MDFS Documentation

0.8.2

Who wants to read this ?

Developpers or computer geeks.
Documentation for end users is here:
MDFS User Site: http://mick.easyplay.com.tw/MDFS/
A Weblog by the main developer is here:
MDFS Weblog: http://weblog.easyplay.com.tw/l.asp?P=show&K=28&SEC=34

Introduction

MDFS is a simple Distributed File System for Linux and Windows implemented in C++. Simple because it is not a kernel module, just an application running in the background.

You can use it to access (view, download, upload) files on a remote computer, for automatically backing up your file on a remote server, etc...

Because MDFS is focused on modularity, you can easily write your own client or server. For example you could also use it to manage a web site dynamic content: imagine your web site is a weblog with articles stored in a DB, with a special MDFS server and a normal client, you could see the weblog sections as directories and the individuals weblog articles as files. Writing a new weblog articles could be as simple as writing a text file locally and store it locally in a special MDFS directory. MDFS will do the rest automatically: upload the file content, and the special server will store it into your web site database.

Aims:

• portability
• security
• modularity (C++ modules can be easily replaced)
• client side persistent caching
• replication servers
• location transparency: the path name does not reveal the file location
• location independance: files can be moved and all references to them continue to be valid

Project status

• 2004-03-19:
  • No longer depends on the Berleley DB, we do not need it actually. It is ok to put the DB in memory.
  • File tranfers work, and we have a even nicer Windows GUI.
  • The CVS is old (maybe version 0.4) because I am now focusing on the Windows version sice there is more users now. The code is portable of course, but when I am on my windows box I am not testing the port to Linux and I update the CVS only if it is compilable on my linux box....
• 2004-02-23: All but the file tranfers works, and we even have a nice Windows GUI
• 2004-01-03: This sourceforge account has just been opened, so I will update the content soon. Basic functionalities are almost done.

Dependencies

• This project depends on TinyXML http://www.grinninglizard.com/tinyxml/
• The portable network library is based on boost::thread http://www.boost.org/libs/thread/doc/

Implementation

MDFS main class is mdfs::MDFS, start by looking at it to study how MDFS works.

Client/server architecure

A DFS is based on a client/server arhitecture. mdfs::MDFS take care of both side, ie server and client.

Network Protocol

The network protocol is for now only based on TCP. The protocol is made of XML messages.

Modularity

Each C++ module can easily be replaced without affecting the other.

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MDFS SourceForge project page and download