NFS Services Administrator's Guide

Configuring and Administering AutoFS
Deciding Between Direct and Indirect NFS Automounts
Chapter 3114
Deciding Between Direct and Indirect NFS
Automounts
Before you automount a remote directory, decide whether you want to
use a direct or indirect AutoFS map.
If your automounted directory must share the same parent directory
with local or standard-mounted directories, you can choose a direct map.
Table 3-1 lists the advantages and disadvantages of direct and indirect
AutoFS maps.
Table 3-1 Direct Versus Indirect AutoFS Map Types
Direct Map Indirect Map
Advantage: A user can view the
contents of a direct-mounted
directory, using the ls command.
If the contents are not currently
mounted, ls mounts them.
Advantage: AutoFS allows a user
to view the available mount
points for indirect maps without
actually mounting each
filesystem 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
under the mount point for the
map.
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: If you modify an
indirect map, AutoFS will see the
changes the next time it mounts
the directory. You need not force
AutoFS to reread its maps.