The integrated file system is a part of i5/OS™ that supports stream input/output
and storage management similar to personal computer and UNIX® operating
systems, while providing an integrating structure over all information stored
in your server.
The integrated file system comprises 11 file systems, each with its own
set of logical structures and rules for interacting with information in storage.
Key features of the integrated file system include the following:
- Support for storing information in stream files that can contain long
continuous strings of data. These strings of data might be, for example, the
text of a document or the picture elements in a picture. The stream file support
is designed for efficient use in client/server applications.
- A hierarchical directory structure that allows objects to be organized
similar to common PC file structures. A path specified through the directories
to an object accesses the object.
- A common interface that allows users and applications to access not only
the stream files but also database files, documents, and other objects that
are stored in your server.
- A common view of stream files that are stored locally on your server,
Integrated xSeries® Server
for iSeries™,
or a remote Windows NT® server. Stream files can also be stored
remotely on a local area network (LAN) server, a Novell NetWare server, another
remote iSeries server,
or a Network File System server.
The integrated file system enhances the already extensive data management
capabilities of i5/OS with
additional capabilities to better support emerging and future forms of information
processing, such as client/server, open systems, and multimedia.
The integrated file system enables you to do the following:
- Attain fast access to i5/OS data, especially for applications such as iSeries Access
that use the i5/OS file
server.
- Handle types of stream data, such as images, audio, and video more efficiently.
- Use a file system base and a directory base for supporting UNIX-based
open system standards, such as Portable Operating System Interface for Computer
Environments (POSIX) and XPG. This file structure and this directory structure
also provides a familiar environment for users of PC operating systems such
as Disk Operating System (DOS), and Windows® operating systems.
- Gain access to file support with unique capabilities (such as record-oriented
database files, UNIX-based stream files, and file serving) to be handled as
separate file systems, while allowing them all to be managed through a common
interface.
LAN-attached optical devices do not support this interface.