How to Use the Command 'nfsstat' (with examples)

NFS, or Network File System, allows a system to share directories and files with others over a network. The nfsstat command is specifically designed for displaying or resetting the statistics of NFS (Network File System) calls made by the client or server. This provides administrators with valuable insights into the traffic being handled by the NFS server, which can be essential for monitoring performance and troubleshooting issues. Let’s explore the different use cases of the nfsstat command along with examples.

Use Case 1: Display the Recorded Number of Calls Made to the NFS Server

Code:

nfsstat

Motivation:

Administrators and users might want to monitor the performance and load on an NFS server to ensure it’s operating efficiently. By using nfsstat, you can quickly see how many NFS requests are being processed and what types of requests are most common. This information can be crucial for performance tuning, identifying bottlenecks, or diagnosing potential issues with the server. In environments where any downtime or reduction in performance is costly, having real-time insights on NFS operations is invaluable.

Explanation:

• nfsstat: This is a command with no additional arguments, used here to display the current statistics related to NFS operations. By default, it will provide a comprehensive view of both the client and server-side statistics, such as the number of requests, the types of operations performed, and errors (if any).

Example Output:

Server rpc stats:
calls      badcalls  badauth    badclnt    xdrcall
530391     0         0          0          0       

Server nfs v3:
null       getattr   setattr   lookup    access    
3 0%       190825 36% 1433 0%  307978 58% 1960 0%  

Server nfs v4:
null         compound     xxxx   
1155 0%      527685 99%   0 0%  

Client rpc stats:
calls       retrans     authrefrsh
6391843     9           6390843 

The output is detailed, providing data points on how the server is handling NFS operations, which can be further analyzed to make informed decisions about resource allocation or system updates.

Use Case 2: Reset the Recorded Number of Calls Made to the NFS Server

Code:

nfsstat -z

Motivation:

As part of a routine monitoring strategy, resetting the statistics captured by nfsstat can be beneficial. Resetting allows administrators to start gathering new data without the influence of historical data, which might not be relevant to current performance analyses. After changes to the network infrastructure or system configurations, clearing old stats helps in assessing the impact of these changes more accurately. Therefore, a reset operation helps maintain the relevance of the logs and keeps the performance assessments precise and current.

Explanation:

• nfsstat: As previously, this is the command being utilized to interact with the NFS statistics.
• -z: This is an argument passed to the nfsstat command, instructing it to reset or zero out all the current statistics. This wipes the current data, effectively starting the collection from zero, so that only new operational data is included in ensuing statistics.

Example Output:

NFS server and client statistics reset.

The output is a succinct confirmation message that the NFS statistics have been successfully reset. After this, any subsequent call to nfsstat without the -z option will begin displaying fresh statistics starting from this point in time.

Conclusion

The nfsstat command is a powerful tool for administrators seeking to understand and manage the performance of NFS systems. By displaying or resetting the number of NFS calls, you can fine-tune performance monitoring and objectify the server’s loading conditions effectively. While the command aids in revealing current operational metrics, it also features options for resetting those metrics, maintaining clarity in performance assessments through various stages of network operations and systems changes. Employing these use cases proficiently can lead to an overall improvement in the management and reliability of network file systems.