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Enable NAS storage for Linux servers using NFS

Contributors netapp-mwallis netapp-forry netapp-thomi netapp-aherbin netapp-dbagwell netapp-ahibbard netapp-barbe
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Create or modify storage VMs to enable NFS servers for serving data to Linux clients.

Enable a new or existing storage VM for the NFS protocol using this procedure.

workflow diagram for enabling NAS for Linux servers using NFS

Before you begin

Ensure that you have noted the configuration details for any networking, authentication, or security services required in your environment.

Steps

  1. Enable NFS on a storage VM.

    • For new storage VMs: Click Storage > Storage VMs, click Add, enter a storage VM name, and in the SMB/CIFS, NFS, S3 tab, select Enable NFS.

      1. Confirm the default language.

      2. Add network interfaces.

      3. Update storage VM administrator account information (optional).

    • For existing storage VMs: click Storage > Storage VMs, select a storage VM, click Settings, and then click settings icon under NFS.

  2. Open the export policy of the storage VM root volume:

    1. Click Storage > Volumes, select the root volume of the storage VM (which by default is volume-name _root), and then click on the policy that is displayed under Export Policy.

    2. Click Add to add a rule.

      • Client specification = 0.0.0.0/0

      • Access protocols = NFS

      • Access details = UNIX Read-Only

  3. Configure DNS for host-name resolution: click Storage > Storage VMs, select the storage VM, click Settings, and then click settings icon under DNS.

  4. Configure name services as required.

    1. Click Storage > Storage VMs, select the storage VM, click Settings, and then click for settings icon LDAP or NIS.

    2. Click edit icon in the Name Services Switch tile to include any changes.

  5. Configure encryption if required:

Configure TLS for NFS clients
Note NFS over TLS is available in ONTAP 9.15.1 as a public preview. As a preview offering, NFS over TLS is not supported for production workloads in ONTAP 9.15.1.
Steps

  1. Refer to the requirements for NFS over TLS before you begin.

  2. Click Storage > Storage VMs, select the storage VM, and then click Settings.

  3. In the NFS tile, click NFS over TLS settings.

  4. In the NFS over TLS settings area, select an NFS network interface for which you want to enable TLS.

  5. Click the Options icon for that interface.

  6. Click Enable.

  7. In the Network interface TLS configuration dialog, include a certificate for use with TLS by selecting one of the following options:

    • Installed certificate: Choose a previously installed certificate from the drop-down list.

    • New certificate: Choose a common name for the certificate.

    • External CA-signed certificate: Follow the instructions to paste the contents of your certificate and private key into the boxes.

  8. Click Save.

Configure Kerberos
Steps

  1. Click Storage > Storage VMs, select the storage VM, and then click Settings.

  2. Click arrow icon in the Kerberos tile and then click Add.