NFS Services Administrator's Guide (B.11.31.04) March 2009

Table 3-4 Direct Versus Indirect AutoFS Map Types (continued)
Indirect MapDirect Map
Advantage: If you modify an indirect map, AutoFS
will view the changes the next time it mounts the
directory. You need not force AutoFS to reread its
maps.
Disadvantage: If you add or remove mounts in a
direct map, or if you change the local mount-point
for an existing mount in a direct map, you must
force AutoFS to reread its maps.
Advantage: When automount reads an indirect map,
it creates only one entry for the entire map in the
internal mount table, /etc/mnttab. Additional
entries are created when the directories are actually
mounted. The mount table takes up no more space
than necessary, because only mounted directories
appear in it.
Disadvantage: When automount reads a direct map,
it creates an entry for each automounted directory
in the internal mount table, /etc/mnttab. This
can cause the mount table to become very large.
Configuring AutoFS Direct and Indirect Mounts
A direct map is an automount mount-point. It creates a direct association between a
mount-point on the client and a directory on the server. Direct maps have the absolute
path name. The automounts configured in a direct map can be mounted in various
places in the local filesystem; they need not be located under the same parent directory.
An indirect map uses the key to establish a connection between a mount-point on the
client and a directory on the server. Indirect maps are useful for accessing specific file
systems, such as home directories. The automounts configured in an indirect map are
mounted under the same local parent directory.
Figure 3-4 shows the difference between direct mounts and indirect mounts on an NFS
client.
Figure 3-4 Difference Between Direct Mounts and Indirect Mounts
Configuring AutoFS Direct and Indirect Mounts 81