File Systems

  • File System: Allows you to access, save, and secure files in the operating systems

  • Potential File Systems:

    • New Technology File System (NTFS): commonly found in Windows OS, but 90% of file servers are NTFS

      • Introduced modern features like encryption, compression, journaling, and permission

    • File Allocation Table (FAT32): AN older file system more compatible in older OS than NTFS

      • Lacks modern features but interacts well with older technology

    • Hierarchical File System (HFS): Found within Mac OS

      • Can also be Apple Filing System

    • Ext3 or Ext4 (Extended File System): Found within Linux OS

  • Each file system has different limitations and abilities.

  • Compression: reduces the size of a file or collection of files, enabling the ability to send data easier

  • Encryption: encodes data to reinforce confidentiality

    • Scrambling data to be unreadable

    • If encrypting a single file or folder, you need to use Encrypted File System (EFS)

    • If encrypting an entire hard drive in Windows, you would use Bitlocker

  • Permissions:

    • Read Permissions: Open a file or folder

    • Write Permissions: Add information to a file or create a file

    • Modify Permissions: Read, write, execute permissions, and delete a file or folder

    • Full Control Permissions: read, write, and modify and additional permissions

  • Journaling: Establishing integrity by keeping track of changes to a file by storing the date and time of the changes

  • Directories: tree of folders and subfolders in an operating system

  • Extensions: helps operating system properly identify files

    • Word processing file extensions: .doc, .docx

      • rich text file (rtf): another older term for word processing file extensions

    • Spreadsheet file extensions: .xls, .csv

      • .csv: comma-separated values, good for importing and exporting large amounts of data

    • Presentation file extension: ppt

    • Executable Files: .exe, .app, .bat

      • .app for mac

      • .bat: batch command-line commands: automated command lines

    • Video: .mp4

    • Image: .jpg

    • Audio: .mp3

    • Compression formats: .iso, .dmg, .zip, .rar

      • .iso and .dmg: compress files in a format similar to an optical disk. .iso typically used for windows, .dmg for mac

      • .zip & .rar: normal file compressions. not specific to operating system