Operating systemsLesson 1 of 2 in the course File systems and I/O

Unix Inodes: Metadata, Links, Identity, and Storage

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces the inode, a central data structure in Unix-style file systems. Understanding inodes explains how a file system can keep a file's identity and metadata separate from its name.

An inode (often expanded as index node) describes a file-system object, such as a regular file or a directory. It stores the object's attributes and information about the disk blocks where its data is located. The file's contents are generally stored separately from this descriptive information.

All flashcards

What is an inode?
A file-system structure that records metadata and information about where an object's data is located.
What is metadata?
Information describing a file, such as its ownership, permissions, type, size, or timestamps.
What is an inode number?
An integer used to identify or index an inode within a file system.
How does a hard link differ from a symbolic link?
A hard link is another directory entry for the same inode; a symbolic link refers to a pathname.
What is an unlinked file?
A file with no directory entries pointing to it, which may remain available while a process has it open.

Quiz questions

  1. What distinguishes a hard link from a symbolic link in a Unix-style file system?Answer: A hard link refers to the same inode; a symbolic link refers to a pathname.
  2. In POSIX file attributes, what does ctime record?Answer: The time of an inode status change.
  3. What can happen after a process removes the last hard link to a file that remains open?Answer: The inode and data can remain allocated until active uses finish.
  4. Why might a file system with a fixed inode supply be unable to create files despite having free disk space?Answer: It may have used all its inode records.
  5. Which NTFS structure stores file records and attributes in a role analogous to inode records?Answer: The Master File Table.

Based on the Wikipedia article Inode, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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