Mounting an NFS file system explicitly

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To mount an NFS directory explicitly, use the following procedure:

  1. Verify that the NFS server has exported the directory: 
    showmount -e ServerName
    where ServerName is the name of the NFS server. This command displays the names of the directories currently exported from the NFS server. If the directory you want to mount is not listed, export the directory from the server.
    Note: The showmount command will not work for file systems that were exported only as NFS version 4 file systems. For NFS version 4, the client can mount the root filesystem for the server and traverse the exported directory structure. Individual exported file systems do not have to be explicitly mounted to be accessed by the client.
  2. Establish the local mount point using the mkdir command.
    A null (empty) directory that acts as the mount point (or place holder) of an NFS mount must be present for NFS to complete a mount successfully. This mount point can be created like any other directory, and no special attributes are needed.
  3. Type: 
    mount ServerName:/remote/directory /local/directory
    where ServerName is the name of the NFS server, /remote/directory is the directory on the NFS server you want to mount, and /local/directory is the mount point on the NFS client.
  4. On the client machine, type the following SMIT fast path: 
    smit mknfsmnt
  5. Make changes to the following fields that are appropriate for your network configuration.
    Your configuration might not require completing all of the entries on this screen.
    Note: If the SMIT interface is being used, press the Tab key to change to the correct value for each field, but do not press Enter until completing step 7.
    • PATHNAME of mount point.
    • PATHNAME of remote directory.
    • HOST where remote directory resides.
    • MOUNT now, add entry to /etc/filesystems or both?
    • /etc/filesystems entry will mount the directory on system RESTART.
    • MODE for this NFS file system.
  6. Change or use the default values for the remaining entries, depending on your NFS configuration.
  7. When you finish making all the changes on this screen, SMIT mounts the NFS file system.
  8. When the Command: field shows the OK status, exit SMIT.

The NFS file system is now ready to use.