View source for Setting up NFS for file sharing

{{{!}} class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 322px;" border="2"
{{!}}+ Proven on:
{{!}}- --="" debian=""
{{!}} style="text-align: center; width: 60px;" {{!}} [[File:Logo Debian.png{{!}}60px{{!}}link=https://www.debian.org/{{!}}center{{!}}middle{{!}}frameless]]
{{!}} style="text-align: center; width: 40px;" {{!}} 11 (bullseye)
{{!}}

<br>
{{!}}-
{{!}} style="text-align: center; width: 60px;" colspan="3" {{!}} [[typographic conventions{{!}}A little note about typographic conventions you'll see here]]
{{!}}}

== Install NFS Server ==

* <code>sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server</code>

== Configure NFS Server ==

* <code>sudo vi /etc/exports</code>
Add/edit:

 '''/PATH/TO/BE/SHARED''' *(rw,async,no_root_squash,no_subtree_check)
For the changes to take effect, export and start NFS service.
* <code>sudo exportfs -a</code>
* <code>sudo /etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server start</code>
Pretty simple...

=== A bit about re-sharing ===
Sometimes, you may want to share something that you've actually mounted from an NFS share on another machine...

A couple of things are different in this case.

First, you need to ensure that the mounts are done BEFORE you start the NFS server.

* <code>sudo vi /etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server</code>
and add: 
 ##########################
 echo "Starting out by making sure EVERYTHING is mounted..."
 /usr/bin/mount -a
 echo "Really..."
 echo "This is NOT the right place to do this..."
 echo "But, init.d kinda sucks..."
 ##########################
right near the start.

Then you need to provide an fsid entry (with a unique number) for each export.

 '''/PATH/TO/BE/SHARED''' *(rw,async,no_root_squash,no_subtree_check''',fsid=1010''')

<span style="color: rgb(186, 55, 42); font-size: 14pt;">'''AND''' it '''STILL''' doesn't start at boot!!!</span>

But, you can force it to start after booting by logging into the machine & telling it:

* <code>sudo /etc/init.d/nfs-kernel-server start</code>

== Connecting to the NFS Server ==
You'll need NFS installed
* <code>sudo apt install nfs-common</code>
or
* <code>sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server</code>
Then you can check what's shared from any particular machine:
* <code>showmount -e '''[SERVERNAME or ADDRESS]'''</code>
** (requires sudo on Debian...)
will show you what's shared from a machine

=== Setting up & mounting a share ===
* <code>sudo mkdir -p '''/PATH/TO/MOUNT/SHARE'''</code>
* <code>sudo mount '''[SERVERNAME or ADDRESS]''':'''/PATH/TO/BE/SHARED''' '''/PATH/TO/MOUNT/SHARE'''</code>
Better yet tho...
* <code>sudo vi /etc/fstab</code>
& add an entry:
 '''[SERVERNAME or ADDRESS]''':'''/PATH/TO/BE/SHARED''' '''/PATH/TO/MOUNT/SHARE''' nfs rw,user,exec 0 0
Then, you can mount anything listed in fstab but not yet mounted
* <code>sudo mount -a</code>

== TBD ==

* Learn what flags do what in '''/etc/exports'''
* Browsing in the GUI would be nice...
* Look into automounting (including graceful failure modes)
* Work up some instructions for non-Linux systems.&nbsp; (Synology, Kodi, Winderp)

== Some Links ==

* [https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-to-ubuntu-nfs-server-configuration-howto/ Ubuntu Linux NFS Server installation and Configuration]
* The Geek Diary: [https://www.thegeekdiary.com/understanding-the-etc-exports-file/ Understanding the /etc/exports File]
* [https://linux.die.net/man/8/exportfs exportfs(8) - Linux man page]
* [https://linux.die.net/man/5/exports exports(5) - Linux man page]
* [https://linux.die.net/man/8/mount mount(8) - Linux man page]<br>
* [https://linux.die.net/man/5/fstab fstab(5) - Linux man page]
[[Category:Linux]]
[[Category: WIP]]