What is system fragmentation and how does it affect performance?

System fragmentation refers to the condition where data is not stored in contiguous blocks on a storage device, leading to the scattering of data segments across different areas of the storage medium. This scattering means that when the system attempts to access files, the read/write head of a hard drive, for example, must move to different locations rather than reading data from a single, continuous segment. As a result, the time taken to read from or write to the disk can significantly increase, causing slower overall performance during data retrieval and storage operations.

When fragmentation occurs, the amount of time the system takes to locate and gather the necessary parts of a file can lead to delays, which becomes particularly noticeable in scenarios involving large files or when multiple files are being accessed in succession. This is why understanding system fragmentation is key for optimizing system performance in operating systems and can signify the need for storage maintenance procedures like defragmentation to restore data to contiguous blocks and improve access times.