OPS335 NFS Lab
Contents
NFS and Automount
In this lab you'll set up a Fedora 16 host as an NFS (Network File System) server. Then you'll set up a Fedora 16 guest VM (Virtual Machine) that will import its /home directory from this host.
Part A: Setting up the Guest VM
- Ensure the VM guest network is functioning properly. You can use the "host cbc.ca" command to see if DNS queries are being answered.
- Ensure you have full connectivity to the internet.
- Be sure to set the firewall on both your VM and host according to prior labs. Use the command iptables-save to verify.
- Once your VM guest network is working use the ifconfig command and record the IP adddress of your VM guest. The address should be something like 192.168.122.yyy.
- Install the NFS software on both vm03 and your host using the command "yum install nfs-utils".
- Add the following line to the bottom of the /etc/fstab file on vm03
192.168.x.1:/home /home nfs defaults 0 0
- Logout of vm03 and shut it down.
Part B: Setting up the NFS Server on the Host
- On your Fedora host machine edit /etc/exports so that it contains ONLY the following line (where 192.168.122.yyy is the IP address of your guest VM):
/home 192.168.x.4(rw,root_squash,insecure)
- Start your nfs server with the command 'systemctl start nfs'. NOTE: You'll have to adjust your firewall on the host to get NFS to work. Run netstat to determine the ports needed.
- Start up vm03 and login using your learnid.
- Back on your host PC run and record the output of the 'exportfs' and 'showmount -e' commands.
- On vm03, create an empty file using the touch command:
touch empty_file
Now shutdown vm03.
- Back on your host PC, run and record the output of the 'ls -l' command.
- Shutdown the nfs server with the command "systemctl stop nfs-server.service".
Part C: Setting up Automount on the VM
- Start up vm01, login as joker and switch to root.
- Remove the line from /etc/fstab that you entered in PART A.
- Install automount (yum install autofs) if it's not already installed.
- Edit the file /etc/auto.master so that it contains ONLY the following line:
/home /etc/auto.home --timeout=60
- Edit the file /etc/auto.home so that it contains ONLY the following line:
* -fstype=nfs,rw,nosuid,soft 192.168.122.1:/home/&
- Start autofs with the command
service autofs start
- Log out of vm01 and back on the host start the nfs server.
- Log into vm01 as joker.
- Create another empty file with the name another_empty_file.
- Run and record the output of the "df -Th" command.
- Back on the host machine as joker, run and record the output of the "ls -l" command.
Completing the Lab
Answer the following questions
- What is your full name and 9 digit Seneca student ID?
- Show the exact output recorded in Part B (df -Th, exportfs, showmount -e and ls -l)
- Show the exact output recorded in Part C. (df -Th, ls -l)
- Explain in your own words the meaning of the no_root_squash option for an NFS mount.
- Explain the meaning of the defaults option to the mount command.
- What is the function of the 'exportfs' command?
- What is the purpose of the 'showmount' command?
- What is the meaning of the "timeout=60" phrase in Part C?
- What is the meaning of the asterisk (*) in Part C?
- What is the meaning of the ampersand (&) in Part C?
- What is the role of the /etc/mtab file on the host?
- What port does nfs use?