WFS: A simple shared file system for a distributed environment

Abstract

WFS is a shared file server available to a large network community. WFS responds to a carefully limited repertoire of commands that client programs transmit over the network. The system docs not utilize connections, but instead behaves like a remote disk and reacts to page-level requests. The design emphasizes reliance upon client programs to implement the traditional facilities (stream 10, a directory system, etc.) of a file system. The use of atomic commands and connectionless protocols nearly eliminates the need for WF'S to maintain transitory state information from request to request. Various uses of the system arc discussed and extensions are proposed to provide security and protection without violating the design principles.