FedFsInstallationGuide0.9

From Linux NFS

Contents 1 Project: fedfs-utils 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Road map for setting up a simple FedFS domain 1.2.1 What you need for a minimal FedFS file-access server 1.2.2 What you need to define a FedFS domain 1.2.3 What you need for a minimal FedFS file-access client 1.3 Road map for setting up a complete FedFS domain 1.3.1 What you need for a minimal FedFS NSDB 1.3.2 What you need to allow file servers to access the NSDB 1.3.3 What you need to administer junctions and NSDB connection parameters remotely

Project: fedfs-utils

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Introduction

The purpose of fedfs-utils is to manage a network file namespace (a FedFS domain) that consists of multiple exports on one or more file servers. There are three roles a host can play in a FedFS domain. A host can play one or more of these roles.

File-access client

This is a network file system client that communicates with fileservers using a standard file-access protocol (such as NFS).

File-access server

This is a server that stores data or refers file-access clients to other file-access servers

Namespace Database (NSDB)

An NSDB node stores location information about data on file-access servers. LDAP is used to access and manage this information.

A DNS SRV record refers file-access clients to the top-most directory in a FedFS domain, which is stored in a special export on a file server.

The NSDB is optional. If an NSDB is employed, an administrative entity that has write access to the NSDB is required to create, modify and delete the entries describing FedFS filesets.

Road map for setting up a simple FedFS domain

A "simple" FedFS domain does not use a separate LDAP server to keep track of fileset locations. Only NFS basic junctions (where fileset locations are stored directly on file servers) are used.

What you need for a minimal FedFS file-access server

• Linux NFS server that supports NFSv4 or later (any recent Linux distribution)
• nfsref program installed (fedfs-utils package install, or built from source)
• libnfsjunct.so installed (fedfs-utils package install, or built from source)
• rpc.mountd updated with junction support (nfs-utils 1.2.6 or later)

What you need to define a FedFS domain

• Define a domain root directory on a FedFS-enabled NFS server, then export it
  • Setting up a FedFS domain root server
• Define a DNS SRV record that points to that export
• Create NFS referrals in the root directory to other NFS servers that participate in this domain

What you need for a minimal FedFS file-access client

• Linux NFS client that supports NFSv4 or later
• Kernel DNS resolver upcall working
• Automounter installed and enabled
• fedfs-nfs4-map program installed

Road map for setting up a complete FedFS domain

All the items in the "minimal FedFS domain set up" above, and:

What you need for a minimal FedFS NSDB

• An installed and configured LDAP server
• Backing database set up for the DIT that hosts FedFS entries
• The FedFS schema installed on the server
• Administrative access to the DIT that hosts FedFS entries

• Setting up an OpenLDAP server for use as an NSDB
• Setting up a 389-ds server for use as an NSDB

What you need to allow file servers to access the NSDB

• Install nsdbparams program on file servers that participate in your FedFS domain

What you need to administer junctions and NSDB connection parameters remotely

• Install rpc.fedfsd program (this is optional)