Procedure to NFS export a synology volume that macOS uses autofs to mount
The aim of this procedure is to use a (hopefully) minimal set of UNIX commands to setup an automounting NFS link from a synology file server to a macOS client. Using autofs (the new form of automount on *BSD and macOS) at the UNIX level should circumvent some sporadic aspects of macOS finder access to an AFS service running on a Synology NAS.
In this example, the synology server has name "fs" and the macOS user has name
"annett".
Create the shared area
(Synology UI Commands)
On the synology, access the control -> share menu and create a new "file share" called annett_server and edit its NFS access permissions to provide read-write access to the desired macOS client. If an IP address is entered for the desired client, then the macOS client should have a fixed IP.
You can of course choose any name for the file share (i.e. NFS exported) area but this name is chosen as our intended user has name Annett.
Confirm the shared area
(Synology Shell Commands)
0) After setting up the NFS export, login as user admin and confirm with shell command
$ ssh admin@fs
NOTE: you might have configured the ssh access to your synology server to use an alternative port number, in which case the above command looks like "ssh -p PortNumber admin@fs".
NOTE: text with '$' in the left most column indicates a shell command as a normal user and text with '#' in the left most column indicates a shell command as a root or "super" user.
1) After entering a password for the admin user, enter command
$ sudo /sbin/exportfs
You should see something like
/volume1/annett_server
192.168.XX.YY
where 192.168.XX.YY (or a name) refers to the client computer. It will likely contain no files i.e. command "ls -al /volume1/annett_server" shows no files present.
Enable macOS access
(macOS Shell Commands)
Open a terminal window for a shell i.e. Applications --> Utilities --> Terminal and do the following steps:
0) Change to the root user by entering command
$ sudo bash
1) Prepare mount directory for file systems mounted from host fs by entering commands
# cd /
# umask 22
# mkdir /fs
2) Prepare /etc/auto_fs file by entering shell + editor (or shell + equivalent editor) commands
# cd /etc
# emacs auto_fs
Type or cut&paste in the following text line
* -fstype=nfs,rw,bg,hard,intr,tcp,-P fs:/volume1/annett_server
and then save and exit. Instead of emacs, you could use vi (i.e. vi auto_fs) or even launch TextEdit (i.e. open /Applications/TextEdit.app/) but then you need to to select file /etc/auto_fs.
3) Modify /etc/auto_master file to lookup the new auto_fs file by appending the subdirectory and the access control file e.g.
# echo '# (issue a "automount -c" after any change)
/fs auto_fs
' >> /etc/auto_master
Check that the above 2 text lines now appear at the end of file with command
# cat /etc/auto_master
4) Restart autofs and then confirm access with commands
# automount -c
# ls -al /fs/annett_server
# df /fs/annett_server
The last 2 commands should show the newly imported file server area (ls), including the space available (df), although the directory may not yet be setup for read and write access.
5) Obtain user id number for intended user so access can be enabled on the synology server (in next section)
# id annett
Again, assuming a client user annett, we note the values for "uid=" and "gid=" displayed by command id. A typical User ID number is 501 or some other low valued 500's value, and a typical Group ID value is 100 e.g.
uid=504(annett) gid=100(staff) .....
Ensure matching user ID numbers
(Synology Shell Commands 2)
1) After setting up the NFS export, login to the synology system and change the user id that owns the exported area via commands
$ ssh admin@fs
# chown 504:100 /fs/annett_server
2) Optional: you can also enter these user and group id values in the synology files /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow user account files, so as to prevent other accounts from accidentally having these ID numbers and having access (that still might not matter). Anyway, one way to "reserve" these ID numbers 504:100 is to add a line to each of files /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow i.e.
Append the following text line to file /etc/passwd (use vi e.g. vi /etc/passwd)
annettNAS:x:504:100:Annett SurnameHere NAS:/volume1/annett_server:/usr/local/bin/zsh
Append the following text line to file /etc/shadow (use vi e.g. vi /etc/shadow)
annettNAS:x:16019:0:99999:7:::
An experienced user of the shadow passwords system will note we have entered an illegal password so, for now, annett cannot login. Set the password (and check that shell zsh exists) if normal shell access is actually desired for annett@synology_host.
Convenient desktop access
(macOS Shell Commands 2)
It is handy to have a short cut for fast access to the "annett_server" area. Open a terminal window for a shell i.e. Applications --> Utilities --> Terminal and do the following steps to setup a softlink in the Desktop:
0) Enter commands
$ cd ~/Desktop ; ln -s /fs/annett_server .
You will now see a softlink in the Desktop that clicking on leads to a Finder open on the annett_server folder.
August 2018
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