WebNFS
Encyclopedia
WebNFS is an extension to the NFS file system for allowing clients to access a file system
over the internet using a simplified, firewall-friendly protocol.
WebNFS was developed to give Java applet
s and other internet enabled applications a way of accessing filesystem services over the internet. While NFS provides applications on Unix
with full filesystem semantics, not all of these might be needed in a distributed, read-only web environment. Conversely, access restrictions - such as requiring the use of restricted ports for originating requests - normally used in closed environments are not usually applicable in public distributed environments.
WebNFS makes use of a well known port (port 2049 on both UDP
and TCP
) thus avoiding the overhead and unpredictability of using the PORTMAP
protocol. WebNFS adds public filehandles and multicomponent lookups to the NFS protocol.
WebNFS is specified by a number of RFC-s:
In 2007 Sun Microsystems
opensourced its WebNFS implementation. The name has since changed to YANFS (Yet Another NFS) to reflect the expanded scope of the project to include a server side implementation.
File system
A file system is a means to organize data expected to be retained after a program terminates by providing procedures to store, retrieve and update data, as well as manage the available space on the device which contain it. A file system organizes data in an efficient manner and is tuned to the...
over the internet using a simplified, firewall-friendly protocol.
WebNFS was developed to give Java applet
Java applet
A Java applet is an applet delivered to users in the form of Java bytecode. Java applets can run in a Web browser using a Java Virtual Machine , or in Sun's AppletViewer, a stand-alone tool for testing applets...
s and other internet enabled applications a way of accessing filesystem services over the internet. While NFS provides applications on Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
with full filesystem semantics, not all of these might be needed in a distributed, read-only web environment. Conversely, access restrictions - such as requiring the use of restricted ports for originating requests - normally used in closed environments are not usually applicable in public distributed environments.
WebNFS makes use of a well known port (port 2049 on both UDP
User Datagram Protocol
The User Datagram Protocol is one of the core members of the Internet Protocol Suite, the set of network protocols used for the Internet. With UDP, computer applications can send messages, in this case referred to as datagrams, to other hosts on an Internet Protocol network without requiring...
and TCP
Transmission Control Protocol
The Transmission Control Protocol is one of the core protocols of the Internet Protocol Suite. TCP is one of the two original components of the suite, complementing the Internet Protocol , and therefore the entire suite is commonly referred to as TCP/IP...
) thus avoiding the overhead and unpredictability of using the PORTMAP
Portmap
The port mapper is an ONC RPC service that runs on network nodes that provide other ONC RPC services.....
protocol. WebNFS adds public filehandles and multicomponent lookups to the NFS protocol.
WebNFS is specified by a number of RFC-s:
- WebNFS Client - RFC 2054
- WebNFS Server - RFC 2055
- Security negotiation for WebNFS - RFC 2755
In 2007 Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
opensourced its WebNFS implementation. The name has since changed to YANFS (Yet Another NFS) to reflect the expanded scope of the project to include a server side implementation.