File Systems: What They Are and Why You Care (Spring 2010)

File systems—the software that transforms bits stored on disks into business objects—are so much a part of the IT landscape that we hardly even notice them. We fire up the computer, and immediately start working with “folders” and “files,” without ever reflecting on the complex software that makes it so easy and natural to store and process data electronically. But new requirements and new file system capabilities are making it necessary for decision makers to understand the “gets” and “don’t gets” of different types of file systems. This tutorial looks inside the file system to describe how it does its magic, explores new and emerging file system capabilities, and addresses the question, “As an IT decision maker, why do I care what kind of file systems my department is using."

Learning Objectives

• Understand at an overview level the role file systems play in information technology.
• Appreciate the applications for advanced and emerging features offered by some file systems.
• Become equipped to make decisions about file system technology and usage in the IT environment.