/ˌɛn-ɛf-ˈɛs/
n. “Sharing files over a network as if they were local.”
NFS, short for Network File System, is a protocol that allows a computer to access files over a network as though they were stored on its own local disk. Originally developed by Sun Microsystems, NFS enables file sharing across different systems and operating environments, making distributed storage seamless for users and applications.
Key characteristics of NFS include:
- Transparency: Remote files can be mounted and accessed like local files.
- Cross-Platform Support: NFS works on Unix, Linux, Windows (with extensions), and other operating systems.
- Client-Server Architecture: Servers export directories, and clients mount them over the network.
- Stateless vs. Stateful: Modern NFS versions maintain minimal server state, improving reliability and scalability.
Here’s a simple example of mounting an NFS share on a Linux client:
# Mount the NFS share from server 192.168.1.100
sudo mount -t nfs 192.168.1.100:/exported/path /mnt/nfs
# Verify the mounted share
df -h | grep /mnt/nfsIn this example, the client mounts a directory exported by the NFS server, making its contents accessible locally at /mnt/nfs.
In essence, NFS abstracts networked storage, allowing multiple machines to share files and collaborate as if all data resided locally, forming a foundation for distributed file systems in enterprise and cloud environments.