Network File System - server and client setup on Fedora

• NFS Server:

  1. You will need "nfs-utils" so `up2date --install nfs-utils` if you don't already have it.
     
  2. Start "portmapper" first - `service portmap start`.
     
  3. Setup the exports file with the directory, hosts and permissions for sharing.

     To export the external usb storage drive to everyone on the local subnet, I have the following:

     /mnt/usbdisk 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw)
     

     This entry allows every machine from the subnet 192.168.0.0 to access the NFS share over the network. After having edited the "/etc/exports" file all you have to do is start the NFS server - `service nfs start` .

     Note: If you are concerned about security edit "/etc/hosts.allow" and "/etc/hosts.deny" to specify which computers on the network can use services on your machine.

  4. Check the status with - `rpcinfo -p` .

• NFS Client:

  1. Check that the nfs module is loaded first - `grep nfs /proc/filesystems` .
     
  2. If nothing comes up then load the module with - `modprobe nfs` .
     
  3. Start "portmapper" - `service portmap start` .
     
  4. Mount the network file system with - `mount -t nfs nfs_server:/mnt/usbdisk /mnt/nfs_usbdisk` .
     
  5. If may take a while. Verify with `mount` after .

References:

• NFS Overview, FAQ and HOWTO
  
• Learning NFSv4 with Fedora Core 2