Basic Concepts

File System

A file system provides users with shared file storage through NFS or SMB. It is used for accessing network files remotely. After you create a file system on the console, you can mount the file system on multiple cloud servers and access the file system from the servers through the standard POSIX.

POSIX

Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX) is a set of interrelated standards specified by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) to define the application programming interface (API) for software compatible with the UNIX operating system (OS). POSIX is intended to achieve software portability at the source code level so that a program written for a POSIX compatible OS can be compiled and executed on any other POSIX OS.

NFS

Network File System (NFS) is a distributed file system protocol that allows different computers and OSs to share data over a network.

You are advised to use NFS file systems with Linux servers.

SMB

Server Message Block (SMB) is a protocol used for network file sharing. Using SMB, network files can be shared between Windows hosts. It enables Windows clients to identify and access shared resources provided by the storage system. Through it, clients can read, write, and create files in the file system the same way as on local PCs.

SMB file systems cannot be mounted to Linux servers.

You are advised to use SMB file systems with Windows servers.

CIFS

Common Internet File System (CIFS) is a protocol used for network file sharing. CIFS is a dialect of the SMB protocol, meaning that it is a specific implementation or variation of the SMB protocol. CIFS is also a public or open version of the SMB protocol. It allows applications to access files on computers over the Internet and request for file services. Using CIFS, network files can be shared between Windows hosts.

CIFS file systems cannot be mounted to Linux servers.

You are advised to use CIFS file systems with Windows servers.