iOS 10.3 and macOS Sierra 10.12.4, on Monday, run on the new Apple File System, or APFS. At first glance, this is nothing special - the main thing is that the devices after the update do not turn into "bricks".But there is more interesting in the transition to the new system than it seems.
What is Apple File System
Apple File System is a new file system forThis will be used on all devices from Apple Watch to Mac... It is "sharpened" for flash memory and replaced the outdated HFS +. The main innovations in APFS are: improved encryption algorithms, memory optimization, crash protection, file and folder cloning functions, andsmart use of space... In practice, this will ensure more stable operation of the OS, increase the read / write speed of data and further protect user information.
Why Apple is moving to APFS
The 30-year-old HFS +, on which the file systems of modern Apple gadgets are based, was created for computers with multiple drives that handled large volumes of files. On mobile devices like the iPhone or Apple Watch, the priorities are different - users need to quickly open applications, and the OS responds to requests on time. To do this, APFS uses functions such as cloning (instant copying of a file or directory, which does not require additional storage space) and compression (data compression, which saves disk space and increases write speed). And through the use of "snapshots" (read-only "snapshots" of the file system in the volume) will speed up the backup, namely the creation of backups using Time Machine.
APFS is designed for future expansion. Unlike HFS +, which uses a 32-bit write directory, APFS uses a 64-bit inode (this is the data structure in file systems). In other words, APFS will be able to store 9 quintillion (million trillion!) Files, which is not so important for iOS devices, but is too much for the next ten years for macOS and external drives.
What are the benefits for users
In addition to faster and more stable operation of the operating system, users will have access to reliable tools for encrypting data on the disk. Thanks to APFS, iPhones will no longer turn into "bricks" after failed updates - Apple will protect the data on the drive from damage caused by failures. Finally, using the Space Sharing function, all disk volumes will be able to "share" the free space.
UiPservice engineer Vladislav Yudchenko commented on the UiP editorial board:
“APFS will allow operating systems to crash less, it copies files quickly and optimizes space. So far, the difference will not be so noticeable, but it will become noticeable in new updates. Soon we'll get used to it, we won't even notice the transition of all devices to APFS "
For example, with the second system (via Bootcamp) you have Windows installed and youallocated 100 GB for her... With Apple File System, you no longer have to manually reallocate allocated memory. If 100 GB is not enough, the system itself will "take" the required amount of free disk space. At the same time, the function of cloning files and folders will allow you to quickly copy and move data.
Apple File System limitations
System drives cannot be formatted in APFS at this time.... Does not support the new file system Hybrid Fusion Drive, FileVault and Time Machine.
How to start using APFS
If you've updated your iPhone or iPad to iOS 10.3, your device is already using Apple File System. It's more difficult with Mac, here APFS is something like a beta version. You can format an external drive, SD card or USB flash drive, and even then only using the Terminal. In short, it’s better not to experiment for now.
The most delicious news is often left behind the scenes at Apple presentations. The reason is that some of them are suitable mainly for developers, while others simply do not have enough time - no wonder, with such large-scale announcements of iOS 10! The emergence of a new file system from Apple called APFS (The Apple File System) passed without noise and dust, but the leak leaked to the Internet, and now nothing prevents you from carefully studying it.
APFS is a next-generation file system that works on all devices from Apple Watch to Mac Pro. The Apple File System is optimized for SSD / Flash drives, that is, the focus is no longer on hard drives, and the highest priority is assigned to encryption. To date, the older Cupertin development, HFS +, has become widespread, with which it is worth comparing APFS. But first, oddly enough, let's describe the list of APFS restrictions:
- Partitions formatted in APFS cannot be used as boot drives.
- APFS is sensitive to uppercase and lowercase letters in file names.
- Time Machine backups are not supported on APFS.
- APFS-formatted partitions are not suitable for FileVault encryption.
- The Fusion Drive design flies past APFS.
In addition, now APFS is not an open source project, and Apple itself is unlikely to have such plans for it. Moreover, the Cupertinians are only going to publicly announce their new generation file system next year.
Having described the shortcomings that can scare off an ordinary user, it is worth identifying and advantages of APFS:
- Of course, fruitful work with solid state drives.
- The use of so-called containers as storage locations that are more protected from failures. In addition, each container can export one or more partitions or file systems with their own names, files and directories. Notice that no direct RAID support was originally announced, however APFS can be combined with an Apple RAID partition to make RAID 0, RAID 1, and JBOD work. Attachable RAID arrays will also be able to befriend APFS.
- APFS supports 64-bit inodes, while HFS + file identifiers are focused on 32-bits. APFS is able to fit a quintillion of files into one partition. Believe me, that's a lot :)
- Time slots in APFS are divided into nanoseconds, not seconds, as in HFS +.
- APFS supports sparse files, a structure that saves disk space.
- The block allocator has a smarter design: in APFS it determines the size of the storage volume, while in HFS + it is always tied to a rigid frame.
- APFS has strong protection against data loss due to failure.
- APFS supports extended file attributes.
- TRIM in the APFS file system works asynchronously when deleting and distributing free space, due to which the metadata is changed once and the system is highly stable
- Encryption is the final and key part of The Apple File System. The file system uses full encryption AES-XTS or AES-CBC (depending on the hardware), combines principles laid down since OS X 10.7 Lion and iOS 4, and works with multiple keys.
To summarize this news-article should be information about compatibility, since only OS X Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra can work with APFS - older versions simply do not recognize it. APFS-formatted partitions can be exposed via SMB, but AFP is not available. Finally, third-party developers will have to do a massive update to their products to support Apple's next-generation file system.
Refers to Apple's new file system and will eventually be used across all major platforms of the company. But why is Apple using it? What's so special about her? This article is devoted to this very topic.
Apple File System
APFS stands for Apple File System. It replaces the file system, and over time, this file system will become an integral part of iOS, tvOS, and watchOS - that is, it will be used across the entire line of devices: from computers, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV to Apple Watch.
IOS 10.3 is currently the only platform available to all to use the APFS file system.
APFS can be integrated on all platformsApple.
The HFS + file system appeared in 1998 and is now almost 20 years old. It has become a relic of a bygone era. It was created during the Mac era and has been fine-tuned for use on the iPhone, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
But a lot has changed over the past 20 years. We switched from hard drives to solid-state drives (SSD), the software is no longer distributed on CDs, but simply downloaded. Our device backups are now stored in the cloud.
Optimized for use with flash drives
Almost every new device Apple sells these days runs on a flash drive, including most Macs. And APFS was designed to work with flash storage devices. Therefore, we will see improvements in parameters such as read and write speed, and an increase in overall reliability when it comes to storing and transferring information.
main feature: System snapshots and cloning
The two main features of APFS are the ability to take “snapshots” of the system and the ability to clone data.
A snapshot is a one-time read-only file system state.
By using clones, APFS will be able to create quick copies of the same partition without using additional disk space.
Minimum waiting time
APFS has minimal latency. This means that such operations as launching applications and loading data will be noticeably faster. This, in turn, will lead to a reduction in the waiting time - we will see less spinning the waiting wheel in iOS and the beach ball icon in Mac OS.
Freeoverflowing disksections
If you use disk partitions on your Mac, then APFS can make your life a little easier. If you run out of free disk space on one partition, then APFS can automatically use the free space of another partition, because APFS creates special containers around each disk partition.
Encryption is our everything
APFS was designed primarily for strong encryption. It supports both single key and multiple encryption keys.
Developments for the future
HFS + supports 32-bit metadata file. APFS supports 64-bit inode numbers. APFS is designed to work in the future and will work even better over time with appropriate updates.
FirmwareiOS 10.3 gives you back disk space
Moving to APFS has one distinct advantage. You get disk space at your disposal - the amount of space saved will depend on how full your disk is. Some managed to get back a couple of gigabytes after updating.
APFS for Mac OS is still in beta
iOS already uses the new file system, and for the Mac OS, the new file system only exists in a very early beta version. And Apple will have to work hard to convert Mac computers to APFS. Access to the file system in iOS is closed to outsiders, while Mac OS uses an open, editable file system. In other words, in practice, APFS can face various edge cases that Apple experts do not even know about. Hopefully all of these issues will be resolved during the beta testing period. You can try the beta in action. However, it is not quite ready for everyday use. APFS does not support bootable drives, Time Machine, FileVault encryption, or Fusion drives.
Yes, you need to update beforeiOS 10.3
Currently, iOS 10.3 is the only way to try APFS in action. And while this is a completely new filesystem, it is nevertheless worth switching to. This update has been tested for several weeks by a large number of beta testers and everything speaks in favor of switching to the updated version. The transition itself is quite smooth, fast and without data loss. However, before updating, we recommend that you back up your data using the appropriate services in the iTunes app or iCloud cloud storage (which is recommended anyway), just in case.
How do you likeAPFS?
Have you connected your iPhone or iPad to your Windows computer, but you can't see everything in your device's memory in either Windows Explorer or iTunes? So how do you connect your iPhone or iPad like a regular external USB drive? And is it possible without jailbreak? Yes, using PhoneBrowse for example.
PhoneBrowse is a free Windows tool to view and manage files on iPhone, iPad and iPod without jailbreak. With this program, you can even add, delete or rename all types of files stored on your iOS device. All this in a fairly simple but very nice user interface, stylized as Mac OS X.
Download, install PhoneBrowse on your Windows computer, plug in your device, and off you go. The tool will automatically detect the connected device and scan its file system. After that, you will see five different tabs, the first of which displays general information about the connected device, including battery percentage, OS version, and memory status.
The process of adding and removing files via PhoneBrowse is quick and easy. For this, the buttons "Import" and "Delete" are provided. Moreover, you can add either a separate file or the entire folder. There is an “Export” button to copy files from the device to the computer. You can also create new folders and rename files. And through PhoneBrowse, you can view the file structure of installed applications.
As mentioned above, the tool is available for free and works on different versions of Windows - from XP to 8 and 8.1.
In 2017, Apple will begin using the new Apple File System (APFS) in its devices, replacing the HFS + system used on Mac computers from 1998, which is based on the 1985 HFS.
APFS is a completely new file system designed for modern hardware and cloud computing. It improves encryption, security, and reliability over older Apple systems. As usual in such cases, there will be compatibility issues, but Apple has time to resolve them before the new system becomes available to a wide range of users.
A first look at APFS
For now, APFS is available in macOS Sierra 10.12 beta (successor to OS X Capitan 10.11) for developers.
In it, you can create an image of an APFS disk, but there are not very many actions available with it - copying files to and from it, while you cannot use the APFS disk as a boot disk. All of this should change in 2017 with the arrival of new Mac, iPhone and iPad models.
Improved security and constant cloning
Most users won't notice anything radical about APFS-enabled hard drive devices, but there are many significant differences hidden inside. APFS uses integrated encryption instead of installable third-party techniques in the existing OS X FileVault feature, which slowly encrypts and decrypts an entire drive.
APFS can encrypt entire disks and individual files with different keys for file and metadata, giving flexible control that can allow users to modify data in a file without accessing other parts of the disk.
APFS also allows you to instantly copy folders and drives. This technology will increase the speed of the built-in Sierra feature, which automatically backs up files from the Desktop and Documents folders to iCloud (this feature can be turned off) - we already covered this feature in the article "macOS Sierra: New Features of the Successor to OS X". The functionality works already on existing devices, but should be faster with APFS.
Nanosecond precision, improved backup
Apple's current file system timestamps files to within one second, which is not enough to capture file changes at current device speeds. APFS timestamps files with one nanosecond precision, which, combined with backup technology, allows you to store different versions of files in a minimum of space.
You can expect macOS Sierra to have a new version of Apple's Time Machine that takes advantage of the file system to improve backup performance. Microsoft created similar functionality in the NTFS file system years ago, and Mac users can now work with similar "shadow copy" technology to Windows.
Improved space distribution
Other benefits of APFS disks include flexible allocation of space, so that two APFS “disks” can borrow it from each other, not content with just the space they were allocated when they were created.
APFS has support for "sparse files" that do not fill the entire allocated disk space. Older versions of OS X already support sparse files, but not in the most convenient way and only for developers.
And thanks to fast built-in file management, we are promised more reliable protection against data loss in case of system crashes.
Optimized for flash memory
Other internal innovations include optimizations for working with flash memory, while technologies in HFS + are designed for spinning hard drives. Those who have ever waited a long time for OS X to tell you how much space a folder takes up will be happy to know that APFS's quick sizing feature will solve this problem.
If you're going to be using your Mac for the next 25 years, it's best to upgrade to APFS by February 6, 2040, as HFS + after that date won't be able to timestamp files.
Disadvantages of APFS
Compatibility is key. If your Mac has a Windows partition created by Apple Boot Camp, you need a Windows driver that can read an APFS drive, just as Apple's Windows driver can read HFS + drives. For sure Apple will provide such a driver before the public release of APFS.
Likewise, dual booting with Sierra and older versions of OS X will not allow access to the APFS partition from the old version. Normal network access to and from the APFS drive will not be a problem, since APFS supports the standard network protocol SMB used by Windows and everyone else.
Instead of a conclusion
Only developers need to think about learning APFS. The rest of the new file system will provide faster system performance, increased security and reliability. In July, a public beta version of macOS Sierra will be released, then everyone can get access to the new file system.
