METADATA SERVER (MDS): In CEPHFS, an MDS is responsible for managing file system metadata, such as file names, directories, and permissions, separately from the actual file data.
Analogy: Think of the MDS as the library’s cataloging department, maintaining records of each book (data object) without storing the book itself.
Why It Matters: By separating metadata management, CEPHFS achieves high performance, scalability, and namespace consistency.