Creating a shared filesystem

UNIX AIX
1

Hi everybody,
Is it possible to create a Shared Filesystem on Network to be accessed from 2 Systems?
Both systems are AIX but with different versions. One of these systems is AIX 4.3 & the other is AIX 5.2.

Thanks in advanced

2

you need nfs (network filesystem) which is default installed on aix

use "smitty nfs" or edit /etc/exports (see man nfs for syntax) and use "exportfs directorytoshare"
on one machine to export a filesystem, on the other machine use

mount remotehost:/remotedir /localdir

or mount with smitty nfs

you need dns or /etc/hosts entries for the client on server side

no problem with aix 5.2 and 4.3, but use nfs v3 and not v4

3

Thank you very much funksen, you guide me to the right way, because I never used a Shared Folders or Filesystems on UNIX platforms.

Because this thread about sharing I would like to share with you what I did.

First thing, the purpose of creating a Shared Filesystem is to Migrate huge data (1.2 TB) from old system to the new one.

The steps that I walked through it are:

A) On the New System:
1- Creating a filesystem called /bkup (JFS2) , with size of 1.2TB.
2- Starting the NFS Deamons using command startsrc -g nfs.
3- Exporting the /bkup filesystem using SMIT as below:
smit mknfsexpB) On the Old System:
1- Creating a directory called /bkup.
2- Starting the NFS Deamons using command startsrc -g nfs.
3- Mounting the /bkup filesystem as following:
mount newsys:/bkup /bkup
Unfortunately, I encountered a problem that prevent me from completing the whole task. The problem was related to Filesystem limitations, and it happens with me from the Old System.

Actually, I can not copy a file that exceed 2GB to this filesystem (/bkup) or creating a file with size more than 2GB on this filesystem.

I hope if any body can told me how I can make the /bkup filesystem accepts Large Files although this filesystem was created on the New System & it is Enhanced Journal Filesystem.

Thank in advance.

4

check ulimit -a on the client userid you are using and on the server ulimit -a for nobody

one of these values is set to 2gb max file size

change in /etc/security/limits

you can also allow the client to write with root ulimits on server side by adding the atttribute -root=hostname (not 100% sure with syntax)to /etc/exports

edit: when you change limits you have to relogon

5

In fact, I already enabled the root access to an exported File System. The contents of the file /etc/exports on the New System (NFS Server) are:

/bkup -root=oldsys,-access=oldsys

Regarding the ulimit, I don't have any idea about it, so I will try to do what you said & check.

I will update you.

Thanks

6

I checked NFS client (Old System AIX 4.3) with the command ulimit -a. I thought if I modified the fsize to be unlimited the problem will be solved, but this is not true. I modify the fsize to be unlimited but still I could not create or copy files that excees 2GB on this Filesystem.

Any body have an idea about how to make the Filesystem unlimited with file size?

7

check root/nobody ulimit on server

8

Thanks a lot funksen.

I check the fsize on the NFS Server & it is equal to unlimited, but I detect that the problem was from the NFS Client.

The following are what I did before solving the problem:1- I changed the fsize to unlimited by invoking the command:
ulimit -f unlimited unlimited
2- I exit & relogin again. The problem still exist & if run ulimit -a the fsize return to its default value.

Steps that I resolve the problem:
1- I changed the fsize to unlimited using SMIT:
a) Run smitty.
b) Go through SMIT main menu (Security & Users --> Users --> Change / Show Characteristics of a User).
c) For the root & nobody users I changed the parameters Soft FILE size & Hard FILE size to value -1.2- I exit & relogin again. The problem disappeared & if run ulimit -a the fsize returns the value unlimited.

To confirm that every thing is fine I run the below command:
dd if=/dev/zero of=testFile bs=1048576 count=409
This command is to create a new file with size of 4GB, and when I run it before changing the limitations of the Filesystem, it was tirmenate after the file size reached 1GB only. After I changed the Filesystem limitations it is run without problems & generate a new file caled testFile with size of 4GB.

9

The normal JFS filesystem will not accomodate a file size of 2G or over without the large file enabled being set. Use the lsfs command to check the settings on the filesystem.