Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!convex!thurlow From: thurlow@convex.com (Robert Thurlow) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.nfs Subject: Re: Why not export /fs /fs/subdir? Message-ID: Date: 22 Jun 91 13:28:51 GMT References: <1991Jun18.040038.15141@Think.COM> <1991Jun22.072758.5160@Think.COM> Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account) Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA Lines: 35 Nntp-Posting-Host: dhostwo.convex.com In <1991Jun22.072758.5160@Think.COM> barmar@think.com (Barry Margolin) writes: >In article thurlow@convex.com (Robert Thurlow) writes: >>Sun-based server will interpret such lookups as if you'd really asked >>about ".". >If this is true, then that answers the original question about why you >can't export /foo and /foo/bar. The server apparently treats each exported >directory as if it were the root of a virtual file system. If /foo and >/foo/bar were exported, /foo/bar/.. would be seen as trying to back up >through that virtual root. Yes, it's one limiting factor, but I think that the NFS server could detect the transition from /foo to /foo/bar and back again and do the right thing. The real reason you can't try to export both right now is a check in exportfs(8) that punts /foo/bar, but I frankly have not been convinced that this has to be that way forever. A little more sophistication in the server would seem to permit this. >> Have you tried this anywhere and had it give you access to >>other filesystems? I'd call systems like that "broken". >No, I haven't yet tried it, although I've got a good client testbed: a >Symbolics Lisp Machine with NFS client support. Cough! Okay, I suppose for the purposes of this test it could be good. However, I'd urge you to not base your impressions of NFS on this implementation, based on the difficulties people (myself included) were having with interoperability with it at Connectathon. Rob T -- Rob Thurlow, thurlow@convex.com An employee and not a spokesman for Convex Computer Corp., Dallas, TX