OPS335 NFS Lab

NFS RESOURCES

Online References:

• File Server Notes (Week 9 class notes)
• NSF Security (List of tips regarding NSF and security)

OVERVIEW

In OPS235, you learned how to install and configure an SSH server to be able to use utilities such as ssh, scp and sftp. Although the sftp utility is useful for transferring files between different computers via the Internet, it is not considered useful or efficient for accessing files on servers that are connected over a local network.

Two popular protocols called Network File Server (NFS) and Samba (SMB) are used to provide high speed file access between servers on a local network. The NFS protocol allows a user to access files on another server in a local network in a similar way that local files on a same server are accessed. The Samba open-source software is used to access files from Windows servers using a combination of Windows protocols including NetBIOS, SMB, etc.

This lab will focus on installing, configuring and using NFS and Samba to access files between different servers on a local network.

INVESTIGATION 1: USING AUTOMOUNT WITH NFS

In this investigation, we will set up an NFS server on our VM2 machine. We will then set up an NFS client on our VM3 machine and be able to view and import files within the VM2 /home directories from the VM3 machine.

Prerequistites
Due to the changes made in lab3, you will now need your vm1 running (as the DNS server) in order for any of your virtual machines to be able to use the internet.

Setting up the NFS Server (VM2)

Perform the following tasks:

1. Make certain that all of your VMs are running.
2. Switch to your VM2 machine.
3. Although nsf is already on your VM when you installed it, we will install additional utilities for nsf. Issue the following command:
   yum install nfs-utils
4. The /etc/exports file allows you to restrict the access to servers to access files for security purposes. Edit /etc/exports file, and replace all contents of the file with the following:
   /home 192.168.x.4(rw,root_squash,insecure)
5. Start enable your nfs service (now known as nfs-server.service).
6. Build the server's list of exports:
   exportfs -r
7. Run and record the output of the following commands:
   exportfs
   showmount -e
8. You will have to adjust your firewall settings on your VM2 machine to allow NFS to work.
   Run the netstat command in order to determine the ports needed and issue the appropriate iptables command(s).

Setting up & Testing the NFS Client (VM3)

Perform the following tasks:

1. Ensure the VM guest network is functioning properly. You can use the "host cbc.ca" command to see if DNS queries are being answered.
2. Ensure you have full connectivity to the internet.
3. Again, you should not have to install any NFS software.
4. Add the following line to the bottom of the /etc/fstab file on your VM3 machine:
   192.168.x.3:/home /home nfs4 defaults 0 0

Warning:
Do not change any other lines in this file. Do not change any lines in /etc/fstab on your host machine. Doing so can make your machine fail to boot.

5. Run the following command to avoid an error that would be caused by logging in while root_squash is active:
   setsebool -P
   use_nfs_home_dirs 1
6. Logout of vm03 and shut it down.
7. Restart vm03 and login using your learnid.
8. Check that the home directory is mounted:
   mount | grep /home
9. If it is not, try running 'mount /home' as root and observe any errors.
10. On vm03, create an empty file by issuing the following command:
    touch empty_file_created_on_vm03
11. Now shutdown vm03.
12. Now on the NFS server, us ls -l in your learnid's home directory to check for the file you just created.

Setting up Automount (VM3)

Perform the following tasks:

1. Switch to your VM3 machine.
2. Comment or remove the line from /etc/fstab that you entered earlier.
3. With a server installation of Fedora 22, you will not need to install autofs, but on other installations you might need:
   dnf install autofs
4. Move the existing file /etc/auto.master:
   mv /etc/auto.master /etc/auto.master.orig
5. This is a great way to keep a back up in case you need to restore the file in the future. Now create another:
   vi /etc/auto.master
6. Add only the following line:
   /home /etc/auto.home --timeout=60
7. Create the file /etc/auto.home and add ONLY the following line:
   * -fstype=nfs4,rw,nosuid,soft 192.168.x.3:/home/&
8. Start autofs, and ensure the service will automatically start at boot.
9. Log out of vm3 and log back in using your learn account.
10. Open a terminal and enter the command:
    mount | grep home
11. How does it differ from the previous mount?
12. Create another empty file with the name:
    touch another_empty_file_from_vm03
13. Run and record the output of the command:
    df -hT
14. Back on the nfs server run and record the output of ls -l in your home directory.
15. You should see the files you created on vm03.
16. You may encounter errors with SELinux during the lab (though it has not been a problem recently). It is required that you leave it running. #Use the following commands to determine what booleans need to be flipped:
    audit2allow < /var/log/audit/audit.log
    audit2why < /var/log/audit/audit.log
17. Now that you have VM3 automatically mounting home directories from VM2, configure VM1 to do the same.

Record steps, commands, and your observations in INVESTIGATION 1 in your OPS335 lab log-book

COMPLETING THE LAB

Arrange proof that ...

EXPLORATION QUESTIONS

1. What does the no_root_squash option for an NFS mount mean?
2. Explain the meaning of the defaults option in an fstab entry. What do the numbers mean at the end?
3. What is the function of the 'exportfs' command?
4. What is the purpose of the 'showmount' command?
5. What is the meaning of the "timeout=60" phrase?
6. What is the meaning of the asterisk (*) in the file /etc/auto.home?
7. What is the meaning of the ampersand (&) in the file /etc/auto.home?
8. What is the role of the /etc/mtab file on the nfs server?
9. What port does nfs-server use?
10. What is the purpose of the testparm command?
11. What does SMB stand for? CIFS?