NFS
also: Network File System, NFSv3, NFSv4
Network File System (NFS) is a distributed file system protocol that allows a computer to access files and directories over a network as if they were mounted locally.
NFS enables transparent file sharing across a network by allowing client machines to mount remote filesystems exported by NFS servers. The client can then read and write files on the remote server just like they would on local storage, making networked data accessible to applications without modification.
An NFS server exports one or more directories specified in its /etc/exports configuration file. Clients mount these exports using the mount command with the NFS protocol, for example: mount -t nfs server:/export/data /mnt/data. Once mounted, the filesystem behaves transparently to users and applications.
NFS is widely used in enterprise environments and data centers for centralized storage, home directories, and shared application files. Modern deployments typically use NFSv4, which improves security, performance, and cross-firewall compatibility compared to earlier versions.