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NTFS Implementation Considerations

If you've already read the other sections in the site's coverage of NTFS, you have by now probably received a very thorough understanding of what NTFS is all about. Its many features and options make NTFS the choice of a growing number of PC users. However, all of the advanced capabilities of NTFS do not come without a cost. Along with its enhanced operation, NTFS brings considerable complexity. There are a number of specific issues and potential difficulties that can arise when employing the NTFS file system in the "real world".

In this section, I take a look at several important issues related to implementing NTFS volumes. I begin with a discussion of NTFS compatibility with various hardware and operating systems. I then describe some of the issues related to converting between NTFS partitions and those of other file systems. I then discuss some of the performance and overhead concerns associated with implementing the advanced features that make NTFS so capable. I proceed from there to discuss NTFS partitioning strategies--how to decide how to split up a disk when using NTFS. I conclude by explaining how NTFS compares to other file systems, and in particular, I tackle the common question of how to choose between NTFS and FAT.

Next: NTFS Hardware and Operating System Compatibility

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