Configuring Optimization Features : Configuring NFS Optimization
  
Configuring NFS Optimization
You display and modify NFS optimization settings in the Optimization > Protocols: NFS page.
NFS optimization provides latency optimization improvements for NFS operations by prefetching data, storing it on the client SteelHead for a short amount of time, and using it to respond to client requests. You enable NFS optimization in high-latency environments.
You can configure NFS settings globally for all servers and volumes or you can configure NFS settings that are specific to particular servers or volumes. When you configure NFS settings for a server, the settings are applied to all volumes on that server unless you override settings for specific volumes.
Note: RiOS doesn’t support NFS optimization in an out-of-path deployment.
Note: RiOS supports NFS optimization for NFSv3 only. When RiOS detects a transaction using NFS v2 or v4, it doesn’t optimize the traffic. Bandwidth optimization, SDR, and LZ compression still apply to the NFS v2 or NFS v4 traffic.
To configure NFS optimization
1. Choose Optimization > NFS to display the NFS page.
Figure: NFS Page
2. Under Settings, complete the configuration as described in this table.
Control
Description
Enable NFS Optimization
Enable this control on the client-side SteelHead to optimize NFS where NFS performance over the WAN is impacted by a high-latency environment. By default, this control is enabled.
These controls are ignored on server-side SteelHeads. When you enable NFS optimization on a server-side SteelHead, RiOS uploads the NFS configuration information for a connection from the client-side SteelHead to the server-side SteelHead when it establishes the connection.
NFS v2 and v4 Alarms
Enables an alarm when RiOS detects NFSv2 and NFSv4 traffic. When the alarm triggers, the SteelHead displays the Needs Attention health state. The alarm provides a link to this page and a button to reset the alarm.
Default Server Policy
Select one of these server policies for NFS servers:
•  Custom - Specifies a custom policy for the NFS server.
•  Global Read-Write - Specifies a policy that provides data consistency rather than performance. All of the data can be accessed from any client, including LAN-based NFS clients (which don’t go through the SteelHeads) and clients using other file protocols such as CIFS. This option severely restricts the optimization that can be applied without introducing consistency problems. This is the default configuration.
•  Read-only - Specifies that the clients can read the data from the NFS server or volume but can’t make changes.
The default server policy is used to configure any connection to a server that doesn’t have a policy.
Default Volume Policy
Select one of these volume policies for NFS volumes:
•  Custom - Specifies a custom policy for the NFS volume.
•  Global Read-Write - Specifies a policy that provides data consistency rather than performance. All of the data can be accessed from any client, including LAN-based NFS clients (which don’t go through the SteelHeads) and clients using other file protocols such as CIFS. This option severely restricts the optimization that can be applied without introducing consistency problems. This is the default configuration.
•  Read-only - Specifies that the clients can read the data from the NFS server or volume but can’t make changes.
The default volume policy is used to configure a volume that doesn’t have a policy.
3. Click Apply to apply your settings to the running configuration.
4. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.
You can add server configurations to override your default settings. You can also modify or remove these configuration overrides. If you don’t override settings for a server or volume, the SteelHead uses the global NFS settings.
To override NFS settings for a server or volume
1. Choose Optimization > Protocols: NFS to display the NFS page.
2. Under Override NFS Protocol Settings, complete the configuration as described in this table.
Control
Description
Add a New NFS Server
Displays the controls to add an NFS server configuration.
Server Name
Specify the name of the server.
Server IP Addresses
Specify the IP addresses of the servers, separated by commas, and click Add.
If you have configured IP aliasing (multiple IP addresses) for an NFS server, you must specify all of the server IP addresses.
Add
Adds the configuration to the NFS Servers list.
Remove Selected
Select the check box next to the name and click Remove Selected.
To modify the properties for an NFS server
1. Choose Optimization > Protocols: NFS.
2. Select the NFS server name in the table and complete the configuration as described in this table.
Control
Description
Server IP Addresses
Specify the server IP addresses, separated by commas.
Server Policy
Select one of these server policies for this NFS server configuration from the drop-down list:
•  Custom - Create a custom policy for the NFS server.
•  Global Read-Write - Choose this policy when the data on the NFS server can be accessed from any client, including LAN clients and clients using other file protocols. This policy ensures data consistency but doesn’t allow for the most aggressive data optimization. This is the default value.
•  Read-only - Any client can read the data on the NFS server or volume but can’t make changes.
Default Volume Policy
Select one of these default volume configurations for this server from the drop-down list:
•  Custom - Create a custom policy for the NFS server.
•  Global Read-Write - Choose this policy when the data on the NFS volume can be accessed from any client, including LAN clients and clients using other file protocols. This policy ensures data consistency but doesn’t allow for the most aggressive data optimization. This is the default value.
•  Read-only - Any client can read the data on the NFS server or volume but can’t make changes.
Default Volume
Enables the default volume configuration for this server.
Apply
Applies the changes.
Remove Selected
Select the check box next to the name and click Remove Selected.
3. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.
After you add a server, the NFS page includes options to configure volume policies. The Available Volumes table provides an uneditable list of NFS volumes that are available for the current NFS server. You can use the NFS volume information listed in this table to facilitate adding new NFS volumes.
To add an NFS volume configuration for a server
1. Choose Optimization > Protocols: NFS.
2. Select the NFS server name in the table and complete the configuration as described in this table.
Control
Description
Add a New Volume Configuration
Displays the controls to add a new volume.
FSID
Specify the volume File System ID. An FSID is a number NFS uses to distinguish mount points on the same physical file system. Because two mount points on the same physical file system have the same FSID, more than one volume can have the same FSID.
Policy
Optionally, choose one of these default volume configurations for this server from the drop-down list:
•  Custom - Create a custom policy for the NFS server.
•  Global Read-Write - Choose this policy when the data on the NFS volume can be accessed from any client, including LAN clients and clients using other file protocols. This policy ensures data consistency but doesn’t allow for the most aggressive data optimization. This is the default value.
•  Read-only - Any client can read the data on the NFS server or volume but can’t make changes.
Root Squash
Enables the root squash feature for NFS volumes from this server, which turns off SteelHead optimizations for the root user on NFS clients. When the root user accesses an NFS share, its ID is squashed (mapped) to another user (most commonly “nobody”) on the server. Root squash improves security because it prevents clients from giving themselves access to the server file system.
Permission Cache
Enables the permission cache, where the SteelHead stores file read data and uses it to respond to client requests. For example, if a user downloads data and another user tries to access that data, the SteelHead ensures that the second user has permission to read the data before releasing it.
Default Volume
Enables the default volume configuration for this server.
Add
Adds the volume.
Remove Selected
Select the check box next to the volume FSID and click Remove Selected.
3. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.
To reset the NFS alarm
1. Choose Optimization > Protocols: NFS to display the NFS page. The option to reset the NFS alarm appears only after the service triggers the NFSv2 and v4 alarm. The alarm remains triggered until you manually reset it.
2. Under Reset NFS Alarm, click Reset NFS Alarm.
3. Click Save to Disk to save your settings permanently.
Related Topic
•  Viewing NFS Reports