Establishing an NFS Server and Establishing a Connection

Setting up an NFS (Network File System) server allows you to share directories and files across a network. Here’s a guide on how to set up an NFS server and connect to it:

Setting up NFS Server:

1. Install NFS Server:
   • On the server machine, install the NFS server package. The package name might vary based on your Linux distribution. For example, on Ubuntu:

     sudo apt-get install nfs-kernel-server

2. Create a Directory to Share:
   • Choose a directory that you want to share and create it:

     sudo mkdir /shared_directory

3. Configure NFS Exports:
   • Open the /etc/exports file to define the directories to be shared. Add the following line to share the /shared_directory:
     /shared_directory *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)

     The options rw (read-write), sync (synchronous), and no_subtree_check (disable subtree checking) are common settings.

4. Restart NFS Service:
   • Restart the NFS service to apply the changes:
     sudo systemctl restart nfs-kernel-server

5. Allow NFS Through Firewall:
   • If you are using a firewall, allow NFS traffic:
     sudo ufw allow from <client_IP_address> to any port nfs

     Replace <client_IP_address> with the actual IP address of the client machine.

Connecting to NFS Server:

1. Install NFS Client:
   • On the client machine, install the NFS client package. The package name may vary based on your Linux distribution. For example, on Ubuntu:
     sudo apt-get install nfs-common

2. Create a Mount Point:
   • Create a local directory on the client machine where you want to mount the NFS share:
     sudo mkdir /mnt/nfs_share

3. Mount NFS Share:
   • Mount the NFS share on the client:
     sudo mount <server_IP_address>:/shared_directory /mnt/nfs_share

     Replace <server_IP_address> with the actual IP address of the NFS server.

4. Verify Mount:
   • Verify that the NFS share is mounted:
     df -h

     You should see the NFS share listed in the output.

Automount NFS Share (Optional):

1. Install Autofs:
   • Install the autofs package on the client machine:
     sudo apt-get install autofs

2. Configure Autofs:
   • Edit the /etc/auto.master file and add a line for the NFS share:
     /mnt/nfs_share /etc/auto.nfs_share

   • Create the /etc/auto.nfs_share file and add the following line:
     nfs_share -fstype=nfs <server_IP_address>:/shared_directory

   • Restart the autofs service:
     sudo systemctl restart autofs

Now, the NFS share will be automatically mounted when accessed, and it will be unmounted when not in use.

Adjust the settings and paths based on your specific setup. Always ensure that the necessary ports are open, and firewalls are configured appropriately for NFS traffic.