With Server for NFS, a computer running a Microsoft Windows operating system can act as a network file system (NFS) server. Users can then share files in a mixed environment of computers, operating systems, and networks.
Users on computers running NFS client software can gain access to directories (called shares) on the NFS server by connecting (mounting) those directories to their computers. From the viewpoint of the user on a client computer, the mounted files are indistinguishable from local files.
Server for NFS uses the Open Network Computing remote procedure call (ONC RPC) protocol to implement the NFS protocol. Server for NFS also uses the external data representation (XDR) protocol to ensure portable data transmission between NFS clients and the NFS server.
UNIX computers follow advisory locking for all lock requests. This means that the operating system does not enforce lock semantics on a file, and applications that check for the existence of locks can use these locks effectively. However, Server for NFS implements mandatory locks even for those locking requests that are received through NFS. This ensures that locks acquired through NFS are visible through the server message block (SMB) protocol and to applications accessing the files locally. Mandatory locks are enforced by the operating system.
For additional background information about Server for NFS, see: