprise file system designed for use in a distributed environment on multiple computing platforms. AFS allows users on various types of computers to access the same file system. To a casual UNIX user, AFS disk space looks like a regular local disk; to Windows and Mac OS X users, it looks like a normal network drive. So with a single namespace and Kerberos authentication, AFS allows a user to log into any machine participating in the DCI and be presented their files and/or applications. AFS is composed of cells, with each cell representing an independently administered portion of file space. Cells are composed of two types of machines: fileserver and client. Fileservers are machines that typically store and control the files. A client machine accesses the files. Cells connect to form one enormous UNIX file system under the root /afs directory. PSC organizes and maintains the disk space associated with the cell psc.edu.One can access your PSC AFS space from most of PSC's machines, and can also make your directories accessible to users from any
Both AFS and Sprite file systems are distributed file systems so they use some form of caching. Additionally, AFS file space is managed centrally by ATN, freeing departments from having to buy and maintain departmental file servers. If the server reports that the file is up to date, the client is able to present the client with the file that is stored in the local disk cache rather than transferring the file from the server. The AFS client keeps pieces of commonly used files on local disk. · Widespread Access - You may access AFS from anywhere. Why Use AFS?AFS file space is available from any AFS client installed on any supported platform. File close cannot be carried out, however, and I'm guessing that the results of attempting a file close when a server is down or unreachable are not pretty. The client component resides on each machine that wants to use AFS. In that case, the file is removed from all client caches an maintained only in the server cache. This reduces the load on your wide network backbone. · Mobility - AFS is designed to deal with "mobile" users. Changes cannot affect other processes that opened the file before it was closed. · Security - By using a security technology called "Kerberos," AFS is designed to operate in a relatively insecure environment without compromising data. How AFS worksLike any network application, AFS has two components, a client and a server.
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Acceptance Essays
