Enhanced AutoFS Administrator's Guide

Configuring and Administering AutoFS
Deciding Between Direct and Indirect NFS Automounts
Chapter 332
Deciding Between Direct and Indirect NFS
Automounts
Before you automount a remote directory, decide whether you want to
use a direct or an indirect AutoFS map. Table 3-3 lists the advantages
and disadvantages of each type of map.
An indirect map is better than a direct map because it is easier to modify
while AutoFS is running. In addition, it does not cause mount storms in
directories with many AutoFS mount points.
However, if your automounted directory must share the same parent
directory with local or standard-mounted directories, you need to choose
a direct map.
Table 3-3 lists the advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect
AutoFS maps.
Table 3-3 Direct Versus Indirect AutoFS Map
Direct Map Indirect Map
Advantage: A user can see the
contents of a direct-mounted
directory with the ls command. If
the contents are not mounted, ls
causes them to mount.
Advantage: Enhanced AutoFS
allows a user to view the available
mount points for indirect maps,
without having to actually mount
each file system when
browsability is enabled by
default.
Advantage: Direct-mounted
automounted directories can
share the same parent directory
with local or standard-mounted
files and directories.
Disadvantage: An indirect map
hides any local,
standard-mounted, or
direct-mounted files or directories
underneath the mount point for
the map.