FTPOnline - Inside Longhorn Architecture

APIs: Multiple flexible programming models provided to simplify interaction with WinFS.

Objects: A set of managed classes and interfaces defined in the System.Storage namespace. It allows strongly typed, high-level access to WinFS services.

T/SQL: WinFS incorporates relational database technologies. T/SQL is Microsoft's extension to Structured Query Language. This allows access to the file system in a database-like manner.

XML: You can use XML-based APIs to query the underlying file system and retrieve the data in XML form, to exploit features of other XML-based technologies such as data transformation and presentation through XSL and data interop.

Synchronization: Data synchronization services keep information that is stored in different devices and locations synchronized at all times, with minimal user intervention.

WinFS not only performs the operations of traditional file systems (managing files and folders), but also provides universal unified storage models for entities such as Images, Documents, Places, People, and so on. Each entity has specific metadata used for more efficient searching and retrieval.

Items: Items are the primary data containers. Each item contains multiple properties to hold the data, and a reference to a type that defines what properties the item has.

Relationships: A relationship is an association between two items. Like an item, a relationship has a type that defines the required structure of its data, and might have additional properties attached. Relationships allow grouping of items in sets that have common properties (a play list, for example).

Extensions: Provide ability to add new data to existing Item types.

Relational Engine: Handles queries and enforces data integrity with respect to semantics, transactions, and constraints.

Identity & Security System: Maintains a database of information on user accounts, including each user's password, any account groups he or she belongs to, access rights, and any special privileges.

Transactions: Enable applications to make multiple changes on a file as a unit.

Volume Shadow Copy Service: At configurable intervals, VSS takes a snapshot (Shadow Copy) of the state of content stored on selected volume shares. VSS stores only the changes for the shares, not the entire share content. As a result, it doesn't replace backups—if you lose your file systems, the Shadow Copy information would be of no use.

File Replication Service: FRS ensures that data stays synchronized, replicating all data on file shares, automatically maintaining synchronization between copies across multiple servers.

Virtual Disk Service: VDS implements a single, uniform interface for managing disks, providing an important new set of command-line utilities and management applications.

Client Side Caching: Allows network users to access files on file shares, even when the client computer is disconnected from the network, because the files have been cached on the client computer.

Redirectors: Redirectors enable mapping of specific storage resources on remote servers to drive letters. They handle file requests from applications, transparently mapping them using the appropriate protocol.

Transactional NTFS: NTFS is the base file system for Longhorn and previous NT-based operating systems, but Longhorn adds support for transactions. Transactions enable applications to make multiple changes on a file as a unit.

Universal Data Format: UDF is a CD-ROM and DVD file system standard developed to ensure consistency among data written to various optical media.

FAT16/32: File systems based on File Allocation Table, used by the operating system to keep track of file fragments on storage media. FAT32, introduced with Windows 95 OSR2, allows more efficient use of storage space and support for larger storage devices.

Serialization: The process of converting the state of an object into a form that can be persisted or transported. The complement of serialization is deserialization, which converts a stream to an object.

IO Manager: Manages file system drivers, device drivers, and network drivers.

Kernel: Schedules access to the storage device. Handles hardware interrupts and redirects them to the appropriate device.