Semantics

Some actions on files have different effects in Windows than UNIX users might expect.

Deleting symbolic links

On UNIX, deleting a symbolic link deletes the directory entry, and doesn't affect the file or directory referenced by the symbolic link. However, Windows doesn't have the concept of a symbolic link.

For files shown in Windows that, in reality, are symbolic links on the UNIX server:

• Deleting a symbolic link to a file will just delete that link. The referenced file is unaffected.

• Deleting a symbolic link to a directory will delete all files and subdirectories in the directory pointed to by the link, then delete the symbolic link. This is because Windows tells VisionFS to delete the contents of the directory, then delete the directory.

Renaming and deleting files

On UNIX, the permissions of a directory determine whether you can rename or delete files in that directory.

In Windows, the Read-only attribute on a file determines whether you can rename or delete it.

Deleting files in use

On UNIX, you can delete or rename a file in use. In Windows, you can't.

This is because UNIX keeps file information separately from directory information, whereas Windows keeps them together.

VisionFS allows files to be deleted or renamed while in use.

Free disk space

Windows reports the free disk space based on the root directory of each share on the VisionFS server. However, there might be symbolic links in the share pointing to other file systems, which means the effective free disk space is larger.

Also, as UNIX allows multiple directory entries per file, deleting a file might not necessarily increase the amount of available disk space.