Has anyone successfully added NFS Storage to a Windows Share

[netlib]

I am running vSphere with ESX 4.0. Installed Unix Services for Windows (2003 Server), created the NFS Share, but still cannot add the NFS share via vCenter. After reading up more on this, I cannot seem to find a single instance of anyone successfully doing this. Am I wasting my time? If you have successfully accomplished this, I (and many others) would appreciate learning what you did. Thanks.

[rManic]

I have been using NFS datastore running on windows 2003 R2 Server

regards

Manic

[rManic]

Step 1

enable Microsoft Service for NFS

regards

Manic

[rManic]

if you need help please update

regards

Manic

[netlib]

Thanks for the screen shots but I am not seeing any of those options. The only ones I see under Other Network File and Print Services are:

• File Service for Mactintosh

• Print Service for Macintosh

• Print Service for Unix

I'm running Windows 2003 Enterprise

[rManic]

NFS will be supported on window 2003 R2 and later OS

it will not be available with 2003 ent edition

if you have 2003 R2 license

you can just upgrade to 2003 R2 by running setup.exe on windows 2003 R2 CD-2

regards

Manic

[rManic]

reply me to continue further if you need

regards

Manic

[netlib]

Thanks, I do have an R2 license. But isn't Unix Services for Windows sufficient?

I notice that there is a service named "NfsSvc: Server for NFS" currently Started.

[rManic]

once you enabled unix service for windows nfssvc it will start.

select all the option except client for nfs (as shown in screenshot 2).

regards

manic

[netlib]

Thanks, but even with Windows Server for NFS started, I don't see those options.

[rManic]

step 2

create two folder on any volume has enough space to use as NFS datastore as shown

(Note:- Volume should be formatted with NTFS file system)

copy the follwing two files

1. group

2.passwd

from /etc/ directory on ESX server to etc folder which you created on windows server

Note:- you can use the winSCP to copy the file

regards

Manic

[rManic]

step 3

go to start->all programs->administrative tools-->microsoft service for network file system

right click user name mapping and sellect properties

under Unix user source

select use password and group files

then browse to the group and passwd files as shown in the screenshot

then press synchronize now

then select ok

[rManic]

Plz ensure the following

have you upgraded your OS to windows 2033 R2 ?

and restarted?

before procede with step2

regards

Manic

[netlib]

Thanks. Sorry to be dim, but how to I copy those files over from the Unix machine to the Windows machine?

[rManic · Accepted solution]

use winSCP.exe , it is a free tool.you can download from.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/winscp/files/WinSCP/4.2.6/winscp426setup.exe/download

you can install it on windows machine which will allow you to copy files from ESX to windows

regards

Manic