Working file locking over NFS and maproot

[sgunn]

I'd like to use my N5200 as the "disk" for a freebsd server. This isn't going so well because file locking doesn't appear to be supported, so I can't really host the home directories on the NAS because of (at least) mail delivery and reading issues that occur when you don't have file locking.

Secondly, I'd like to move the /var directory on the NAS, but as far as I can tell the 5200 doesn't support root owned directories on it. (MAPROOT in NFS parlance). So this is also a no-go.

If I'm wrong about either of these two issues I'd love to be corrected, but as far as I can tell these fairly important features are missing.

-Stephen

[omega]

Hi Stephen,

file locking should be supported and working ast he NFS lock daemon is running on the N5200.

I don't understand what do you mean with the moving of the /var directory.....

Of course NFS and the N5200 does support root owned directories, maybe you need to edit the /etc/exports file yourself.....

Andreas

[quick]

Check that you mount the nfs-share as version 3. That might mean a difference.....

[sgunn]

Thanks for the replies. With regard to root owned directories, (as root) I tried the following:

# mount_nfs -3 192.168.1.100:/raid/data/newdir /newdir
# cd /newdir
# touch test
# ls -l test
-rw-r--r-- 1 99 99 0 Apr 2 07:43 test
# chown root test
chown: test: Operation not permitted

Test is owned by user 99 group 99. I need it to be owned by user 0, root.

So what am I missing? I'm running the latest firmware, and I haven't modified the NAS in any way.

-Stephen

[quick]

>Test is owned by user 99 group 99. I need it to be owned by user 0, root.

I have the same behaviour on my box.

Having said yes to the root-access on the folder options, I assumed it would work to store and read files as root-owner on an nfs-client.

Have never made it to work and have settled for using another user on all my clients.

(((Working as another user than root is in most cases a better practice , but does not solve the root-ownership of write-read-issues )))

[sgunn]

quick said:

Working as another user than root is in most cases a better practice , but does not solve the root-ownership of write-read-issues

I would generally agree, except that some things absolutely need to be owned by root, like /var/qmail, /var/spool, /var/cron, /var/log (you get the idea).

I've gotten around the file locking issue by using the -L option to the nfs mount, which keeps file locks on the local machine and doesn't propogate them to the NAS. This will work for most of my needs, but doesn't give any protection for two separate machines trying to access the same file. It is not a real nfs file lock.

-Stephen