Answer to Question #262089 in Computer Networks for Pihu

Question

Assume that a disk has 512 tracks, with each track having 128 sectors and each sector is of size 8 M bits. The cluster size in this system can be assumed to be as 8 sectors. A file having the name assignmentofsemester1.txt is of size 512 MB. Assume that disk has 128 free - continuous clusters. How can this file be allotted space on the disk? Also show the content of FAT after the space allocation to this file. You may make suitable assumptions.

Answer 1

In fixed-size allocation, the storage space in a disk drive is partitioned into blocks of one single size. The host system to which the disk drive is attached allocates disk space by such fixed-size blocks. As many blocks as necessary are allocated to store a user file or record. All the blocks of the same file should be physically contiguous, or sequential, so as to gain the performance benefit of locality of access. FAT uses an index table stored on the device to identify chains of data storage areas associated with a file, the File Allocation Table .The FAT is statically allocated at the time of formatting and its table is a linked list of entries for each cluster, a contiguous area of disk storage.