Chapter 4: Data Management - 10 Questions Flashcards
What are the four default top-level folders visible in the Finder?
The four default top-level folders visible in the Finder are:
- Applications, containing applications all local users have access to
- Library, containing system resources all local users have access to;
- System, containing necessary system resources
- Users, containing all the local user home folders.
What are six common system resources? What purpose does each resource serve? Where are they located in the file hierarchy?
Six common system resources are:
- Extensions, which attach themselves to the system kernel to provide hardware and peripheral driver support
- Frameworks, which are shared code libraries that provide additional software resources for both applications and system processes
- Fonts
- Preference files, which contain application and system configuration information
- LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons, used by launchd to provide services that automatically start when they’re needed or at system startup
- Logs, which are text files that contain error and progress entries from nearly any application or system service.
What are the four system resource domains? What purpose does each domain serve?
The four system resource domains are:
- User, containing applications and system resources specific to each user account
- Local, containing applications and system resources available to all users on the local Mac
- Network (optional), containing applications and system resources available to any Mac that has an automated network share
- System, containing applications and system resources required to provide basic system functionality.
Why does the Finder hide certain folders at the root of the system volume?
The Finder hides traditional UNIX resources from average users because they don’t need to access those items. If users do need access to these UNIX items, they can access them from Terminal.
What two methods can you use to hide items from the Finder?
The Finder doesn’t show items with periods at the beginning of their filename or items with the hidden file flag enabled.
What is file system metadata? What are some examples of file system metadata?
Metadata is information stored outside a file or folder. It provides additional information about files and folders. Examples include file flags, extended file attributes, and permissions.
What are some of the common file flags Lion uses?
Common file flags include the locked flag, which locks files from changes, and the hidden flag, which hides the item in the Finder.
What does Lion use bundles or packages for?
OS X uses bundles and packages to combine complex items into individual folders. Packages have the advantage of appearing as a single item in the Finder, and software developers can combine resources into a single item, preventing users from altering those resources.
How does the system identify which application to open when a user double-clicks a file?
Files are identified primarily by their filename extension. Launch Services maintains a database of known applications and which file types they can open. When you double-click a file in the Finder, Launch Services tries to find an appropriate match. You can override the default application selection in the Finder.
What are some privacy and security concerns with Spotlight?
Though Spotlight indexes file and folder permissions, it will allow other users to search the contents of locally attached nonsystem volumes when ownership is ignored on those volumes.
What are the differences between zip archives and disk
images?
You can create zip archives with the Finder from a specific selection of items. Zip archives are compatible with many operating systems. On the other hand, you use Disk Utility to create disk images and you can create highly flexible archive volumes that contain nearly anything.
How does Spotlight use metadata?
Spotlight creates index databases of file system metadata so that it can perform normally time-intensive searches nearly instantly.
Where does Spotlight store its metadata index databases? How about the Spotlight plug-ins?
Spotlight metadata index databases are stored at the root of every volume in a /.Spotlight-V100 folder. However, a Legacy FileVault user’s database is stored in the user’s encrypted home folder. Also, the Mail application maintains its own database in each user’s home folder at ~/Library/Mail/V2/ MailData/Envelope Index. Spotlight plug-ins are in any Library in a folder named Spotlight.
What backup destinations does Time Machine support?
Time Machine can back up to any Mac OS Extended volume, a network share hosted on Time Capsule, or a network share hosted on an OS X Server computer.
How does Time Machine maintain a backup history of the file system?
Time Machine starts with a full copy of the file system; then it records any changes to the file system and copies only the changes. It creates a simulation of the full file system using hard links for files that haven’t changed.
