📚 How to Mount NFS Storage on Linux (with Proper Permissions)

Purpose
Mount a remote NFS share on a Linux server for use by Docker containers, ensuring stable operation, correct permissions, and automatic remounting.
1. Install NFS Client on the Server
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nfs-common -y
2. Create a Local Mount Directory
Create a local directory where the NFS share will be mounted:
sudo mkdir -p /srv/nfs-mount
sudo chown $(whoami):$(whoami) /srv/nfs-mount
(You can replace 
/srv/nfs-mount with your preferred path.)
3. Mount the NFS Share (Manual Test)
Example:
sudo mount -t nfs4 192.168.100.11:/mnt/hdd-storage/my-nfs-share /srv/nfs-mount
nfs4: Use NFS version 4 for better performance and locking.
proto=tcp: Reliable transport protocol.
hard: Wait for server recovery instead of failing immediately.
timeo=600: Timeout setting for NFS operations.
retrans=2: Retry failed operations twice.
sec=sys: Default authentication method.
_netdev: Ensure mount occurs only after network is ready.
4. Verify That the Mount Worked
mount | grep nfs
You should see output like:
192.168.100.11:/mnt/hdd-storage/my-nfs-share on /srv/nfs-mount type nfs4 (...)
5. Make the Mount Persistent (Auto-Mount on Boot)
Edit your 
/etc/fstab file:
sudo nano /etc/fstab
Add the following line at the bottom:
192.168.100.11:/mnt/hdd-storage/my-nfs-share /srv/nfs-mount nfs4 rw,relatime,hard,proto=tcp,timeo=600,retrans=2,sec=sys,_netdev 0 0
Save and exit (
Ctrl+O, 
Enter, 
Ctrl+X).
6. Test the fstab Entry Without Rebooting
sudo mount -a
No errors = success! ✅
7. Using the NFS Mount with Docker
When running your containers, bind-mount the NFS storage into the container:
docker run -d \
  --name my-container \
  -v /srv/nfs-mount:/app/data \
  my-docker-image
This will allow your Docker containers to directly access the NFS storage.
✅ Summary
Use NFSv4 (
nfs4) whenever possible.
Always include 
_netdev in your 
/etc/fstab entries.
Use 
hard mounts to protect container file operations during NFS issues.
Bind-mount NFS paths carefully into containers.
Avoid using NFS for database storage unless network latency is extremely low.
🛠️ Useful Commands
Check NFS mounts: 
mount | grep nfs
Manual remount all: 
sudo mount -a
Test connectivity: 
ping nfs-server-ip
🦠 Additional Notes
If the NFS server reboots, containers may pause temporarily.
If using 
docker-compose.yml, you can map volumes to 
/srv/nfs-mount.
For production, consider creating a systemd mount unit for better recovery behavior.