File Fragmentation
Fragmentation is the process of splitting up elements into
smaller segments (fragments) and having them scattered randomly all over the storage medium. Files are ideally recorded contiguously, that is, each element is sequentially adjacent to each other .
Types of Fragmentation:
• There are two types of fragmentation that affect storage and computer system performance: file fragmentation and free space fragmentation. File fragmentation refers to computer files that are no longer contiguously spaced in a sequential matter. This creates problems with file access.
• Free space fragmentation refers to when the empty space on a disk is broken into small sets of scattered segments that are randomly distributed over the medium. Writing to this space is inhibited because this empty space scattering forces the drive electronics and mechanical components to randomly place each of the new file elements into various noncontiguous tracks and blocks that are no longer sequentially accessible .
Karl Paulsen Moving Media Storage Technologies: Applications & Workflows for Video and Media Server Platforms. Published by Taylor & Francis, 2012. – 637p. –