As of January 2010, the operating systems with available client software are Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. BWFS can convert many FibreChannel or iSCSI disk arrays into a storage cluster that supports multi-server for parallel processing, provide high-performance and extensible file-sharing service, and sustains multi-machine workflow or applications under cluster environment.
Shared file data directly access to FC or iSCSI disk array through SAN network to transfer data by skipping file server or NAS head, which fully displays the advantage of high bandwidth of SAN environment.
BWFS allows great enhancement of system on processing ability for simultaneous file without changing front-end application environment and back-end SAN condition.
BWFS backs the MDC of redundant structure (Meta Data Controller), providing excellent performance and high availability capabilities, combined with SAN infrastructure to bring system reliability and data security for storage at enterprise level.
Client communicates through a separate IP links and MDC to obtain the location of files and resource allocation information of data block.
A 2006 Gartner publication said: "BWFS, an Internet Protocol (IP) cluster file system (CFS), has moved beyond the research lab and into the commercialization stage, and has now been successfully deployed in various industries including the energy, automotive, military and the media sectors.
Although CFSs are not yet prevalent in the mainstream storage market, for some users who need very high input/output I/O performance — especially leading-edge applications such as oil and gas, biotech and computer-aided design (CAD) — BWFS offers a good price/performance solution.
Users that need a more commercialized solution — or that like to have a more "out of box" interface — should consider other vendors such as Panasas, Isilon and Ibrix rather than BWFS.
"[1]BWFS was developed at the National Research Centers for High Performance Computers of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.