Network File System in Global Namespace

Describes the federation of network file system in the global namespace.

A network file server(NFS) is hosted on a remote network, typically in a different physical location. The remote network file servers provide file-sharing services using NFS, allowing clients from different networks or locations to access and share files over the network.

HPE Ezmeral Data Fabric offers a native implementation of NFSv4. Data stored in the native NFSv4 system can be accessed from the global namespace.

The Data Fabric global namespace can be extended by importing one or more NFSv4 systems offered by vendors other than HPE. The NFSv4 system that is offered by vendors other than HPE is referred to as an external NFS with respect to Data Fabric.

An external NFS that is imported into Data Fabric appears as a part of the global namespace on the Data Fabric UI.

Data Fabric aggregates native NFSv4 systems and/or external NFSv4 systems in the global namespace, such that data from all the relevant NFSv4 systems in the global namespace is accessible via Data Fabric.

The addition of an external NFS to the Data Fabric global namespace facilitates the federation of all your NFS data, irrespective of the NFS vendor and the location of the data.

Data Fabric refers requests coming from an NFSv4 client to an external NFSv4 server that has been imported into Data Fabric. Once the connection between the NFSv4 client and the external NFSv4 server is established, the communication and data exchange between the NFSv4 client and external NFSv4 server takes place directly. Data Fabric is not a part of this communication.

See Working with an External NFS Server for details on importing an external file system into the global namespace via the Data Fabric UI.