A remote file system allows users to access data files on a storage device not directly connected to their computer. It can refer to physical disks or software protocols, and aims to be transparent for users. Access can be done through a GUI or text command line, and requires authentication.
In relation to computers, the term “remote file system” can refer to a physical disk that can be accessed via various protocols on a computer system that is not in the same location as the storage device, or it can refer to the software protocols used to access files over a network. A remote file system allows one or more users to view, modify, or otherwise manipulate data files on a storage device not directly connected to the user’s computer. This can be done in large companies where a central repository of information is used, or it can be implemented through dumb terminals or devices that lack the ability to maintain their own file systems. When used generically, a remote file system describes the physical system on which files are located, which can be a hard drive, an array of drives, or even a number of other connected remote file systems. In software terms, a remote file system can refer to a communication protocol, such as the network file system (NFS), which is used to allow secure and error-free access to files over a network.
The goal when using or developing a remote file system is ultimately to allow users to access the remote drive transparently, so it’s mostly indistinguishable from accessing a local drive. One way to achieve this is through the use of remote procedure calls (RPC) where the software contacts the computer hosting the file system and directly requests that the server execute commands to manipulate the files. This allows the server to manage files with its own software, reducing the need for more elaborate protocols that attempt to emulate the operation of an entire file system across a network.
Accessing a remote file system can be done in several ways. Most commonly, a graphical user interface (GUI) similar to the GUI used for local file access is used for remote access. Alternatively, some network systems use a text command line, particularly on systems that use command line utilities for editing or sorting files. In some situations, the file system is not fully open to the user, meaning that it is being accessed through other software, such as a word processor or integrated development environment (IDE). Whichever method is used, the remote file system often requires a user to log into the server with a password to ensure that only authorized users access files and to allow system administrators to limit access levels for some users.
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