033 Mount and Unmount Network File Systems Using Nfs

Tech Tutorial: Create and Configure File Systems #

Introduction #

In this tutorial, we will explore how to mount and unmount network file systems using NFS (Network File System) on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). NFS is a protocol that allows a user on a client machine to access files over a network in a manner similar to how local storage is accessed. This guide will specifically help in preparing for the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) exam, focusing only on applicable RHEL commands and configurations.

Prerequisites #

  • Two RHEL systems (one as NFS server and the other as NFS client)
  • Proper network connectivity between the two systems
  • Root privileges on both systems

Step-by-Step Guide #

1. Setting Up the NFS Server #

Before you can mount a file system through NFS on a client, you need to configure an NFS server that will serve the files.

Step 1.1: Install the NFS Package #

On the server, you need to install the nfs-utils package, which provides NFS functionality.

sudo yum install nfs-utils

Step 1.2: Configure the NFS Exports #

Decide which directory you want to share with the client machines. For this example, let’s share /var/nfsshare.

First, create the directory if it doesn’t already exist:

sudo mkdir /var/nfsshare

Give it the appropriate permissions:

sudo chmod 755 /var/nfsshare

Next, configure the export by editing the /etc/exports file:

sudo nano /etc/exports

Add the following line to specify that the directory should be accessible by a client (replace client_ip with the actual IP address of your client):

/var/nfsshare client_ip(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)

Step 1.3: Start and Enable NFS Services #

Enable and start the NFS server services:

sudo systemctl enable nfs-server
sudo systemctl start nfs-server

Export the shared directory:

sudo exportfs -rav

2. Mounting NFS on the Client #

Step 2.1: Install NFS Utilities #

On the client system, install the nfs-utils package if it’s not already installed.

sudo yum install nfs-utils

Step 2.2: Create a Mount Point #

Create a directory to serve as the mount point for the NFS share:

sudo mkdir /mnt/nfs

Step 2.3: Mount the NFS Share #

Mount the NFS share from the server:

sudo mount server_ip:/var/nfsshare /mnt/nfs

Replace server_ip with the IP address of your NFS server.

Step 2.4: Verify the Mount #

Check the mounted NFS share:

mount | grep nfs

3. Making the NFS Mount Persistent #

To ensure the NFS mount persists across reboots, add it to the /etc/fstab file on the client:

sudo nano /etc/fstab

Add the following line:

server_ip:/var/nfsshare /mnt/nfs nfs defaults 0 0

Detailed Code Examples #

The above configurations and commands are crucial for setting up and managing NFS in a RHEL environment. Ensure that each step is followed carefully, and replace placeholder values (such as IP addresses) with actual values from your network setup.

Conclusion #

Mounting and unmounting NFS file systems are essential skills for any system administrator, especially those preparing for the RHCSA exam on RHEL. This tutorial has covered how to set up an NFS server and client, mount and persistently mount NFS shares, and verify the mounts. By practicing these steps, you can ensure efficient management of network file systems in a RHEL environment.