Assignment 7
Do an internet search to compare NTFS, APFS, and Ext4 file systems on the following characteristics:
1. Security feature
a. NTFS has an access control list and support for bitlocker drive encryption. (source
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfs-overview)
b. APFS has strong encryption, snapshots and cloning of directories, and space sharing.
(https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/FileManagement/Concept
ual/APFS_Guide/Introduction/Introduction.html)
c. Ext4 has file based encryption. (source
https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Ext4_encryption#:~:text=ext4%20file%2Dsystem%20suppo
rts%20FBE,encryption%20on%20the%20same%20filesystem.)
2. Performance characteristics for sequential and random access
a. NTFS sequential access is good for large file transfers and optimized for windows
operating system. For random access it benefits from features like the master file table.
(source https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfsoverview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS sequential access features cony-on-write and is designed to handle larger files.
Random access also benefits from copy-on-write. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 sequential access is also optimized for larger files. Random access is helped by
journaling. (source https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
3. Maximum Filename length
a. NFTS has a max filename length of 255 for Unicode filenames and 8 for filename
extensions. (source https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/fileserver/ntfs-overview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS has a max filename length of 255 characters. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 has a max filename length of 255 UTF-8 encoded characters. (source
https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
4. Maximum File size
a. NFTS has a max file size of 16 exabytes. (source https://learn.microsoft.com/enus/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfs-overview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS has a max file size of 8 exabytes. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 has a max file size of 16 terabytes with a 4kb block size and 256 terabytes with a 64
kb block size. (source https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
5. Maximum number of files
a. NTFS has a max number of files of over 4 billion files. (source
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfsoverview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS has a max number of files of 2^64 files. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 has a max number of files of 2^32 files. (source
https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
6. Variable file block size
a. NTFS uses variable block sizes arranging from 4 to 64 kb. (source
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfsoverview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS uses a flexible block size mechanism that dynamically adjusts block sizes. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 uses fixed block sizes ranging from 4 to 16 kb. (source
https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
7. Case Sensitive
a. NTFS is not case sensitive on windows but is on Linux based systems. (source
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfsoverview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS is case sensitive. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 is case sensitive. (source https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
8. Support for symbolic links
a. NTFS supports symbolic links. (source https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/storage/file-server/ntfs-overview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS supports symbolic links. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 supports symbolic links. (source https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
9. Maximum pathname length
a. NTFS has a maximum pathname length of 32,767 Unicode characters. (source
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/ntfsoverview#support-for-large-volumes)
b. APFS maximum pathname lengths vary but they are typically very long. (source
https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/OSX_
Technology_Overview/CoreServicesLayer/CoreServicesLayer.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/
TP40001067-CH270-BCICAIFJ)
c. Ext4 has a maximum pathname length of 4096 bytes. (source
https://ext4.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Main_Page)
Provide the source from where you found this information. Missing sources will get zero points for the
entire assignment.