1*4882a593Smuzhiyun================================== 2*4882a593SmuzhiyunNetwork Block Device (TCP version) 3*4882a593Smuzhiyun================================== 4*4882a593Smuzhiyun 5*4882a593Smuzhiyun1) Overview 6*4882a593Smuzhiyun----------- 7*4882a593Smuzhiyun 8*4882a593SmuzhiyunWhat is it: With this compiled in the kernel (or as a module), Linux 9*4882a593Smuzhiyuncan use a remote server as one of its block devices. So every time 10*4882a593Smuzhiyunthe client computer wants to read, e.g., /dev/nb0, it sends a 11*4882a593Smuzhiyunrequest over TCP to the server, which will reply with the data read. 12*4882a593SmuzhiyunThis can be used for stations with low disk space (or even diskless) 13*4882a593Smuzhiyunto borrow disk space from another computer. 14*4882a593SmuzhiyunUnlike NFS, it is possible to put any filesystem on it, etc. 15*4882a593Smuzhiyun 16*4882a593SmuzhiyunFor more information, or to download the nbd-client and nbd-server 17*4882a593Smuzhiyuntools, go to http://nbd.sf.net/. 18*4882a593Smuzhiyun 19*4882a593SmuzhiyunThe nbd kernel module need only be installed on the client 20*4882a593Smuzhiyunsystem, as the nbd-server is completely in userspace. In fact, 21*4882a593Smuzhiyunthe nbd-server has been successfully ported to other operating 22*4882a593Smuzhiyunsystems, including Windows. 23*4882a593Smuzhiyun 24*4882a593SmuzhiyunA) NBD parameters 25*4882a593Smuzhiyun----------------- 26*4882a593Smuzhiyun 27*4882a593Smuzhiyunmax_part 28*4882a593Smuzhiyun Number of partitions per device (default: 0). 29*4882a593Smuzhiyun 30*4882a593Smuzhiyunnbds_max 31*4882a593Smuzhiyun Number of block devices that should be initialized (default: 16). 32