Step-by-Step Guide to Create and Attach an NFS Mount Point to a New Server

Prerequisites:

NFS Server: A server with NFS (Network File System) installed and configured to export the directory.
Client Server: The server where the NFS mount point will be attached.
Network Connectivity: Ensure both servers can communicate over the network.

Steps on the Source NFS Server where the storage is present

1. Install NFS Utilities


sudo yum install -y nfs-utils  # For Red Hat-based systems
sudo apt-get install -y nfs-kernel-server  # For Debian-based systems

2. Create the Directory to Export


sudo mkdir -p /mnt/shared

3. Set Permissions for the Directory


sudo chmod 777 /mnt/shared

4. Edit the Exports File

Add the directory to /etc/exports with the appropriate permissions:


sudo nano /etc/exports

Add the following line to export the directory:


/mnt/shared *(rw,sync,no_root_squash)

rw: Read-write access.
sync: Synchronize changes immediately.
no_root_squash: Allows root on the client to act as root on the NFS server.

5. Export the Directory

Run the following command to make the changes effective:


sudo exportfs -rav

6. Start and Enable the NFS Service


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

Steps on the Client Server

1. Install NFS Utilities


sudo yum install -y nfs-utils  # For Red Hat-based systems
sudo apt-get install -y nfs-common  # For Debian-based systems

2. Create a Mount Point


sudo mkdir -p /mnt/nfs_shared

3. Mount the NFS Share Temporarily

Use the mount command to mount the NFS share:


sudo mount -t nfs <NFS_SERVER_IP>:/mnt/shared /mnt/nfs_shared

Replace <NFS_SERVER_IP> with the IP address of the NFS server.

4. Verify the Mount

Check if the NFS share is mounted:


df -h

You should see the NFS share listed as /mnt/nfs_shared.

Persist the Mount Across Reboots

Open the fstab file:
```
sudo nano /etc/fstab
```

Add an entry for the NFS share:


<NFS_SERVER_IP>:/mnt/shared /mnt/nfs_shared nfs defaults 0 0

Save the file and exit.
Test the fstab entry by unmounting and remounting all filesystems:
```
sudo umount /mnt/nfs_shared
sudo mount -a
```

Verification

Test writing and reading files on the mount point:


sudo touch /mnt/nfs_shared/test_file
ls -l /mnt/nfs_shared/

Ensure the file appears on both the NFS server and client.

Troubleshooting

Firewall:

Ensure the required NFS ports are open:


sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=nfs --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=rpc-bind --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=mountd --permanent
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

SELinux:
- Allow NFS through SELinux:
```
sudo setsebool -P nfs_export_all_rw 1
```

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Step-by-Step Guide to Create and Attach an NFS Mount Point to a New Server