Linux (Generic)

Note

The below steps were originally performed on Ubuntu 22.04, however similar steps are known to work on other versions of Ubuntu and should be similar on other Linux distributions.

Support for mounting DFS filesystems may not be present on older operating systems, or may require mounting via the command line instead. It is much preferable to use the standard DFS mountpoint if possible, so that any future changes to server and share names, etc. are transparent. It is possible to mount the share on our server directly, but that will require using a different name.

Mounting via the command line

For a migrated project, the DFS project name remains the same as before with the format rfs-<PI CSRID>-projectname where projectname is set by you in the storage portal.

# On a new Ubuntu 22.04 VM, the following packages needed to be installed to allow mounting of DFS shares.
# cifs-utils
# keyutils
$ mount -t cifs //blue.cam.ac.uk/RFS/PROJECTNAME /MOUNTPOINT -o username=YOUR_CSRID,password=YOUR_PASSWORD,workgroup=BLUE.CAM.AC.UK

Or if your system does not support DFS mountpoints (e.g. older operating system or appliance), you can use the direct servername and projectid to connect.

If you have to mount the share directly on our servers, then the project name would be rfs-projectid. Where projectid is a unique identifier on our servers. You may need to contact us to confirm the projectid, since it is not displayed in the self-service portal currently.

mount -t cifs //hpc-isi-w.hpc.private.cam.ac.uk/rfs-PROJECTID /MOUNTPOINT --verbose -o username=YOUR_CSRID,password=YOUR_PASSWORD,workgroup=BLUE.CAM.AC.UK

Gnome Files (Nautilus)

Before updating to the new share location, open the File Browser and eject the currently mounted RFS project which is using the old RFS share location as shown in the image below:

Saving your credentials

disconnecting mounted drive on Ubuntu

Within the Gnome File Browser, previously called ‘Nautilus’, now just ‘Files’, click ‘Connect to Server’ button in the sidebar if present, or in newer versions click on ‘Other Locations’ in the sidebar to see ‘Connect to Server’ at the bottom of the window,

Using Nautilus

The Connect To Server Screen

The new URL of the network drive is:

smb://blue.cam.ac.uk/RFS

which will allow you to browse through your available RFS projects and choose which project you want to use. Alternatively, if you know the name of the project use the direct path to the project:

smb://blue.cam.ac.uk/RFS/project

where project is your RFS project name as shown in the image below:

Using Nautilus

The Connect To Server Screen with project specific path

If the above doesn’t work which means you have an older version of the distribution or Linux kernel, you can mount the share on our server directly using the direct URL as shown in the image below (and listed under the command line section above):

Using Nautilus

The Connect To Server Screen with direct servername

Note

Using the smb://blue.cam.ac.uk/RFS URL will only show a list of the projects the user has access to. Then it’s up to the user to select the project they want to work on from the list.

In the pop-up window put your UIS username and password into the fields as follows:

Using Nautilus

connecting to RDS with Ubuntu

Finally click Connect and the mapped drive will then appear in Finder:

Saving your credentials

Ubuntu Files window with the new drive