(Direct Access File System) A high-performance file sharing protocol based on the VI memory-to-memory architecture. Designed for storage area networks (SANs), DAFS provides bulk data transfer directly between the application buffers of two machines without having to packetize the data. It also allows applications to access hardware without operating system intervention. In 2001, the DAFS Collaborative group and its specification work was turned over to the SNIA and became its own working forum within that organization. See VI and SNIA.