Hierarchical file systems

An OpenExtensions for z/VM user can create, store, and access the hierarchical file systems familiar to UNIX users (and similar to the file systems of DOS and OS/2).

With the hierarchical file system support provided by OpenExtensions for z/VM services:

Filenames and pathnames can be much longer than with traditional CMS file system names.

Terminals and communication pipes are accessed as files.

The hierarchical structure encourages an enterprise and its users to organize sets of files in a natural way (for example, by area, by department, by group of users, by user, and so forth).

OpenExtensions for z/VM provide facilities to make accessible (or remove from accessibility) different subsets of files in any hierarchical structure by logically mounting any particular hierarchy. A particular hierarchy that has been mounted can later be unmounted.

An OpenExtensions for z/VM hierarchical file system is a new type of CMS file system called a BFS (byte file system). BFS files and traditional CMS files can be copied back and forth.