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.hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the Red Hat product, see <a href="/wiki/GFS2" title="GFS2">GFS2</a>.</div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Computer_storage" class="mw-redirect" title="Computer storage">computer storage</a>, a <b>global file system</b> is a <a href="/wiki/Distributed_file_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Distributed file system">distributed file system</a> that can be accessed from multiple locations, typically across a wide-area network, and provides concurrent access to a <a href="/wiki/Global_Namespace" class="mw-redirect" title="Global Namespace">global namespace</a> from all locations. In order for a file system to be considered global, it must allow for files to be created, modified, and deleted from any location. This access is typically provided by a <a href="/wiki/Cloud_storage_gateway" title="Cloud storage gateway">cloud storage gateway</a> at each edge location, which provides access using the NFS or SMB network file sharing protocols.<sup id="cite_ref-pritchard1_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pritchard1-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>There are a number of benefits to using a global file system. First, global file systems can improve the availability of data by allowing multiple copies to be stored in different locations, as well as allowing for rapid restoration of lost data from a remote location. This can be helpful in the event of a disaster, such as a power outage or a natural disaster. Second, global file systems can improve performance by allowing data to be cached closer to the users who are accessing it. This can be especially beneficial in cases where data is accessed by users in different parts of the world. Finally, in contrast to traditional <a href="/wiki/Network_attached_storage" class="mw-redirect" title="Network attached storage">Network attached storage</a>, global file systems can improve the ability of users to collaborate across multiple sites, in a manner similar to <a href="/wiki/Enterprise_file_synchronization_and_sharing" title="Enterprise file synchronization and sharing">Enterprise file synchronization and sharing</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-pritchard1_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pritchard1-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The term global file system has historically referred to a <a href="/wiki/Distributed_computing" title="Distributed computing">distributed</a> virtual <a href="/wiki/Name_space" class="mw-redirect" title="Name space">name space</a> built on a set of local <a href="/wiki/File_system" title="File system">file systems</a> to provide transparent access to multiple, potentially distributed, systems.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These global file systems had the same properties such as blocking interface, no buffering etc. but guaranteed that the same path name corresponds to the same object on all computers deploying the filesystem. Also called <a href="/wiki/Distributed_file_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Distributed file system">distributed file systems</a> these file systems rely on redirection to distributed systems, therefore latency and scalability can affect file access depending on where the target systems reside. </p><p>The <a href="/wiki/Andrew_File_System" title="Andrew File System">Andrew File System</a> attempted to solve this for a campus environment using <a href="/wiki/Cache_(computing)" title="Cache (computing)">caching</a> and a <a href="/wiki/Weak_consistency" title="Weak consistency">weak consistency model</a> to achieve local access to remote files. </p><p>In the 2000's, global file systems have found a use case in providing <a href="/wiki/Hybrid_cloud_storage" title="Hybrid cloud storage">hybrid cloud storage</a>, that combine cloud or any <a href="/wiki/Object_storage" title="Object storage">object storage</a>, versioning and local caching to create a single, unified, globally accessible file system that does not rely on redirection to a storage device <sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> but serves files from the local cache while maintaining the single file system and all meta data in the object storage.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As described in <a href="/wiki/Google" title="Google">Google</a>'s patents, advantages of these global file systems include the ability to scale with the object storage, use snapshots stored in the object storage for versioning to replace backup, and create a centrally managed consolidated storage repository in the object storage. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Comparison_with_Network_Attached_Storage">Comparison with Network Attached Storage</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Comparison with Network Attached Storage"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>When it comes to hybrid file storage, there are two main approaches: network attached storage (NAS) with cloud connectivity and global file system (GFS). The two solutions are fundamentally different.<sup id="cite_ref-evaluator_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>NAS with cloud connectivity is typically used to supplement on-premises storage. Public clouds may be combined with on-premises NAS for tasks such as backup, tiering, or disaster recovery. This type of setup uses the cloud for specific use cases to complement on-premises storage. On-premises NAS is sold by well-established IT vendors including <a href="/wiki/Dell" title="Dell">Dell</a>, <a href="/wiki/IBM" title="IBM">IBM</a>, <a href="/wiki/NetApp" title="NetApp">NetApp</a>, and others, and most build in support for some type of cloud connectivity.<sup id="cite_ref-evaluator_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A Global File System utilizes a fundamentally different architecture. In these solutions, cloud storage – typically object storage – serves as the core storage element, while caching devices are utilized on-premises to provide data access. These devices can be physical but are increasingly available as virtual solutions that can be deployed in a <a href="/wiki/Hypervisor" title="Hypervisor">hypervisor</a>. The use of caching devices reduces the amount of required on-premises storage capacity, and the associated capital expense.<sup id="cite_ref-evaluator_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Global file systems are better suited for remote collaboration, as they make it easier to manage access to files across dispersed geographic areas. Utilizing the cloud as a central storage location enables users to access the same data regardless of their location.<sup id="cite_ref-evaluator_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>There are some trade-offs to consider when choosing a GFS solution, however. One trade off is that because the gold copy of data is stored off-site, there may be latency issues when retrieving infrequently accessed files.<sup id="cite_ref-evaluator_5-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Vendors">Vendors</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Vendors"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Notable vendors in the global filesystem area include:<sup id="cite_ref-pritchard1_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pritchard1-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/CTERA_Networks" title="CTERA Networks">CTERA Networks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nasuni" title="Nasuni">Nasuni</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Panzura" title="Panzura">Panzura</a></li> <li>Hammerspace</li> <li>Peer Software<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Clustered_file_system" title="Clustered file system">Clustered file system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Distributed_file_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Distributed file system">Distributed file system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shared_memory" title="Shared memory">Shared memory</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output 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a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFPritchard2022" class="citation web cs1">Pritchard, Stephen (23 June 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Global-file-systems-Hybrid-cloud-and-follow-the-sun-access">"Global file systems: Hybrid cloud and follow-the-sun access"</a>. <i>Computer Weekly</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 June</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Computer+Weekly&rft.atitle=Global+file+systems%3A+Hybrid+cloud+and+follow-the-sun+access&rft.date=2022-06-23&rft.aulast=Pritchard&rft.aufirst=Stephen&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.computerweekly.com%2Ffeature%2FGlobal-file-systems-Hybrid-cloud-and-follow-the-sun-access&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGlobal+file+system" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=9ccb2KXTLZIC">Parallel Database Systems: PRISMA Workshop</a>. <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a> September 24–26, 1990. edited by Pierre America (Jul 17, 1991 <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/3-540-54132-2" title="Special:BookSources/3-540-54132-2">3-540-54132-2</a>), page 410</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US8566362">"Method and system for versioned file system using structured data representations"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Method+and+system+for+versioned+file+system+using+structured+data+representations&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpatents.google.com%2Fpatent%2FUS8566362&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGlobal+file+system" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US8661063">"Versioned file system with sharing"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Versioned+file+system+with+sharing&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fpatents.google.com%2Fpatent%2FUS8661063&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGlobal+file+system" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-evaluator-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-evaluator_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-evaluator_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-evaluator_5-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-evaluator_5-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-evaluator_5-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFLewis2022" class="citation web cs1">Lewis, Mitch (September 13, 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.evaluatorgroup.com/document/technical-insight-file-storage-selection-nas-vs-global-file-systems/">"Technical Insight: File Storage Selection – NAS vs Global File Systems"</a>. <i>Evaluator Group</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Evaluator+Group&rft.atitle=Technical+Insight%3A+File+Storage+Selection+%E2%80%93+NAS+vs+Global+File+Systems&rft.date=2022-09-13&rft.aulast=Lewis&rft.aufirst=Mitch&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.evaluatorgroup.com%2Fdocument%2Ftechnical-insight-file-storage-selection-nas-vs-global-file-systems%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGlobal+file+system" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://storageexorcist.wordpress.com/2022/11/01/peergfs-file-management-and-orchestration-across-edge-data-center-and-cloud-storage/">"PeerGFS File Management and Orchestration across Edge, Data Center and Cloud Storage"</a>. November 2022.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=PeerGFS+File+Management+and+Orchestration+across+Edge%2C+Data+Center+and+Cloud+Storage&rft.date=2022-11&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fstorageexorcist.wordpress.com%2F2022%2F11%2F01%2Fpeergfs-file-management-and-orchestration-across-edge-data-center-and-cloud-storage%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AGlobal+file+system" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://auth.wikimedia.org/loginwiki/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&oldid=1279552741">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Global_file_system&oldid=1279552741</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Computer_file_systems" title="Category:Computer file systems">Computer file systems</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Distributed_computing" title="Category:Distributed computing">Distributed computing</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 9 March 2025, at 06:03<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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