NFS Services Administrator's Guide (B.11.31.05) September 2009

If the AUTOMOUNT_OPTIONS variable does not specify the -f filename option, AutoFS consults
the NSS configuration, to determine where to search for the AutoFS master map.
For more information on configuring the NSS, see nsswitch.conf (4) and automount(1M) .
To configure AutoFS using the /etc/default/autofs file, follow these steps:
1. Log in as superuser.
2. Edit the /etc/default/autofs file. For instance, to change the default time for which a
filesystem remains mounted when not in use, modify the AUTOMOUNT_TIMEOUT variable,
as follows:
AUTOMOUNT_TIMEOUT=720
For the list of parameters supported in the /etc/default/autofs file, see autofs(1M).
NOTE: Values modified using the /etc/default/autofs file are updated when the command
or daemon is started. This update is made irrespective of the way the command or daemon is
started, Autofs startup script or command-line.
Enabling AutoFS
To enable AutoFS, follow these steps:
1. In the /etc/rc.config.d/nfsconf file, set the value of AUTOFS variables to 1, as follows:
AUTOFS=1
2. Configure AutoFS using either the /etc/rc.config.d/nfsconf or the /etc/default/
autofs configuration files. If you use a local file as the master map, ensure that the
AUTO_MASTER variable in /etc/rc.config.d/nfsconf is set to the name of the master
map, as follows:
AUTO_MASTER=”/etc/auto_master”
If the -f option is not specified for the automount command then the Name Service Switch
(NSS) is used to get the master map. If the master map is not found in any of the backends,
then it tries the default master map name/etc/auto_master. If the -f option is specified
for the automount command, then it uses that file irrespective of what the backend says.
However, if the file is not found, then it will try the /etc/auto_master file. If you use an
NIS AutoFS master map, ensure that -f $AUTO_MASTER is not present in the
AUTOMOUNT_OPTIONS variable.
3. To run the AutoFS startup script, enter the following command:
/sbin/init.d/autofs start
Notes on AutoFS Master Map
The AutoFS master map file, /etc/auto_master by default, determines the locations of all
AutoFS mount-points. At system startup, the automount command reads the master map to
create the initial set of AutoFS mounts. Subsequent to system startup, the automount command
maybe run to install AutoFS mounts for new entries in the master map or a direct map, or to
perform unmounts for entries that have been removed from these maps.
Following is a syntax of an auto_master file:
mount-point map-name [mount-options]
where:
mount-point Directory on which an AutoFS mount is made.
map-name Map associated with mount-point specifying locations of filesystems to
mount.
mount-options
Options that apply to the maps specified by map-name.
60 Configuring and Administering AutoFS