The AutoFS extension automatically and transparently mounts file systems whenever a file or a directory within that file system is accessed. Like NFS, AutoFS can be used to automatically mount SMB shares. There are two methods to do this:
1. Direct map
2. Indirect map
Make sure the automountd is active
# lssrc -s automountd
Subsystem Group PID Status
automountd autofs 6947288 active
If automountd is not active, refer this link to start it.
1. Direct map
a. Set up the /etc/auto_master file with the special key (/-) and map file.
# cat /etc/auto_master
/- /home/auto.direct
b. Set up the map file in following format.
# cat /home/auto.direct
/testdir -fstype=smbc,wrkgrp=SMB_30.DEV llm138.in.ibm.com/testuser/<secure_password>:/testshare
To avoid specifying <secure_password> in the map file, use mksmbcred command which encrypts the password and stores the credentials in /etc/smbcred. Refer this link for mksmbcred command.
In this case the map file should be in following format.
# cat /home/auto.direct
/testdir -fstype=smbc,wrkgrp=SMB_30.DEV llm138.in.ibm.com/testuser:/testshare
c. Run automount command which sets up the autofs mount
# automount
# mount
node mounted mounted over vfs date options
-------- --------------- --------------- ------ ------------ ---------------
/dev/hd4 / jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd2 /usr jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd9var /var jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd3 /tmp jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd1 /home jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd11admin /admin jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/proc /proc procfs Jun 23 18:37 rw
/dev/hd10opt /opt jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/livedump /var/adm/ras/livedump jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/ahafs /aha ahafs Jun 23 18:38 rw
/home/auto.direct /testdir autofs Jun 25 01:11 ignore
d. Now if you access the directory '/testdir', SMB share is automatically mounted.
# cd /testdir
# mount
node mounted mounted over vfs date options
-------- --------------- --------------- ------ ------------ ---------------
/dev/hd4 / jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd2 /usr jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd9var /var jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd3 /tmp jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd1 /home jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd11admin /admin jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/proc /proc procfs Jun 23 18:37 rw
/dev/hd10opt /opt jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/livedump /var/adm/ras/livedump jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/ahafs /aha ahafs Jun 23 18:38 rw
/home/auto.direct /testdir autofs Jun 25 01:14 ignore
llm138.in.ibm.com /testshare /testdir smbc Jun 25 01:18 wrkgrp=SMB_30.DEV
2. Indirect map
a. Set up the /etc/auto_master file with a directory as key and map file.
# cat /etc/auto_master
/autodir /home/auto.indirect
b. Set up the map file in following format.
# cat /home/auto.indirect
mount1 -fstype=smbc,wrkgrp=SMB_30.DEV llm138.in.ibm.com/testuser/<secure_password>:/testshare
To avoid specifying <secure_password> in the map file, use mksmbcred command.
c. Run automount command which sets up the autofs mount.
# automount
# mount
node mounted mounted over vfs date options
-------- --------------- --------------- ------ ------------ ---------------
/dev/hd4 / jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd2 /usr jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd9var /var jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd3 /tmp jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd1 /home jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd11admin /admin jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/proc /proc procfs Jun 23 18:37 rw
/dev/hd10opt /opt jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/livedump /var/adm/ras/livedump jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/ahafs /aha ahafs Jun 23 18:38 rw
/home/auto.indirect /autodir autofs Jun 25 01:25 ignore
d. Now if you access the directory "/autodir/mount1", SMB share is automatically mounted.
# cd /autodir/mount1
# mount
node mounted mounted over vfs date options
-------- --------------- --------------- ------ ------------ ---------------
/dev/hd4 / jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd2 /usr jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd9var /var jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd3 /tmp jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd1 /home jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/hd11admin /admin jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/proc /proc procfs Jun 23 18:37 rw
/dev/hd10opt /opt jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/dev/livedump /var/adm/ras/livedump jfs2 Jun 23 18:37 rw,log=/dev/hd8
/ahafs /aha ahafs Jun 23 18:38 rw
/home/auto.indirect /autodir autofs Jun 25 01:25 ignore
llm138.in.ibm.com /testshare /autodir/mount1 smbc Jun 25 01:26 wrkgrp=SMB_30.DEV
Note: If <secure_password> is not specified in the map file and no credentials are setup with mksmbcred command, the automount will fail.
For more information about automount subsystem, checkout this link.