Enabling user mounting

Under normal circumstances, only root can mount filesystems using LMC. However, you can enable users to mount and unmount selected filesystems using the mnt(C) and umnt(C) commands. Enabling user mounting can reduce the amount of time it takes to bring your system into multiuser mode and reduce the amount of network traffic by ensuring that filesystems are mounted only when needed.

For example, you could allow users to mount the /usr/man directory from the server jupiter (if /usr/man is exported by jupiter). Users could then mount this directory by issuing the command mnt with the mountpoint you specify, for example:

mnt /usr/man

The filesystem can be unmounted using the umnt command with the mount point as argument.

You should instruct your users in proper mounting procedures:

• Filesystems should be unmounted when not in regular use.

• The mnt and umnt commands cannot be issued if the user's current working directory is the mount point listed in /etc/default/filesys. Otherwise, an error message Mount point busy will be returned.

• Users can display a list of mounted filesystems by issuing the mnt command without an argument. The command mnt -t will list the contents of /etc/default/filesys; users are unable to mount any filesystem if the value given for the line ``Mount if requested'' is ``No.''

See also:

• mnt(C)

• filesys(F)