Nfs

< Memory | Knowledge Base | Noticeboard >

NFS "Network File System" is a technology for making disk storage available across a local network. NFS was developed by Sun Microsystems and is a widely adopted UNIX standard daemon. NFS allows client computers to read and/or write to a disk or a directory on that disk as if it were physically attached to the client.

NFS is also supported by other operating systems but Microsoft prefers the CIFS protocol which it developed and which is arguably more suitable for use in conjunction with Microsoft products. CIFS is supported by UNIX through the "Samba" software.

NFS operates as a daemon on the computer which has the files to be served (the "server") and the directory containing the files is "exported" (made available on the network). Client computers then "mount" the filesystem as if it were a physical file system attached to a local disc. The entire process is transparent to user application software.

< Memory | K.B. Index | Noticeboard >