DBFS is a file system protocol that allows users to interact with files stored in object storage using syntax and guarantees similar to Unix file systems1. DBFS is not a physical file system, but a layer over the object storage that provides a unified view of data across different data sources1. By default, the DBFS root is accessible to all users in the workspace, and the access to mounted data sources depends on the permissions of the storage account or container2. Mounted storage volumes do not need to have full public read and write permissions, but they do require a valid connection string or access key to be provided when mounting3. Both the DBFS root and mounted storage can be accessed when using %sh in a Databricks notebook, as long as the cluster has FUSE enabled4. The DBFS root does not store files in ephemeral block volumes attached to the driver, but in the object storage associated with the workspace1. Mounted directories will persist saved data to external storage between sessions, unless they are unmounted or deleted3. Reference: DBFS, Work with files on Azure Databricks, Mounting cloud object storage on Azure Databricks, Access DBFS with FUSE