What does the acronym CIFS represent?

CIFS stands for Common Internet File System. It is a protocol that allows file sharing over a network. Specifically, CIFS is an extension of the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol and enables applications to read and write to files and request services from server programs in a computer network. This functionality allows users to access files on remote systems as if they were local files, thus facilitating interoperability between different operating systems.

CIFS enhances the capabilities of SMB, providing features such as support for larger files and improved performance over connections with high latency. It is widely used in mixed environments, such as those combining Windows and UNIX/Linux systems, allowing seamless file sharing and resource access.

Understanding the context of CIFS is crucial for managing file shares in a mixed environment effectively, which is an important aspect of the LPIC3 certification topics.