Final answer:
The virtual file system layer provides mechanisms for representing files, maintains an open file table, and allows access to files.
Step-by-step explanation:
The virtual file system layer is responsible for providing mechanisms for uniquely representing files, maintaining an open file table, and allowing access to the selected type of file. This layer does not handle read() and write() calls directly, but rather interfaces with lower-level layers that handle these operations. By providing a standardized interface for file operations, the virtual file system layer allows applications to interact with different file systems in a uniform way.