Core functions of a file system Which of the following describes core responsibilities commonly provided by an operating system file system?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: All of the above

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
File systems organize, store, and protect data. They expose naming conventions, access controls, and robustness features that allow users and applications to create, locate, share, and survive failures. This item checks recognition of typical file system responsibilities.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Modern file systems support hierarchical names and permissions.
  • They manage storage tiers and policies for performance versus cost.
  • They provide reliability features such as journaling and snapshots.


Concept / Approach:

Each option captures a real aspect of file system design: naming and sharing (a), data persistence and space management (b), and fault tolerance (c). Taken together they outline the scope of responsibilities delivered by file systems in mainstream operating systems.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Evaluate (a): directory trees and ACLs enable naming freedom and controlled sharing.Evaluate (b): disks, SSDs, and even cloud tiers are managed to balance cost and performance.Evaluate (c): journaling, copy on write, and checksums protect against crashes and corruption.All three are valid; therefore select “All of the above”.


Verification / Alternative check:

Examples: ext4 and NTFS use journaling for crash recovery; ZFS and btrfs add checksums and snapshots; POSIX permissions and extended ACLs implement controlled sharing.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Each individual statement is true, so “None of the above” is wrong.



Common Pitfalls:

Assuming hardware RAID alone provides data integrity; ignoring the file system role in metadata consistency and recovery.



Final Answer:

All of the above.

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion