Creating an NFS share on a Windows 2008 server for unix / linux clients

Windows 2008 has the ability to "share" file resources using NFS. This guide will guide you through doing this. In this scenario we will have two machines named "WIN-NFS" which will be our Windows 2008 Server and "redcloud" which will be our Red Hat linux client. This can also be done on Windows 2003 check here for details Setup Windows 2003 NFS

Step 1: Install Active Directory Services on WIN-NFS Windows 2008 Server

This step is only necessary to provide unix to windows user name mappings. You may find that you don't actually need to do this step if you have another method of providing name mappings (for example Windows 2003 SFU 3.5 had a service that did this). Choose Start -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager Choose Role -> Add Roles Choose Active Directory Services. This will run - once it as finished you need to run the DC promo tool which is a wizard for turning the server into a DC (domain controller) Start -> Run -> dcpromo This will begin the Active directory install wizard Click Next, This displays the operating system compatibility screen, click next again. Select the "Create a new domain in a new forest" radio button. Click next. You will be presented with the Name the Forest Root Domain screen. Enter the FQDN of the forest root domain. In my case I am going to call it "mydomain.local" Click Next on the Forest Functional Level and Next on the Domain Functional Level. You will also need to install a DNS server. So make sure that check box is ticked and press next. On the Location for Database. Log files and SYSVOL you can select the default. On the password screen enter a suitable password. Now it is time to wait for the wizard to do its stuff . Restart the computer when prompted.

Step 2: Installing the NFS service on WIN-NFS Windows 2008 Server

Windows 2008 has the NFS file service along side it's other network file systems. It is native to the operating system and simply needs to be added to your servers "roles" so it can share resources to nfs clients (linux or unix boxes for example). Choose Start -> Administrative Tools -> Server Manager Choose Roles -> Add Roles This will start the Add Roles Wizard. Click Next On the Server Roles page check "File Services" then press "Next" Click Next on the Introduction to File Services Then on the Select Role Services screen check "Service for Network File System" On the Confirm Installation Services press Install This will go off and install the NFS file sharing service. It might take a minute or two. If all goes well you should find this installs - so simply press "Close".

Step 3: Installing the Identity Management for Unix

This is a "role service" which means it is basically and extra feature of the ADS role. To install this go to Start->Administrative Tools-Server Manager Start -> Administrator Tools -> Services for Network File System Choose Roles Scroll down to the Active Directory Domain Services Click the "Add Role Services" link On the the next screen "Select Role Services" Check the Indentity Management Checkbox This will walk you through a simple wizard which will require a reboot of your machine. Reboot the server.

Step 3a Configure the NFS service to use the identify manager we just installed.

This basically tells the NFS server to use the identity managment service for ADS to map unix usernames to Windows ones Open Services for Network File System Start->Administrative Tools->Services for Network File System Right click the Services for Network File System icon and choose properties

Step 4. Create a Windows User and a Windows Group on the WIN-NFS server

Now the machine is a domain controller you need to use the Active Directory Users tool. Start->Administrative Tools->Active Directory Users and Computers Setup a new user in my example the user is called "dave". I will give him a userid of 600. You can use any number you choose. Now the user is setup right click on the user object in the active directory user and computer tool. Select the Unix Attributes Tab (this tab appears because we have installed the Identify manangement for Unix) Change the NIS Domain dropdown to the local domain in my case mydomain Change the UID to 600 Change the Group ID to 600 Now create a group. I am calling it SFU (service for unix) but you can use any name you like of course. Once you add the group use unix attributes to set the GUID to be 600.

Step 5. Create a Linux user on the red hat server

Using an account with the appropriate permissions (root for example) create a local account. In my case dave and with the same uid I chose for my Windows "dave" account.

Step 6: Creating an NFS shared folder

Using explorer create a folder, on my system i created a folder called c:\nfsshare Right click the folder and going to properties, then open the "nfs sharing tab" Click Manage NFS Sharing Check the Share this folder check box

Step 7. Mount the share from your Unix client

Connect to the unix client as root create a suitable mount point (a folder) I am calling mine /nfs Mount the NFS share (this command tells the linux box to mount the remote share at the server to the local mount point /nfs) change to the linux dave user Change to the mount point where the resource is mounted Create a file as a test to see if you can access the nfs file system If all goes well you will see your file created!