Open System Services NFS Overview

1 Introduction to NFS for Open System Services
The Network File System (NFS) for Open System Services (OSS) is a network file server compatible
with the Network File System, version 2, protocol of Sun Microsystems, Inc. OSS NFS allows you
to create and access files stored on NonStop systems by issuing commands at your PC or
workstation. You can share Disk Operating System (DOS), UNIX, Windows NT, Macintosh, and
OSS disk files with other users and applications operating on systems that can communicate with
your local area network (LAN).
NFS File Servers
An NFS file server (also called simply an NFS server) stores and provides access to files in formats
compatible with your PC or workstation; that is, files compatible with DOS or UNIX systems. An
NFS file server is useful for providing additional or archival disk storage for your files and for
sharing files among UNIX and DOS systems.
Each NFS file system is managed by a separate NFS server. You can have multiple NFS file systems
on a single NonStop system.
You can access and manage the directories and files stored on a NonStop system as though they
were stored on your local disks. File access is transparent after you mount the portion of the OSS
NFS file hierarchy you want to use.
To use OSS NFS services, your PC or workstation software must include an NFS client program
that uses Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to communicate over a LAN. To
access and manage NFS files, you use the commands provided by your NFS client program or
your operating system as described in the manuals provided with your PC or workstation software.
In addition to knowing how to use your local software, you should have some understanding of
the following aspects of OSS NFS:
• How OSS files are organized
• How you determine which directories and files stored on the NonStop system are accessible
to you
• How you become authorized to access files and what security mechanisms protect your files
NFS Files
In this manual, the term “NFS file” refers to a file managed by an NFS server in an NFS file system.
It is best to store NFS files in a format compatible with the C programming language and the UNIX,
Windows NT, DOS, or Macintosh operating system—particularly if you intend to share the files
with other users on these operating systems.
The best source of information about NFS files is the set of manuals provided with your NFS client
software and with your operating system. OSS NFS follows the standard NFS conventions for
organizing the storage of NFS files.
OSS File System
The OSS file system resembles the UNIX file system and is based on the POSIX.1a specification.
Unlike the Guardian environment, the OSS environment does not support file codes or the different
types of files they indicate. Instead, the OSS file system treats all files as the same type, regardless
of their content or purpose.
The OSS file system distinguishes between uppercase and lowercase letters in filenames (that is,
it is case sensitive). For example, the following three filenames specify three distinct files: filea,
Filea, and FILEA.
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