---
title: "Mount an SFS"
description: "Mount an SFS on a node over NFS with a mount command."
content_type: "how-to"
product: "sfs"
platform: "MyAccount"
url: "/myaccount/sfs/how-to/mount-an-sfs/"
topic: ["create-and-connect"]
relationships: {"requires":["/myaccount/sfs/how-to/create-an-sfs/"]}
---

# Mount an SFS

Mount an SFS on a node over the Network File System (NFS), and use it like any other folder
there. Every node you mount it on sees the same files. Follow the section for your node's system:
Linux or Windows Server.

## Before you begin

- The SFS reads **Available**.
- Your node is attached to the SFS's VPC, so its private IP is in the same range as the SFS's
  **Endpoint**. See [Attach a node to a VPC](/myaccount/node/how-to/attach-a-node-to-a-vpc/).
- Your node has access to the SFS. Every new SFS needs this step; see
  [Grant a VPC access to an SFS](/myaccount/sfs/how-to/grant-vpc-access-to-an-sfs/) or
  [Configure per-node access to an SFS](/myaccount/sfs/how-to/configure-per-node-access-to-an-sfs/).
- You have the SFS's **Endpoint**, from its **Info** tab.

## Mount it on Linux

Run these commands on the node as root, or put `sudo` in front of each.

### Install the NFS client

On RHEL or CentOS:

```bash frame="none"
yum install nfs-utils
```

On Ubuntu or Debian, refresh the package list first:

```bash frame="none"
apt update
apt install nfs-common
```

### Mount the SFS

Create a folder for the SFS, then mount the SFS there:

```bash frame="none"
mkdir -p /mnt/sfs
mount -t nfs -o soft,timeo=600,retrans=2,retry=2 <endpoint>:/data /mnt/sfs
```

Replace `<endpoint>` with the SFS's **Endpoint**. `/mnt/sfs` is the folder the SFS appears in,
and you can name it anything you like. Use this command rather than the **Mount Command** on the
**Info** tab: this one has the option values filled in.

### What the mount options do

- **soft** makes the node return an error when the SFS is briefly out of reach, so your
  programs keep responding.
- **timeo=600** is how long the node waits for a reply, in tenths of a second: 600 is 60
  seconds.
- **retrans=2** is how many times the node resends a request before it reports an error.
- **retry=2** is how many minutes the mount command keeps trying to connect.

### Check that the SFS is mounted

Run `df -h /mnt/sfs`. When the SFS is mounted, the first column reads `<endpoint>:/data`.
Everything you save in `/mnt/sfs` now lives on the SFS. The mount uses NFS version 4.2; SFS also
serves version 3: for a client that needs it, add `vers=3` to the mount options.

New files on the SFS are owned by root, whichever user on the node creates them. To give a file
to another user, change its owner with `chown` after you create it.

If the mount reports `access denied by server`, give your node access; see
[Troubleshooting SFS](/myaccount/sfs/troubleshooting/sfs/#mountnfs-access-denied-by-server). If
the mount command waits and prints nothing, see
[Troubleshooting SFS](/myaccount/sfs/troubleshooting/sfs/#the-mount-command-waits-and-prints-nothing).

### Mount it again after a restart

A mount lasts until the node restarts. To mount the SFS again at every start, add this line to
`/etc/fstab` on the node:

```text frame="none"
<endpoint>:/data /mnt/sfs nfs soft,timeo=600,retrans=2,retry=2,_netdev 0 0
```

The last option in the line tells the node to wait for its network before it mounts the SFS. To
try the line now, run `mount -a`, then check with `df -h /mnt/sfs`.

### Unmount it

To stop using the SFS on this node, leave the `/mnt/sfs` folder in your terminal and run
`umount /mnt/sfs`. The files stay on the SFS, ready for the next mount. If you added the line to
`/etc/fstab`, remove it too.

## Mount it on Windows Server

### Install Client for NFS

In PowerShell as Administrator, install **Client for NFS**. It is ready as soon as the install
finishes.

```powershell frame="none"
Install-WindowsFeature NFS-Client
```

### Mount the SFS as a drive

In a Command Prompt, mount the SFS as a drive letter, here `Z:`:

```bat frame="none"
mount -o anon <endpoint>:/data Z:
```

Replace `<endpoint>` with the SFS's **Endpoint**. Windows confirms that `Z:` is connected, and the
SFS's files are in `Z:\`. The drive lasts for the session you signed in with; mount it again in a
new session. To unmount it, run `umount Z:`.

Your SFS is ready to use on this node. To use it from more nodes, give each one access and
mount it the same way.