If you look at the properties of an Azure File Share you will see the FILE SYSTEM is showing as MAFS.
Microsoft uses “Azure Files” for Azure File Shares. Azure Files offers fully managed file shares in the cloud that are accessible via the industry-standard Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and the Network File System (NFS) protocol.
You can mount Azure file shares concurrently on cloud or on-premises deployments of Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Given this, you might think MAFS is an acronym for Microsoft Azure File System, and you would be correct. However, there is some considerable confusion because there is another file system paper that uses the same MAFS acronym.
MAFS or MAFS?
The Microsoft Azure File System (MAFS) and the Mobile Adaptation File System (MAFS) developed by two researchers in 2008, are distinct and unrelated technologies.
- Atkin and Birman’s Benjamin Atkin from NEC Laboratories America and Kenneth P. Birman from Cornell University in a 2008 paper titled “Network-Aware Adaptation Techniques for Mobile File Systems” was designed to address the challenges of mobile file system clients, particularly those related to unpredictable connectivity and varying bandwidth.
- Microsoft Azure File System is a distributed file system designed by Microsoft to provide highly available, durable, scalable, and redundant storage solutions for Azure Files.
While both systems aim to improve file system performance and reliability, they were developed independently and serve different purposes.
Is MAFS a Free Open Standard?
No is the short answer:
- Microsoft Azure File System (MAFS) is not an open standard. It is a proprietary technology developed by Microsoft to provide highly available, durable, scalable, and redundant storage solutions for Azure Files. Azure Files supports multiple protocols, including the industry-standard Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and the Network File System (NFS) protocol
- Mobile Adaptation File System (MAFS) is not an open standard but it is free. The Mobile Adaptation File System is primarily a research project and not a commercial product available for licensing. As such, there is no formal licensing process for MAFS. If you are interested in using or studying Mobile Adaptation File System (MAFS), you may want to reach out to the authors or their respective institutions for more information.
Microsoft MAFS Versions
Microsoft is actively developing and enhancing Azure Files, which is a fully managed file share service in the cloud. Microsoft Azure File System (MAFS) has had these versions:
- Version 1.0.0.0: Initial February 2010 release
- Version 2.0.0.0: Improvements in performance and stability
- Version 3.0.0.0: Added support for new features and enhanced security
- Version 4.0.0.0: Improved scalability and introduced new management tools
- Version 5.0.0.0: Enhanced integration with other Azure services
- Version 6.0.0.0: Introduced new protocols and improved data redundancy
- Version 7.0.0.0: Enhanced support for hybrid cloud environments
- Version 8.0.0.0: Improved performance and added new data protection features
- Version 9.0.0.0: Enhanced security and compliance features
- Version 10.0.0.0: Introduced new management and monitoring tools
- Version 11.0.0.0: Improved performance and scalability
- Version 12.0.0.0: Enhanced integration with Azure Active Directory
- Version 13.0.0.0: Introduced new data migration tools
- Version 14.0.0.0: Improved support for large-scale deployments
- Version 15.0.0.0: Enhanced data protection and recovery features
- Version 16.0.0.0: Introduced new protocols and improved performance
- Version 17.0.0.0: Sync upload performance improvement – Released on December 6, 2023
- Version 17.1.0.0: Added Enhanced data protection – Released on February 13, 2024
- Version 17.2.0.0: Improved integration with Azure Active Directory – Released on February 28, 2024
- Version 17.3.0.0: Introduced advanced monitoring tools – Released on June 11, 2024
- Version 18.0.0.0: Added support for new protocols – Released on May 8, 2024
- Version 18.1.0.0: Enhanced data redundancy features – Released on June 11, 2024
- Version 18.2.0.0: Improved scalability under heavy loads – Released on July 9, 2024
- Version 19.0.0.0: Introduced New data migration tools – Released on September 2, 2024
- Version 19.1.0.0: Added enhanced security features – Released on September 3, 2024
New versions of Azure File Sync are typically rolled out to most Azure File services within a few weeks of their release. This means that it is generally safe to assume that you are on the most current version most of the time. Microsoft ensures that updates are deployed promptly to maintain performance, security, and compatibility.