Setting up NFS Server on Ubuntu 18.04
Have you ever needed to share files between computers within a network? Look no further than NFS (Network File System) Server! NFS provides a great way for multiple computers to easily access and share files over a network.
In this article, well look at how to set up NFS Server on Ubuntu 18.04.
Installing and Configuring NFS Server
Before configuring NFS Server, we need to make sure that NFS services are installed. We can accomplish this by running the following command:
sudo apt install nfs-kernel-server
After installing NFSv4 Server, we need to configure it. The configuration file is located at /etc/default/nfs-kernel-server, and it contains important information about the NFS server configuration.
For example, it contains the global NFS root directory that will be shared over the network. By default, this is set to /exports, but you can change it to suit your needs.
Creating File Systems
Before exporting the file systems, we need to make sure that they are accessible on the server. This is done by creating file systems on the server and mounting them.
To create file systems, we can use the mkdir command. For example, to create a file system called myfiles, we would run:
sudo mkdir /exports/myfiles
Next, we need to mount the file system using the mount command:
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /exports/myfiles
Alternatively, we can use bind mounts to create file systems.
This is useful if we need to create a file system that is a subdirectory of an existing file system. To do this, we can use the mount command with the -o bind flag:
sudo mount -o bind /var/www /exports/myfiles
To make sure that these file systems are mounted automatically at boot time, we can add them to the /etc/fstab file.
Exporting File Systems
Once file systems are created and mounted, we can export them to the clients. To do this, we need to edit the /etc/exports file.
For example, to export the myfiles file system, we would add the following line to the /etc/exports file:
/exports/myfiles *(rw,sync,no_subtree_check)
The * specifies that any computer can access the myfiles file system over the network. The options used in this example are:
– rw: allows read-write access to the file system
– sync: ensures that changes made by clients are immediately visible on the server
– no_subtree_check: disables subtree checking.
This is important if we plan to use subdirectories within the exported file system. We can also specify which NFS version we want to use in the configuration file.
For example, if we want to use NFS version 2, we would add the following line to the /etc/default/nfs-kernel-server file:
RPCNFSDARGS=”-N 2″
Finally, we can specify the NFSv4 idmapping in the /etc/default/nfs-common file.
Firewall Configuration
One final step before we are done configuring NFS server on Ubuntu 18.04 is to configure the firewall. By default, Ubuntu uses UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall).
To allow NFS traffic, we need to allow the NFS port (2049) through the firewall:
sudo ufw allow from any to any port 2049 proto tcp
With all these steps completed, we are now ready to configure NFS clients to access our shared files!
Setting up NFS Clients
To access the files shared by the NFS server, we need to install the NFS client tools. We can do this by running the following command in the terminal:
sudo apt install nfs-common
Mounting File Systems
Once the NFS client is installed, we can mount the NFS file systems on the client machine using the mount command. We can either specify the IP address or the hostname of the server.
For example, to mount the myfiles file system from the NFS server with the IP address 192.168.1.100, we would run:
sudo mount 192.168.1.100:/exports/myfiles /mnt/myfiles
Alternatively, we can use the hostname of the NFS server by adding it to the /etc/hosts file:
192.168.1.100 nfs-server
And then mount the file system using the hostname:
sudo mount nfs-server:/exports/myfiles /mnt/myfiles
To mount the NFS file system automatically at boot time, we can add it to the /etc/fstab file. We can also use autofs or systemd unit files to mount the file system automatically.
Testing NFS Access
To test NFS access, we can use the touch command to create a file in the mounted file system:
sudo touch /mnt/myfiles/testfile.txt
If we get a permission denied error, it means that the NFS server is not properly configured. We need to check the permissions of the file system and ensure that the NFSv4 idmapping is correct.
The NFS server maps users and groups by their UID and GID. Therefore, we need to make sure that the UID and GID of the files on the server match the ones on the client.
Alternatively, we can use root_squash or no_root_squash options to disable or enable root access on the shared file system.
Unmounting NFS File System
To unmount an NFS file system, we can use the umount command:
sudo umount /mnt/myfiles
To remove the mount point from the /etc/fstab file, we can simply comment out the corresponding line.
Conclusion
In conclusion, NFS is a powerful tool for sharing files over a network. Setting up NFS server on Ubuntu 18.04 is a straightforward process that involves a few configuration files and firewall settings.
NFS clients can easily access the shared files by installing the NFS client tools and mounting the file systems. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set up your own NFS server and enjoy hassle-free file sharing!
Implementing NFS in Production
NFS is a great tool for sharing files over a network, and it can be used in production environments with the proper configuration. One important consideration is security, especially if sensitive data is being shared.
By default, NFS uses no authentication or encryption, which makes it vulnerable to attacks. Without proper security measures in place, unauthorized access to NFS file systems can occur.
One way to secure NFS is to use Kerberos authentication. Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that uses secret-key cryptography to provide secure authentication over insecure networks.
It has many advantages over traditional authentication methods, including strong encryption and mutual authentication. To use Kerberos authentication with NFS, we need to install the Kerberos client and server software on both the NFS server and client machines.
We also need to configure the /etc/krb5.conf file on both the server and client machines. This file contains information about the Kerberos realm, the KDC (Key Distribution Center) server, and the authentication mechanisms to be used.
Next, we need to configure NFS to use Kerberos authentication. This involves modifying the /etc/default/nfs-kernel-server and /etc/default/nfs-common files on the NFS server to use Kerberos authentication.
We also need to modify the /etc/fstab file on the client machines to use the krb5 option when mounting the NFS file systems. Once Kerberos authentication is set up, NFS file systems can only be accessed by users who have a valid Kerberos ticket.
This provides an extra layer of security and ensures that only authorized users have access to the data.
SSHFS as an Alternative to NFS
Another option for sharing files over a network is SSHFS (SSH File System). SSHFS uses an encrypted SSH connection to mount remote file systems.
It is a secure and easy-to-use alternative to NFS, especially for smaller networks or those without a dedicated NFS server. One advantage of SSHFS over NFS is that it uses encryption to secure the data being transferred.
This means that files are inaccessible to anyone who does not have access to the SSH key. Additionally, SSHFS does not require any special server configuration, making it easier to set up and use.
To use SSHFS, we need to install the sshfs package on the client machine. We also need to make sure that the SSH server is running on the remote machine.
Once installed, we can use the sshfs command to mount the remote file system. For example, to mount the remote file system with the IP address 192.168.1.100, we would run:
sshfs [email protected]:/path/to/remote/directory /path/to/local/directory
This command creates a temporary directory that contains the remote file system.
We can then access the files as if they were local. One disadvantage of SSHFS is that it can be slower than NFS, especially over high-latency networks.
This is due to the extra overhead required to encrypt and decrypt the data being transferred. Additionally, SSHFS can be less flexible than NFS when it comes to access control and file locking.
Conclusion
In conclusion, NFS is a powerful tool for sharing files over a network, especially in production environments. With the proper configuration, NFS can be secured using Kerberos authentication and other measures.
However, there are also alternatives to NFS, such as SSHFS, which provide secure and easy-to-use file sharing without the need for special server configuration. Whether you choose NFS or SSHFS, it is important to consider security and speed when sharing files over a network.
In summary, setting up NFS Server on Ubuntu 18.04 is a straightforward process that involves creating, mounting, and exporting file systems, configuring the NFS server, and configuring the firewall. To make it more secure, we can use Kerberos authentication or use SSHFS as an alternative to NFS.
Regardless of the method chosen, it is important to consider security and speed when sharing files over a network. Overall, NFS is a powerful tool for sharing files in production environments, and with the proper configuration, it can make file sharing hassle-free.