Time to build a server with old hardware.

[Phil Binner]

Ah, so it's already there. The next job is to publish the drive then. I'll consider that over the next few days and try to get the office work out of the way.

Thanks.

[TheFu]

What about getting started. How do I install NFS in the first place. I guess it's something like "sudo apt-get install nfs-server"

SeijiSensei posted a link with a short guide that gets to the point above. Please take a look at it.

[Phil Binner]

Looking at SeijiSensei's command

"/home 192.168.100.0/24(rw,async,no_root_squash,insecure,no_subtree_che ck,fsid=0)"

and Fu's command

"/TV regulus(rw,async,root_squash) romulus(rw,root_squash,async) hadar(rw,root_squash,async) posc(rw,async,root_squash) osmc(rw,async,root_squash) pi3(rw,async,root_squash)"

I am reading that SeijiSensei is publishing the home folder for anyone on the network, while Fu is publishing the folder TV for specific users - regulus, romulus, etc.

Am I reading that correctly? If so, where does the ip address point to, and what is the significance of /24

What I want is for all machines to have access, but based on user rights. My first stab at this command would be

"/Home firstuser(rw,async,no_root_squash,insecure,no_subt ree_check,fsid=0)"

How does this look.

[Phil Binner]

Sorry if this is dragging on. I'm only getting a few minutes a day on this at the moment, but I'm trying to keep it moving.

[TheFu]

I am reading that SeijiSensei is publishing the home folder for anyone on the network, while Fu is publishing the folder TV for specific users - regulus, romulus, etc.

Specific Computers. Users aren't involved at this level. Remember, it is system-to-system, not user-to-system. NFS doesn't care about users. It cares about uids and normal Unix permissions. That's the plus. Local and remote storage follow the same rules, except that local root isn't root on NFS storage, just local storage. Unless you use the no_root_squash option (which is poor security).

/24 is known as CIDR notation. A /24 (slash 24) network is the same as having a netmask of 255.255.255.0. It is just shorter.

User permissions are handled using normal, standard, Unix permissions. chmod, chgrp.

This is for the /etc/exports file on the NFS server:

"/some-shared-directory ubuntu-client-hostname(rw,async,no_root_squash,insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=0)"

I fixed

• the shared directory. I can almost assure you that you do not want to share /Home or /home/. Those are advance capatilities and require much more understanding of users, HOME directories, and ramifications for snaps.
• the extra space
• hostname
• don't need insecure,no_subtree_check,fsid=0 options

So - either put in the IP address of your client machines or ubuntu-client-hostname (assuming you have a properly managed network with DNS).

The exports file has to be setup before the fstab can be known.

[Phil Binner]

Saying I have a properly managed network with DNS may be stretching it. I have a router supplied by the ISP and a couple of extension routers hanging off it. The various desktop computers are hard wired with Cat 7 cable, and phones/tablets use wifi. The business consists of 2 partners, me and my wife. My understanding is that the ISP's router handles the DNS, and the extension routers are set up as slaves. I believe IPA's are dynamically assigned.

So I think you are saying:

Find or create /etc/export. Then add the line:

/myfolder firstmedion(rw,root_squash,async)

Run the command, sudo systemctl start nfs-kernel-server

Then I have a server running and have to connect to it by editing fstab in firstmedion

What is the difference between root_squash and no_root_squash. Does root_squash meen I need to present more information when connecting from firstmedion.

Looking at the link SeijiSensei provided, he said I need fsid. How come I can do without it.

Sorry if I'm still being naive, but this is all new.

Thanks.

[TheFu]

The nfs server must have a static IP. The clients need to know how to locate the server. It cannot jump around. That is what an internal DNS server does. If you don't have one of those, then you must use the IP address.

root_squash determines whether the root account on a client has root-level file control to the NFS files. All these things are documented in the exports manpage. Manpages are on your system ad cover all the options.

A well-managed network is one where all systems can find each other using names. Normally, this is accomplished using DNS. There are other methods, but only DNS works on all platforms. External DNS doesn't help to resolve systems on your LAN. Servers all have static IPs.

If all your nfs clients cannot ping firstmedion using that name, then you must use the IP address.

fsid is for special nfs needs that your setup will not have. It takes 60 seconds to try with and without the setting. I've never needed it in 30 yrs.

After you edit the fstab, you need to mount the storage. sudo mount -a will mount everything configured in the fstab. It is safe to run that with some file systems already mounted.

BOB'S OUR UNCLE.

[Phil Binner]

Everything on my system has a name, so that's one hurdle. I should be able to go into the router management and make the IP static. So I should be ready.

With luck I'll get time to do this today. Otherwise it will be the weekend.

Thanks.

[Phil Binner]

So far I have

1 Put an additional hard drive into the machine I am using as a server. Formatted it as FAT and called it Vol10

2 Edited /etc/exports to add the line "/Vol10 firstmedion(rw,root_squash,async)"

3 in the terminal run the command "sudo systemctl start nfs-kernel-server"

4 open the rooter and find the IPA for the server. Make it permanent.

5 Go to firstmedion and edit fstab to add the line "/Vol10 (serverIPA)/24(rw,async,root_squash)

6 Restart firstmedion

The result is that firstmedion will not boot. It goes into emergency mode and offers Advanced options or System setup, but neither offer me any way of reversing the fstab change.

This is not an immense tradgedy. firstmedion is only an old laptop with a duff battery that has to stay plugged into the mains, and I have no more invested in it's setup than loading the DVD.

What did I do wrong though.

Thanks. Phil B

[TheFu]

Don't use FAT. use ext4.
Local storage must be mounted using the fstab before it can be shared by either nfs or samba.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Fstab This is assumed, basic, knowledge. The "Examples" section in that link has both NFS and local file system mount examples.

Don't use fat or ntfs or any other non-natve linux file system.

IPA = Beer? Definitely seek that.