For Linux NFS clients, start by confirming the negotiated NFS version and effective read/write request sizes, then test nconnect with your actual workload and network. pNFS is an end-to-end server, client, and storage configuration—not a mount option that automatically makes AI data faster.
Which NFS settings should you check first?
Check the settings in an order that separates protocol compatibility from performance tuning. A configured value is not necessarily the value the client and server ended up using.
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- Confirm the negotiated NFS version. When no version is specified, the Linux client tries NFSv4.2 first and negotiates down if the server does not support it. Pin a version only when compatibility or a required feature calls for it. See the Linux
nfs(5)manual. - Inspect effective
rsizeandwsize. Read the mounted entry in/proc/mounts; requested mount options alone do not confirm the negotiated values. - Benchmark
nconnect. Change the connection count only after the protocol and request sizes are understood, and compare results using representative concurrency and data.
What do rsize and wsize control?
rsize and wsize set the maximum bytes in an individual network READ or WRITE request. The Linux client documents a maximum of 1,048,576 bytes (1 MiB) for each. If the options are not explicitly constrained, client and server negotiate the largest value both support. These are request-size limits, not throughput guarantees: a larger value does not by itself prove that an AI training workload will run faster. For large sequential datasets, verify the negotiated sizes and measure the workload rather than assuming the maximum is best. The limits and negotiation behavior are documented in the Linux NFS manual.
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When can nconnect help?
On connection-oriented transports such as TCP, nconnect requests multiple connections between client and server. The documented Linux maximum is 16 connections. Multiple connections may help distribute load when clients or servers have multiple network interfaces; some pNFS drivers also use the option when choosing data-server connections. The manual does not identify 16—or any other count—as universally optimal. Results depend on workload, server, network topology, and driver, so compare settings under the concurrency and data-server arrangement you expect to use. See the nfs(5) documentation.
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What must be in place for pNFS?
pNFS works only when the server offers a compatible layout and the client supports it. Depending on the layout, clients may also need direct access to the underlying storage or data servers. The Linux kernel guides describe specialized configurations, not a general-purpose client-side speed switch.
| Layout | Prerequisites described in Linux documentation |
|---|---|
| Block | NFSv4.1; client support including CONFIG_PNFS_BLOCK; a running blkmapd; shared storage accessible to clients; and a supported filesystem and storage arrangement. The guide also documents XFS/shared-storage restrictions. See the pNFS block layout server guide. |
| SCSI | NFSv4.1 and compatible client support, access to shared SCSI LUNs, and server-side prerequisites including persistent-reservation handling. See the pNFS SCSI layout server guide. |
Before attributing a throughput result to pNFS, verify that the server actually provides the layout, the client kernel and distribution support it, clients can reach the relevant storage, and layout-specific services are operating. Support depends on kernel version and configuration; consult the documentation matching the deployed system. The Linux kernel pNFS reference-counting documentation provides additional client and layout context.
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Should you use NFS over RDMA instead of TCP?
Only evaluate RDMA as an option in a compatible environment: NFS/RDMA requires kernel and RDMA support, suitable adapters, and an RDMA-capable fabric. It is a transport choice, not a guaranteed speed improvement. The Linux kernel NFS/RDMA guide describes setup requirements but does not establish a universal throughput gain over TCP.
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Treat recovery behavior and attribute caching as correctness and workload decisions, not casual throughput knobs.
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- Keep hard retry behavior for integrity-sensitive work. The Linux manual warns that
softorsofterrmounts can cause silent data corruption in some cases. Use them only if application owners explicitly accept the possibility of errors when a timeout occurs. - Do not disable attribute caching without a freshness or coherence requirement.
noacreduces attribute caching, forces synchronous application writes, and carries a significant performance penalty.
Both trade-offs are described in the Linux NFS manual.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How should you compare configurations for AI storage?
Use a representative workload and change one setting at a time. Large sequential reads or writes and metadata-heavy access may respond differently, so a result from one pattern does not settle the other. Record the negotiated version and I/O sizes alongside the connection count and transport; for pNFS, also record the layout type and whether clients can directly access the required storage. Compare candidates against these practical criteria:
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- NFS versions supported by both client and server, and by the selected pNFS layout.
- Effective
rsizeandwsize, not only requested values. - Network topology, interface availability, and whether RDMA is supported end to end.
- Layout-specific client, server, service, and shared-storage prerequisites.
- Recovery and metadata-coherence requirements for the application.
The Linux documentation establishes configuration behavior and architectural prerequisites; it does not rank storage vendors or provide a universal benchmark winner. Use measurements from your own client, server, network, and workload to select settings.
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