[Leaplist] discussion - ways to share/access data

[Bryan J. Smith]

Bruce Metcalf <bruce.metcalf at figzu.com> wrote:
> I took an older system and made it a dedicated NFS file
> server. The trick for me was to mount the servers files to a
> specific directory on each of the client systems (in my
> case, /home/hq). This leaves the configuration files on the
> individual machines (/home/username still exists), but
> permits common access to the shared file area while
> protecting work in progress.
> I am now in the process of migrating local home directories
> to the server. For example, moving the contents of
> /home/bruce on each machine into /home/hq/bruce on the file
> server. I'm only moving visible files (those not
> starting with .) which -- if I understand correctly -- will
> leave the config files behind.

Actually, the continuing, legacy approach to solving this
is much easier -- the automounter.

E.g.,

- Don't create any local /home (auto.home)
- Use /net (auto.net) automatically find shares on systems
- Several other, classic approaches

The Linux Automounter, even the older Autofs v4 (let alone
v5), is very, very intelligent.  It can figure out if shares
and stores are local, and use a "bind mount" to the location,
instead of NFS.

That's why when I create any new system, instead of /home
I create /export/local.  On the server, I will create
variations of /export/(blah) or /export/(entity)/(blah).

I then use either /net (auto.net) or /home (auto.home) to
populate.  I actually prefer /home/(domain) (auto.(domain)) so
I can have resources across networks/realms, with multiple
maps.  There is also the /home/(resource), often associated
as /home/misc (auto.misc) or similar.

I point out auto.home and auto.misc maps because they are
two of the most widely assumed maps in directory defaults.
Although auto.net can be just as useful without them.

My home directory on my notebook is:  

  /home/mobile/bjsmith

It's actually a bind mount to:  

  /export/local/bjsmith

On my home network, I have a pair of automounter maps:
  auto.oviedo
  auto.mobile

If anyone hits /home/oviedo/(blah) it is assumed to be
on a fixed resource in the oviedo[.smithconcepts.com]
network/realm.  E.g., my home directory on the server:  
  bjsmith   dilbert:/export/dilbert/users/bjsmith

If anyone hits /home/mobile/(blah) it is not assumed to
be available, and various resources may or may not be
connected.  E.g., the auto.mobile map has the line:
  bjsmith   portatux64a:/export/local/bjsmith

It won't map if not there.  At the same time, I get both:  
  /home/oviedo/bjsmith
And:  
  /home/mobile/bjsmith

On _every_ system in my home when I'm plugged into the
network.  I could pair it down further, but I don't.

I also have several auto.misc (/home/misc) exports:  
  static    dilbert:/export/dilbert/misc/static
  projects  dilbert:/export/dilbert/misc/projects
  
In reality, I'm in the middle of moving over to IPA
(running in a Xen domU -- dilbert5d) and refining
my pathing from the file server (also another Xen domU
-- dilbert5f).  There are many ways to slice things.


-- 
Bryan J Smith          Professional, Technical Annoyance
b.j.smith at ieee.org    http://www.linkedin.com/in/bjsmith
--------------------------------------------------------
I don't have a "favorite Linux distro."  I use, develop
and support community efforts, often built around Linux.
Technology and solutions are my focus, not dragging in
assumptions, marketing and other concepts which dominate
non-community developed software, which I left long ago.




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