Running Mac OS X Tiger

Network-Based Filesystems

In addition to working with physical filesystems, Mac OS X supports a set of network-based filesystem protocols. These are used when you mount a filesystem from a machine elsewhere on the network and, for the most part, make a remote filesystem appear as though it were local to your computer. The network filesystem protocols supported by Mac OS X are:

Apple Filing Protocol (AFP)

The native network file-sharing protocol for Mac-based computers. Originally designed to work over AppleTalk, it now operates well over IP-based networks. Most connections to Mac-based filesystems will be AFP-based.

Service Message Block (SMB)/Common Internet File System (CIFS)

The native network file-sharing protocol for Windows-based computers. Known as SMB for most of its life, Microsoft started standardization of the protocol under the CIFS name in the late 1990s, but these efforts were never finalized. This protocol is implemented in Mac OS X by the Samba suite of software (http://www.samba.org).

Network File System (NFS)

An older, Unix-based network filesystem used by Linux, the various BSD systems, Solaris, AIX, and other Unix variants. NFS allows Unix machines to transparently share filesystems in such a way that the Unix user security model is preserved.

Web-Based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV)

A set of extensions to HTTP that allows you to collaboratively edit and manage files on remote web servers. WebDAV is the native protocol used for mounting iDisk shares ...