What is NSF file?

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NSF stands for Notes Storage Facility, a database file used by Lotus Notes and Domino Server. It stores notes information such as emails, appointments, calendar entries, attachments, contacts, etc. in binary format.

NSF files are hosted by a Lotus Domino Server and they can be downloaded by Lotus Notes clients in order to work fully functional database in offline mode.

NSF File Specifications

Developer – IBM

Format Type – Binary

File Category – Database Files

MIME Type – application/x-lotus-notes, application/vnd.lotus-notes

HEX Signature – 1A 00 00 04 00 00

Supported Platforms – Microsoft Windows and Mac operating systems

Storage Location – Notes\Data directory

NSF File Structure

Lotus Notes NSF file are of several types –

• Mailbox.nsf – It contains emails, calendars, and to-do-list. Users can get this file with other names like database.nsf and .nsf.
• Names.nsf – It contains complete information of Personal Address Book including connections, contacts, and locations.
• Bookmark.nsf – It contains all the saved bookmarks.
• Busytime.nsf – It contains user’s information of local free time.
• Headline.nsf – It contains the information of Database Subscription of users.
• Internet.nsf – It maintains the complete details of user’s Newsgroup subscriptions.
• Perweb.nsf – It contains the information of web browser.

Encryption in NSF

NSF file format is considered as the safe and secure file format for data storage and management. It offers various types of security as encryption. The file can be encrypted in various ways –

• Mail Encryption
• Field Encryption
• Port Encryption
• Database Encryption
• Document Encryption

Layouts of Lotus Notes NSF file

The database layout of NSF file contains file header as well as database header, which further contains the below-mentioned factors in NSF file:

• Superblock
• Summary Buckets
• Bucket Descriptor Block
• Bitmap
• Non- Summary Buckets
• Record Relocation Vector Bucket

NSF File Position

The file position of NSF file is a 32-bit value that encloses offset value of a file, which is divided by 256 (0x100).