Chapter 38. Sharing File Systems with NFS

Contents

38.1. Installing the Required Software
38.2. Importing File Systems with YaST
38.3. Importing File Systems Manually
38.4. Exporting File Systems with YaST
38.5. Exporting File Systems Manually
38.6. NFS with Kerberos
38.7. For More Information

As mentioned in Chapter 35, Using NIS, NFS works with NIS to make a network transparent to the user. With NFS, it is possible to distribute file systems over the network. It does not matter at which terminal users are logged in. They always find themselves in the same environment.

Like NIS, NFS is a client/server system. A machine can be both—it can supply file systems over the network (export) and mount file systems from other hosts (import).

[Important]Need for DNS

In principle, all exports can be made using IP addresses only. To avoid time-outs, however, you should have a working DNS system. This is necessary at least for logging purposes, because the mountd daemon does reverse lookups.

38.1. Installing the Required Software

To configure your host as an NFS client, you do not need to install additional software. All packages needed to configure an NFS client are installed by default.

NFS server software is not part of the default installation. To install the NFS server software, start YaST and select Software+Software Management. Now choose Filter+Patterns and select Misc. Server or use the Search option and search for NFS Server. Confirm the installation of the packages to finish the installation process.