NFS Illustrated

The Network File System (NFS) protocol is now an essential element of any LAN and widely used with the Web and wide area networks. NFS Illustrated provides a thorough understanding of this protocol through extensive diagrams and real protocol traces, making it an invaluable resource for programmers, network engineers, and network managers. This book covers NFS versions 2 and 3, as well as WebNFS and the new NFS version 4, with Internet support. It also delves into the protocols that underlie NFS, including External Data Representation (XDR), Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and the NFS MOUNT and Lock Manager protocols. The book offers a detailed discussion on the NFS filesystem model and provides a procedure-by-procedure description of NFS versions 2 and 3, illustrated with snoop traces. The book addresses real-world implementation issues faced by those building an NFS client or server, including factors that affect NFS performance and critical performance benchmarks. With its focus on practical application and detailed technical information, NFS Illustrated is an authoritative guide to the NFS protocol.