# Multi Protocol File System

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The **Multi Protocol File System** (MPFS) is a multi-path [network filesystem](/source/File_system) technology developed and sold by [EMC Corporation](/source/EMC_Corporation). MPFS is intended to allow hundreds to thousands of client computer nodes to access shared computer data with higher performance than conventional [NAS](/source/Network-attached_storage) file-sharing protocols such as [NFS](/source/Network_File_System_(protocol)).

## Description

MPFS technology is intended for HPC (High Performance Computing) environments in which multiple compute nodes require concurrent access to data sets. This technology can be used to store and access data for [grid computing](/source/Grid_computing), where the individual computing power of many systems is combined to perform a single process. Example uses include processing geological data, voice recognition datasets, and modal processing. Virtualized computing environments will also benefit from high performance shared storage.[1]

MPFS consists of an agent on the client system and a compatible NAS storage system. The client agent splits the data and meta data for the file being requested. This is done using an **FMP** (**File Mapping Protocol**). Requests for the data and its location are sent over conventional NFS to the NAS system. Block data is sent and retrieved directly from the storage device via [iSCSI](/source/ISCSI) or [Fibre Channel](/source/Fibre_Channel). Retrieving data directly from the storage device increases performance by eliminating the file system and protocol overhead associated with NFS or SMB.

The MPFS protocol was developed by EMC for use in NAS storage environments utilizing EMC Celerra and back end storage environments such as the EMC [CLARiiON](/source/CLARiiON), EMC VNX and [Symmetrix](/source/EMC_Symmetrix).

## References

1. Parthalan, Ozzy Ronny (2012). [*Multi Path File System*](https://dl.acm.org/doi/book/10.5555/2463130). Dresden, Saxony, DEU: VadPress. ISBN 978-613-6-26299-4.

## Further reading

- Thangavel, Ayyaswamy (2008). ["Multi-Path File System over iSCSI (MPFSi)"](https://education.dell.com/content/dam/dell-emc/documents/en-us/KS2008_Thangavel-iscsi_mpfsi_technology.pdf). *EMC South Asia*
- ["EMC Celerra Multi-Path File System (MPFS)"](https://www.alteeve.com/files/filesystems/h2006-celerra-mpfs-mpfsi.pdf). *EMC*

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Multi Protocol File System](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi_Protocol_File_System) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi_Protocol_File_System?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.