Distributed File Systems: A Comprehensive Guide for Master's Students

Question 1

In a distributed file system, which components interact during file access and modification?

Accepted Answer

Metadata server, storage servers, clients

Answer

Name server, storage servers, clients

Answer

File server, storage servers, clients

Answer

Database server, storage servers, clients

Question 2

In a distributed file system, what are the primary challenges in ensuring data consistency? Discuss how techniques like replication, versioning, and locking help overcome these challenges.

Accepted Answer

Data replication, version control, and locking mechanisms

Answer

Data sharding, caching, and load balancing techniques

Answer

Data encryption, user authentication, and authorization mechanisms

Answer

Fault tolerance, disaster recovery, and backup strategies

Question 3

Which architectural model is predominantly employed in distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Hybrid model, combining aspects of both client-server and peer-to-peer models

Answer

Client-server model, where a central server manages file operations

Answer

Peer-to-peer model, where all nodes in the network have equal roles

Answer

Grid computing model, leveraging distributed resources for file processing

Question 4

What distinguishes the Andrew File System (AFS) from other distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Its transparent file access, providing a seamless user experience

Answer

Its high availability and fault tolerance mechanisms

Answer

Its robust security features and access control mechanisms

Answer

Its low latency data transfers, minimizing wait times

Question 5

What is the primary purpose of a metadata server in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Storing and managing information about files, directories, and their attributes

Answer

Regulating file access permissions and controlling user privileges

Answer

Facilitating efficient file replication and data distribution

Answer

Enhancing search capabilities and improving file discovery

Question 6

Within a distributed file system, what is the primary task of the metadata server?

Accepted Answer

Storing and managing file attributes, such as file names, sizes, and timestamps

Answer

Handling access permissions and controlling user privileges for files

Answer

Providing direct access to file data and its contents

Answer

Resolving conflicts that may arise due to concurrent file modifications

Question 7

Which consistency model in distributed file systems guarantees that all replicas of a file reflect the most up-to-date changes before the operation is considered complete?

Accepted Answer

Strong consistency

Answer

Eventual consistency

Answer

Read-after-write consistency

Answer

Causal consistency

Question 8

How does utilizing a Distributed Hash Table (DHT) in a distributed file system primarily benefit its operation?

Accepted Answer

Enabling fast and scalable file lookups and data retrieval

Answer

Efficiently distributing and storing file data across multiple nodes

Answer

Providing reliable file replication and data redundancy

Answer

Enhancing data security and protecting against unauthorized access

Question 9

What is the primary purpose of a lock manager in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Preventing concurrent access to files and ensuring exclusive file access

Answer

Resolving conflicts that may arise when multiple users attempt to modify the same file

Answer

Maintaining file metadata, such as file permissions and access control lists

Answer

Handling file replication and managing the distribution of file data across multiple nodes

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental characteristic of distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

A single point of failure exists, meaning the entire system becomes unavailable if one component fails.

Answer

Data is stored and managed across multiple independent devices or servers.

Answer

Data is accessible from remote locations over a network.

Answer

Data is replicated across multiple servers to enhance reliability.

Question 11

What is the purpose of a distributed file system cache?

Accepted Answer

Improving performance by storing frequently accessed files or data locally on client devices or edge servers.

Answer

Ensuring data consistency by maintaining a synchronized copy of data on multiple servers.

Answer

Providing fault tolerance by replicating files across multiple servers to prevent data loss in case of server failure.

Answer

Managing file permissions and access control to regulate user access to files and directories.

Question 12

What is the fundamental difference between a logical file and a physical file in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

A logical file represents the user's view of the file, while a physical file represents the actual data stored on disk.

Answer

A physical file represents the user's view of the file, while a logical file represents the actual data stored on disk.

Answer

They are the same concept with different names.

Answer

There is no concept of a logical file in a distributed file system.

Question 13

What is the purpose of a distributed file system namespace?

Accepted Answer

To provide a unified and consistent view of files and directories across multiple servers, allowing users to access files seamlessly regardless of their physical location.

Answer

To ensure data consistency and integrity by preventing duplicate files and maintaining a single source of truth.

Answer

To manage file permissions and access control by centralizing the enforcement of security policies.

Answer

To improve performance by reducing file lookup time and optimizing data retrieval.

Question 14

Which characteristic is NOT associated with distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Centralized data storage

Answer

Data replication

Answer

Data fragmentation

Answer

Fault tolerance

Question 15

In distributed file systems, what is the primary purpose of data fragmentation?

Accepted Answer

To enhance data availability and fault tolerance by storing file fragments on multiple servers

Answer

To reduce network traffic by transferring only specific file fragments

Answer

To improve data security by encrypting file fragments separately

Answer

To simplify file management and reduce storage overhead

Question 16

Which file access modes are typically supported by distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Sequential, random, and parallel

Answer

Sequential and random only

Answer

Random and parallel only

Answer

Sequential only

Question 17

What is a critical challenge in the design and implementation of distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining data consistency in the face of server failures and concurrent file access

Answer

Ensuring data privacy and security against unauthorized access and cyber threats

Answer

Providing high performance for large-scale data workloads with low latency and high throughput

Question 18

Which of the following is a notable example of a distributed file system used in cloud computing environments?

Accepted Answer

Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS)

Answer

Local File System (LFS)

Answer

Network File System (NFS)

Question 19

What is the primary role of metadata servers in distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Managing file system metadata, such as file names, permissions, and file locations

Answer

Caching file data for faster access

Answer

Maintaining data consistency across file replicas

Question 20

Which of the following is a key advantage of using distributed file systems over traditional file systems?

Accepted Answer

Scalability to handle massive amounts of data and support a large number of concurrent users

Answer

Lower cost of ownership due to reduced hardware and maintenance requirements

Answer

Improved performance for small-scale data workloads with low latency and high throughput

Answer

Enhanced data security through encryption and access control mechanisms

Question 21

What is the primary responsibility of a Metadata Server in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Managing file metadata and directory information

Answer

Handling file access requests

Answer

Ensuring data consistency

Question 22

Which of the following is a significant challenge in distributed file system caching?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining cache coherency

Answer

Selecting optimal caching strategies

Answer

Optimizing cache size

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of a Distributed Lock Manager in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Coordinating concurrent file access to ensure data integrity

Answer

Providing data recovery in case of failures

Answer

Managing file permissions and access control

Question 24

Which of the following is a primary challenge in designing distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring data consistency and availability across multiple servers

Answer

Balancing load across servers efficiently

Answer

Enhancing data transfer speeds over long distances

Answer

Managing user permissions and access control

Question 25

Which architectural model is commonly employed in distributed file systems to provide fault tolerance and high availability?

Accepted Answer

Clustered file system

Answer

Single-server file system

Answer

Peer-to-peer file system

Answer

Network-attached storage (NAS)

Question 26

Which of the following file access protocols is primarily used in distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Network File System (NFS)

Answer

Server Message Block (SMB)

Answer

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)

Answer

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Question 27

What is a key advantage of utilizing distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced scalability, data sharing, and accessibility

Answer

Simplified system administration and management

Answer

Improved data security and privacy

Answer

Reduced hardware and maintenance costs

Question 28

In a distributed file system, what is the primary function of a metadata server?

Accepted Answer

To manage file system metadata, track file locations, and provide file system access

Answer

To handle user authentication and authorization

Answer

To store and retrieve file data blocks

Question 29

Which of the following techniques is commonly employed in distributed file systems to enhance data reliability and availability?

Accepted Answer

Data replication

Answer

Data compression

Answer

Data encryption

Answer

Data deduplication

Question 30

What is a potential challenge associated with using distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Increased latency and network overhead due to data distribution

Answer

Prohibitive licensing and maintenance costs

Answer

Excessive administrative complexity and management overhead

Answer

Data loss due solely to hardware failures

Question 31

What is the primary purpose of utilizing a distributed lock manager in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

To prevent data corruption and ensure exclusive access to shared resources

Answer

To improve system performance by caching frequently accessed data

Answer

To manage user permissions and access control

Question 32

When evaluating the performance of a distributed file system, which of the following is a critical consideration?

Accepted Answer

Aggregate bandwidth and latency across all interconnected storage nodes

Answer

Data transfer rate between client and server

Answer

Disk I/O performance of individual storage nodes

Question 33

What is the primary function of a distributed name service in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

To map logical file names to their physical locations, facilitating file access across the distributed system

Answer

To manage file permissions and security

Answer

To provide fault tolerance and data replication

Question 34

What are the primary advantages of implementing a parallel file system over a traditional file system?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced performance, increased scalability, and improved data access efficiency

Answer

Improved data security

Answer

Reduced storage costs

Answer

Simplified file management

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a defining characteristic of distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Centralized data storage

Answer

Data redundancy and replication

Answer

Fault tolerance and high availability

Answer

Transparent access to files across the network

Question 36

What is the key distinction between a distributed file system and a network file system?

Accepted Answer

Distributed file systems manage data storage and replication across multiple nodes, while network file systems provide remote access to a centralized file server.

Answer

Distributed file systems are designed for large-scale environments, while network file systems are suitable for small-scale networks.

Question 37

How do distributed file systems contribute to scientific research?

Accepted Answer

By facilitating collaboration and data sharing among researchers across different locations and institutions

Answer

By enhancing the performance of individual research tasks

Answer

By reducing the cost of data storage

Question 38

**Which of the following is a key advantage of distributed file systems?**

Accepted Answer

Increased data availability and reliability due to file replication and redundancy

Answer

Reduced data redundancy, as files are stored in multiple locations

Answer

Faster data access for users due to distributed storage and retrieval

Answer

Lower cost of storage compared to centralized storage systems

Question 39

**Which file system organization model is most appropriate for scenarios where files are accessed frequently from various locations?**

Accepted Answer

Location-independent model, as it provides transparent access to files regardless of their physical location

Answer

Decentralized model, as it distributes file ownership and management across multiple nodes

Answer

Location-dependent model, as it restricts file access to specific nodes or locations

Answer

Centralized model, as it stores all files in a single location, simplifying access and management

Question 40

**Which mechanism is primarily used to ensure data consistency in distributed file systems, where multiple copies of data may exist?**

Accepted Answer

Two-phase commit protocol, which coordinates updates across multiple file servers to ensure atomicity and durability

Answer

Checksum verification, which checks the integrity of data during transmission and storage

Answer

RAID techniques, which are used to protect data from hardware failures but do not guarantee consistency

Answer

Data replication, which creates multiple copies of data for redundancy, but does not ensure consistency on its own

Question 41

**Which protocol is widely used for file sharing and access in distributed file systems?**

Accepted Answer

Network File System (NFS), which provides a standardized interface for remote file access over a network

Answer

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is used for web browsing and data transfer on the internet

Answer

Server Message Block (SMB), which is commonly used in Windows networks for file and printer sharing

Answer

File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which is primarily used for transferring files between a client and a remote server

Question 42

**Which of the following techniques is commonly used to enhance the performance of distributed file systems?**

Accepted Answer

Data caching, which stores frequently accessed data in local memory or on dedicated caching servers to reduce access latency and improve performance

Answer

Data deduplication, which eliminates duplicate copies of data to save storage space, but may not always improve performance

Answer

Data encryption, which protects data privacy and security, but does not directly impact performance

Answer

Data compression, which reduces the size of data before storage or transmission, but can introduce additional computational overhead

Question 43

In a distributed file system, a namespace serves to:

Accepted Answer

Provide a unified, logical view of files and directories across the system

Answer

Implement access control and permissions

Answer

Store file metadata

Question 44

What is the primary responsibility of a metadata server in a distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Managing file and directory metadata, including attributes, permissions, and locations

Answer

Performing data replication

Answer

Handling file locking requests

Answer

Storing user data

Question 45

Which of the following distributed file systems is specifically designed for high-performance computing (HPC) applications?

Accepted Answer

Lustre

Answer

Ceph

Answer

Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS)

Question 46

What is the fundamental distinction between a block-level and a file-level distributed file system?

Accepted Answer

Granularity of data storage and access

Answer

Metadata management approach

Answer

Replication strategy

Answer

Locking mechanism

Question 47

Which of the following is not a typical application of distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

Personal computer file storage

Answer

Web hosting

Answer

Cloud computing

Answer

High-performance computing

Question 48

What is a key advantage of using distributed file systems in cloud computing environments?

Accepted Answer

Elastic scalability and cost efficiency

Answer

Improved data durability

Answer

Reduced latency

Answer

Enhanced data security

Question 49

What is the primary objective of distributed file systems?

Accepted Answer

To provide seamless access to files across multiple computers

Answer

To host specific applications on remote servers

Answer

To maintain data uniformity across all replicas

Question 50

Which architectural model involves a central server handling all file metadata and data management?

Accepted Answer

Centralized architecture

Answer

Clustered architecture

Answer

Hybrid architecture

Answer

Peer-to-peer architecture

Question 51

What challenge is unique to distributed file systems, as opposed to centralized file systems?

Accepted Answer

Limitations imposed by network latency and bandwidth

Answer

Controlling file access

Answer

Managing metadata

Answer

Ensuring data consistency

Question 52

Which distributed file system is recognized for its high performance and scalability?

Accepted Answer

Google File System (GFS)

Answer

Azure Blob Storage

Answer

Network File System (NFS)

Answer

Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS)

Question 53

Which file replication strategy maximizes data accessibility?

Accepted Answer

Mirroring

Answer

Erasure coding

Answer

Parity-based replication

Answer

RAID

Question 54

Which file system metadata attribute determines access permissions?

Accepted Answer

Access Control List (ACL)

Answer

Last modification timestamp

Answer

File size

Answer

File owner

Question 55

In a distributed file system architecture, which layer handles file name mapping?

Accepted Answer

Namespace layer

Answer

Data layer

Answer

Metadata layer

Answer

Control layer

Question 56

What is a significant drawback of cluster-based distributed file system architectures?

Accepted Answer

Increased complexity due to managing multiple independent servers

Answer

Diminished data availability

Answer

Reduced performance