Sharing files with NFSv4 on Fedora 12 (Server -> Multi)

Description

This HowTo explains how to set up the Network File System version 4 on your LAN for multiple shares. It explains, also, how to mount the exports on your client.

Applicable to Fedora Versions

Fedora 12

Requirements

Everything comes preinstalled on an "out-of-the-box" installation of Fedora. The following are only services.

Server requirements

nfs
rpc2

These are the client's requirements

nfs
nfslock
rpc2

The rpc.nfsd and rpc.rquotad services that are needed are started by the nfs service. Most of them don't need user configuration. rpc.lockd, rpc.statd and rpc.mountd are not used by NFSv4.

Doing the Work

Configuring the server

Open up the necessary port on the firewall (port: 2049). Activate the Firewall tool. You will be asked for your root password. Please enter it:

su -c "system-config-securitylevel"

Activate NFS4 and click OK.

Edit /etc/idmapd.conf. Enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "gedit /etc/idmapd.conf"

Configure your domain name and change the users to nfsnobody:

[General]
Domain = example.com

[Mapping]
Nobody-User = nfsnobody
Nobody-Group = nfsnobody

Start the rpcidmapd and nfslock services, then start the nfs service. Alternatively, you can use System->Administration->Services GUI. Please enter the root password when prompted:

su -c "service rpcidmapd start"
su -c "service nfslock start"
su -c "service nfs start"

Set rpcidmapd, nfslock, and nfs services to start on boot. Alternatively, you can use System->Administration->Services GUI. Please enter the root password when prompted:

su -c "chkconfig --level 345 rpcidmapd on"
su -c "chkconfig --level 345 nfslock on"
su -c "chkconfig --level 345 nfs on"

Create the directories of the exports inside /nfs4exports. Enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "mkdir -p /nfs4exports/{share1,share2,share3}"

Edit /etc/fstab:

su -c "gedit /etc/fstab"

Bind the desired shares to the, recently created, directories; at /nfs4exports:

/path/to/share1		/nfs4exports/share1	none	bind	0 0
/path/to/share2		/nfs4exports/share2	none	bind	0 0
/path/to/share3		/nfs4exports/share3	none	bind	0 0

Remount everything. Enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "mount -a"

Edit /etc/exports. Enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "gedit /etc/exports"

Add your shares here (available to your home network) If you want your shares to be read only, change rw to ro from these statements:

/nfs4exports			192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,nohide,fsid=0)
/nfs4exports/share1		192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,nohide)
/nfs4exports/share2             192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,nohide)
/nfs4exports/share3             192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0(rw,insecure,no_subtree_check,nohide)

Reload your exports. Please enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "/usr/sbin/exportfs -rv"

Edit your /etc/hosts.allow file, so your clients are allowed to access your nfs. Please enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "gedit /etc/hosts.allow"

Allow your LAN to access your services:

rpcbind: 192.168.1.0/255.255.255.0

Reboot:

su -c "/sbin/shutdown -r now"

Configuring the clients

Edit /etc/idmapd.conf. Enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "gedit /etc/idmapd.conf"

Configure your domain name and change the users to nfsnobody:

[General]
Domain = example.com

[Mapping]
Nobody-User = nfsnobody
Nobody-Group = nfsnobody

Edit /etc/fstab. Please enter your root password when prompted:

su -c "gedit /etc/fstab"

Create the mounting directories:

su -c "mkdir /mnt/shares /home/me/share1 /home/he/share2 /home/it/share3"

Add the desired shares:

<ip-address-to-server>:/	/mnt/shares	nfs4	rsize=8192,wsize=8192,timeo=14,soft
<ip-address-to-server>:/share1	/home/me/share1	nfs4	rsize=8192,wsize=8192,timeo=14,soft
<ip-address-to-server>:/share2	/home/he/share2	nfs4	rsize=8192,wsize=8192,timeo=14,soft
<ip-address-to-server>:/share3	/home/it/share3	nfs4	rsize=8192,wsize=8192,timeo=14,soft

Remount everything:

su -c "mount -a"

Troubleshooting

How to test

Next time...

Common problems and fixes

Exported subdirectory appears empty

If /nfs4exports/share1 appears empty on the client make sure it's exported with the nohide parameter. Because /nfs4exports/share1 was mounted under /nfs4exports, the client can't see it unless the nohide parameter is used.

More Information

RedHat recommends, on RHEL5 Docs, that one should use automount instead of /etc/fstab; which saves resources when sharing to multiple workstations. I haven't had the time to try this configuration. This document will be modified/augmented once I've got the hang of it.

Disclaimer

I haven't had the opportunity to test this HowTo since I lack of a networked PC to do it, so you may run into problems, if you do, come to #fedora on irc.freenode.net or leave me messages so I know what's up. Feel free to propose changes and stuff.

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