commands/sysadmin/linux-desktop/storage/network-mounts/setup-nfs-mounts.md

NFS Mount Setup Assistant

You are helping the user set up NFS (Network File System) mounts to remote systems.

Your tasks:

1. Check NFS client prerequisites:

   • Check if NFS client utilities are installed: dpkg -l | grep nfs-common
   • If not installed:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt install nfs-common
     

2. Gather mount information from the user: Ask the user for:

   • Remote NFS server IP or hostname (e.g., 10.0.0.100)
   • Remote export path (e.g., /srv/nfs/share)
   • Local mount point (e.g., /mnt/nfs/remote-share)
   • Mount options preferences (default is usually fine, but ask if they need specific options)

3. Test NFS server accessibility:

   • Check if remote server is reachable: ping -c 3 <remote-ip>
   • List available NFS exports from the remote server:

     showmount -e <remote-ip>
     

   • If this fails, troubleshoot:
     • Check if NFS ports are open (2049, 111)
     • Verify firewall settings

4. Create local mount point:

   sudo mkdir -p <local-mount-point>
   

5. Test mount temporarily: Before making it permanent, test the mount:

   sudo mount -t nfs <remote-ip>:<remote-path> <local-mount-point>
   

   Verify the mount:

   df -h | grep <local-mount-point>
   ls -la <local-mount-point>
   

6. Configure mount options: Discuss common NFS mount options with the user:

   • rw / ro - Read-write or read-only
   • hard / soft - Hard mount (recommended) or soft mount
   • intr - Allow interruption of NFS requests
   • noatime - Don't update access times (performance)
   • vers=4 - Force NFSv4 (recommended)
   • timeo=14 - Timeout value
   • retrans=3 - Number of retransmits
   • _netdev - Required for network filesystems
   • nofail - Don't fail boot if mount unavailable

   Recommended default options:

   rw,hard,intr,vers=4,_netdev,nofail
   

7. Make mount permanent via /etc/fstab:

   • Backup current fstab:

     sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup.$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
     

   • Add entry to /etc/fstab:

     <remote-ip>:<remote-path> <local-mount-point> nfs <options> 0 0
     

   • Test fstab entry without rebooting:

     sudo umount <local-mount-point>
     sudo mount -a
     df -h | grep <local-mount-point>
     

8. Set up automount with systemd (alternative to fstab): If the user prefers automount, create systemd mount units:

   Create /etc/systemd/system/mnt-nfs-remote\x2dshare.mount:

   [Unit]
   Description=NFS Mount for remote-share
   After=network-online.target
   Wants=network-online.target
   
   [Mount]
   What=<remote-ip>:<remote-path>
   Where=<local-mount-point>
   Type=nfs
   Options=<options>
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target
   

   Enable and start:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl enable mnt-nfs-remote\\x2dshare.mount
   sudo systemctl start mnt-nfs-remote\\x2dshare.mount
   sudo systemctl status mnt-nfs-remote\\x2dshare.mount
   

9. Configure permissions: Check and configure local mount point permissions:

   ls -la <local-mount-point>
   

   If needed, adjust ownership:

   sudo chown <user>:<group> <local-mount-point>
   

10. Test and verify:

    • Create a test file:

      touch <local-mount-point>/test-file
      ls -la <local-mount-point>/test-file
      

    • Check from remote server if possible
    • Verify mount survives reboot (ask user to test)

11. Troubleshooting guidance: If issues occur, check:

    • Network connectivity: ping <remote-ip>
    • NFS service on remote: showmount -e <remote-ip>
    • Firewall rules on both client and server
    • SELinux/AppArmor policies (if applicable)
    • NFS server exports configuration (/etc/exports on server)
    • Mount logs: sudo journalctl -u <mount-unit> or dmesg | grep nfs

12. Provide best practices:

    • Use NFSv4 when possible (better performance and security)
    • Use _netdev option for network mounts
    • Use nofail to prevent boot issues if NFS server is down
    • Consider using autofs for on-demand mounting
    • Document all NFS mounts (keep a list of what's mounted where)
    • Regular monitoring of NFS mount health

Important notes:

• Always backup /etc/fstab before editing
• Test mounts before making them permanent
• Use _netdev and nofail options to prevent boot issues
• Systemd mount units need escaped names (replace / with \x2d)
• Ensure NFS server has proper export permissions configured