Mount Windows Folder Share to the VMware ESX Service Console

Title:Mount Windows Folder Share to the VMware ESX Service Console

Author(s):Xtravirt (Gavin Jolliffe)

Target Audience:Technical - Intermediate

Current Revision:1.0 April 2008

First Published:1 April 2008

Products:VMware ESX Server 3.x

UID:XD10056

1.0 Overview

Guide to mounting a Windows folder share to the ESX Service Console.

2.0 Pre-Requisites

1. An appropriate Windows local or domain account, and an available Windows file share
2. Open firewall port for smbClient
3. Create local mount point
4. Ensure the Netfs service is started
5. Modify Windows 2003 Local Security Policy (if required)

3.0 Tasks

From the local console or ssh session, eg:  Putty, open the ESX firewall port:

esxcfg-firewall -e smbClient

Create a new local mount point, eg:

mkdir /tmp/smbmnt

Enable netfs:

chkconfig netfs on
service netfs start

If connecting to a Windows 2003 Server share log on as local admins to the server and open Administrative Tools (within Control Panel or Start/Programs).  Open Local Security Policy, expand Local Policies -> Security Options, and set the following objects to Disabled if not already:

Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always)
Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (if client agrees)

Go Start -> Run and enter gpupdate to refresh local policy.  Also check that domain group policy is not overriding local policy.

From the ESX console run:

mount -t smbfs -o username=<username>/<domain>,password=<password> //<server name>/<share> /tmp/smbmnt/

To unmount the share run:

umount /tmp/smbmnt