NFS Services Administrator's Guide

Configuring and Administering NFS
Configuring and Administering AutoFS
Chapter 2104
cd /var/yp
/usr/ccs/bin/make auto_master auto_direct
4. On each host that will use the map you have just modified, issue the
following command to force AutoFS to read the modified map:
/usr/sbin/automount
The local directory you configure as the mount point should be empty or
non-existent. AutoFS will create any non-existent directories between
the root directory and the configured mount point. If the local directory
you configure is not empty, any local files or directories in it will be
hidden and inaccessible while the remote directory is mounted over it.
CAUTION Do not automount a remote directory on a local directory that is a
symbolic link.
If you are using NIS to manage your automounter maps, make sure the
local mount point is different from the exported directory on the server. If
they are the same, the server may attempt to mount its exported
directory over itself, and the directory will become unavailable.
The mount options are the same ones used for standard NFS-mounted
directories. See “To Change the Default Mount Options” on page 46 for a
list of mount options. The bg option cannot be used for an automounted
directory. The mount options configured in the direct map override the
ones in the master map if there is a conflict.
You can configure all your direct automounts in the same map. Many
people use the file name /etc/auto_direct for their direct map. If you
plan to use NIS to manage your automounter maps, you can have only
one direct map in your configuration. If you plan to use NIS to manage
your automounter maps, and your file system does not allow file names
longer than 14 characters, keep the map name to 10 characters or fewer.
If the direct map name in the automounter master map contains a slash
(/), AutoFS assumes it is a local file. If it does not contain a slash, AutoFS
uses the Name Service Switch to determine whether it is a file or an NIS
map. See “Configuring the Name Service Switch” on page 267.
Before you can mount a remote directory on your system, the remote
system where the directory is located must be configured as an NFS
server and must export the directory.