time-out problem with NFS/ AUTOMOUNTER

[MARREEL Chris_1]

We have a configuration with a remote office (in France) and an ISDN-dial-up connections over CISCO 7xx routers to connect with the main-office in Belgium.
We use automounter to access the nfs-exported directory's. This works very fine between our offices in Belgium, the ISDN-line opens fast enough. BUT with the remote office in France the first attempt allways fails due to the long(er) connect-time. If the first attempt fails, we must wait 30 seconds and then the second attempt is successfull.
I have diagnosed the situation and it points to the fact that the line isn't initialised fast enough (international connection).

Can we change the AUTOMOUNTER / NFS configuartion it takes longer before we have the time-out ?

[CHRIS ANORUO]

Hi Chris,

Increase the following: retry, retrans and timeo values. Your MountoType option should be hard.
These values are modified from the NFS Advanced Options on the client.

[MARREEL Chris_1]

I will have a look at these parameters, but I don't know where I can find these. Can I look and change these somewhere in SAM, in het Kernel,...

Can you specify where I find and change these ?

[Andreas Voss]

Hi,

information for the mount options can be found at:

man mount_nfs

The options useful for you would be:

-timeo=#,retry=#

Have a look at your /etc/auto_master and referred files.

Regards

[MARREEL Chris_1]

ok, the information in mount_nfs is usefull, but in my /etc/auto_master there is at the moment one line :
/net -hosts -soft
This is read by the automounter-daemon.

Where can I now add these new parameters timeo and retry ?
Do I have to specify this on the line in the "/etc/auto_master"-file and in which syntax ?

Can anyone help me ?

[Andreas Voss]

Hi,

options can be inserted with ie:

/net -hosts -soft,timeo=10,retry=3

After changes in /etc/auto_master reinitialize with: automount (for new automountd)
or for old automount:
/sbin/init.d/nfs.client stop
/sbin/init.d/nfs.client start

Regards

[CHRIS ANORUO]

Chris,

You can make the changes through SAM
SAM->Networking And Communications->Networked File System->Mounted Remote File Systems.
Highlight the mounted file and from Action menu ->Modify->NFS Advanced Options. You can change/increase the values as recommened. (retry 3, timeo 10)

[Rhonda Thorne]

I prefer soft with my nfs mounts. My experience is when you use hard and connection is lost or hung...the only way to free up the link retry is to reboot the box. This is not acceptible in a high availablility environment. so take care when deciding.

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