Linux SMB3 and pNFS - Shaping the Future of Network File Systems

Network File Systems, needed for accessing everything from low end storage, to Windows and Mac servers, to high end NAS, continue to evolve. NFS and SMB, the two dominant network storage protocols, also continue to improve with exciting new features in their most recent dialects. And the Linux clients continue to improve their implementation of these protocols, recently adding security and performance enhancements for SMB3 and new pNFS layout types along with the NFSv4.2 support in the NFS client. This presentation will discuss some of the recent changes in network file system support in Linux including enhanced CIFS/SMB2/SMB3 support in the kernel client, and also new developments in the NFS client. It will also discuss in progress work on new protocol features for improved performance, clustering scalability, reliability and availability. It will also compare and contrast some of the key features of the SMB3 and NFS Linux clients. Learning Objectives Understanding key features and limitations of the SMB3 support in Linux client Understanding key features and limitations of the NFS client in Linux client Understanding which protocol (and dialect) is better for common use cases Understanding key differences between NFSv4.2 and SMB3.1 Understanding common SMB3 client configuration choices and why they are useful