Guardian Programmer's Guide

Table Of Contents
Glossary
Guardian Programmer’s Guide 421922-014
Glossary - 10
file number
file number. An integer that represents a particular instance of an open file. A file number
is returned by the FILE_OPEN_ or OPEN procedure and is used in all subsequent
input/output procedures to reference the file. Internally, the file number is an index into
the file table.
file serial number. A number that uniquely identifies a file within its file system.
file system. In the Open System Services (OSS) environment, a collection of files and file
attributes. A file system provides the namespace for the file serial numbers that
uniquely identify its files. Open System Services provides a file system (see also
ISO/IEC IS 9945-1:1990 [ANSI/IEEE Std. 1003.1-1990], Clause 2.2.2.38); the
Guardian application program interface (API) provides a file system; and OSS Network
File System (NFS) provides a file system. (OSS NFS filenames and pathnames are
governed by slightly different rules than OSS filenames and pathnames.) Within the
OSS and OSS NFS file systems, filesets exist as manageable objects.
On an HP NonStop™ system, the Guardian file system for an Expand node is a subset
of the OSS virtual file system. Traditionally, the API for file access in the Guardian
environment is referred to as the Guardian file system.
In some UNIX and NFS implementations, the term file system means the same thing
as fileset. That is, a file system is a logical grouping of files that, except for the root of
the file system, can be contained only by directories within the file system. See also file
system.
file type. A designation for a file structure. See entry-sequenced file, key-sequenced file.
relative file, and unstructured file.
firmware. Code in memory that is necessary for the power-up initialization and
communication with a host or device. The software for components of the ServerNet
architecture (for example, an adapter) is called firmware. Some firmware for ServerNet
components is downloaded when the system or component is loaded.
flat segment. A type of logical segment. Each flat segment has its own distinct address
r
ange within the process address space that never overlaps the range of any other
allocated segments. Thus all allocated flat segments for a process are always available
for use concurrently. See also
logical segment and selectable segment.
fully qualified file name. The complete name of a file, including the node name. For
permanent disk files, this consists of a node name, volume name, subvolume name,
and file ID. For temporary disk files, consists of a node name, subvolume name and a
temporary file ID. For a device, it consists of a node name and a device name or
logical device number. For a named process, it consists of a node name, and a
process name. For an unnamed process it consists of a node name, CPU number,
PIN, and sequence number. Contrast with partially qualified file name.
global read-only array area. The part of an object file that contains global read-only arrays.
GMT. See Greenwich mean time (GMT).