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Network File System (NFS)

Network File System (NFS) provides shared file storage over a network. Linux, Unix, and other compatible systems can access files and directories from a centralized location.

Overview

Use NFS when multiple systems need access to the same shared file storage. The service supports centralized file management, multi-client access, and shared repositories for application data, team files, backups, logs, or archives.

Features

Feature Description
Centralized file storage Stores files in one shared location that multiple systems can access over the network.
Seamless access Lets users and applications work with shared files as though they are stored locally.
Multi-client sharing Supports access from multiple Linux, Unix, and compatible systems.
Efficient file management Helps organize and maintain shared files and directories across systems.

Use Cases

  • Shared team storage.
  • Application data shared by multiple servers.
  • Centralized file repositories.
  • Backup, log, or archive storage.

Prerequisites

  • A shared IP address must be assigned to the VMs that need access to the NFS share.

Note

Shared IP assignment is covered in the public IP and shared IP workflow under Networking.

Creating an NFS Share

  1. Open Storage.
  2. Open NFS.
  3. Click Create.
  4. Enter the required share details, including allowed shared IPs.
  5. Submit the request.

To allow access to the file share, create an outgoing firewall rule from the shared IP address to the pool IP address.

Tip

Allowed shared IPs are the shared IP addresses of the VMs that require access to the NFS share. The allowed shared IP list can be updated later from the share details page.

Firewall Rules for NFS Access

Configure the following firewall rules to allow client access to the NFS share:

  • Direction: Outgoing
  • Policy Type: SSA → SHA
  • Source: Your VM shared IP address
  • Destination: NFS pool IP addresses
  • Services: NFS

Managing NFS Shares

Click the share name to access its details.

Tab Purpose
Details Shows general share information and storage configuration. You can update the share quota and add or remove allowed shared IP addresses from this tab.
Backups Provides backup management for the share. To find out more visit File Share Backup and Restore Documentation
History Shows changes and actions performed on the share.

Mounting NFS on Windows

Traffic Whitelisting Requirements

To whitelist traffic between the destination VM (Access Point) and the source NFS path, complete the following configuration steps:

  1. Allocate a Dedicated Share IP to the Destination VM
  2. Assign a dedicated shared IP address to your Windows VM
  3. Allow Traffic from Destination Side with NFS Port
  4. Configure Windows firewall to allow NFS port traffic (typically port 2049 for NFS v3/v4)
  5. Configure NFS Path Access in SITE Cloud Portal 
    # Access the SITE Cloud portal
# Navigate to: NFS Details tab
# Edit "Allowed Shared IP Addresses"
  6. Add Destination VM Shared IP
  7. Enter the Windows VM's shared IP address in the allowed IPs list
  8. Click Save to apply the configuration

Windows NFS Considerations

  • Windows Server includes NFS client functionality by default
  • Ensure NFS Client for Windows feature is enabled
  • Use PowerShell or Command Prompt for NFS mounting commands
  • Verify network connectivity before attempting to mount

OS Side Configurations

Windows NFS Client Setup

Prerequisite

Ensure the "Client for NFS" feature is installed via: - Settings → Apps → Optional features - Or using PowerShell: 

Install-WindowsFeature -Name NFS-Client

Method 1: Using File Explorer

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Right-click on This PC (or Computer) and select Map network drive
  3. Choose a drive letter from the dropdown menu
  4. In the Folder field, enter the NFS share path in the format: 
    \\host\share\path
    Example: \\100.64.*.*\myshare
  5. Click Finish to complete the mapping

Method 2: Using Command Line

For Windows (CMD/PowerShell):

mount \<Your NFS shared IP>:/<PATH in portal> X:

For Linux:

mount -t nfs /<path in portal>/ <your local path>

Important

  • Replace <Your NFS shared IP> with your actual NFS server IP address
  • Replace <PATH in portal> with the specific NFS path from your portal
  • Replace X: with your desired drive letter (Windows)
  • Replace <your local path> with your desired mount point (Linux)