This guide demonstrates how to mount an NFS share using systemd mount units instead of traditional /etc/fstab entries. Systemd mount units provide better integration with the system’s dependency management and offer more control over mount behavior.

Prerequisites

• NFS utilities installed on your system
• Access to an NFS server
• Root or sudo privileges

Step 1: Create the Mount Point

First, create the directory where the NFS share will be mounted:

sudo mkdir /mnt/vmnfs

Step 2: Generate the Systemd Unit Name

Use systemd-escape to generate the correct systemd unit name from your mount path:

systemd-escape -p --suffix=mount /mnt/vmnfs/

Output:

mnt-vmnfs.mount

Important: The unit file name must exactly match the mount path with slashes converted to dashes and the .mount suffix added.

Step 3: Create the Systemd Mount Unit

Create the mount unit file at /etc/systemd/system/mnt-vmnfs.mount:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/mnt-vmnfs.mount

Add the following configuration:

[Unit]
Description=NFS mount

[Mount]
What=atlas.uclab8.net:/volume1/VM-NFS
Where=/mnt/vmnfs
Type=nfs
Options=defaults
TimeoutSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Configuration Breakdown

• What: The NFS server and export path (server:/path)
• Where: The local mount point (must match the unit filename)
• Type: Filesystem type (nfs, nfs4, cifs, etc.)
• Options: Mount options (same as you would use in fstab)
• TimeoutSec: Maximum time to wait for the mount operation
• WantedBy: Ensures the mount is activated at boot during multi-user target

Step 4: Reload Systemd

After creating or modifying the unit file, reload the systemd daemon:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Step 5: Enable and Start the Mount

Enable the mount to start automatically at boot:

sudo systemctl enable mnt-vmnfs.mount

Start the mount immediately:

sudo systemctl start mnt-vmnfs.mount

Step 6: Verify the Mount

Check the status of your mount:

systemctl status mnt-vmnfs.mount

Expected output:

● mnt-vmnfs.mount - NFS mount
     Loaded: loaded (/proc/self/mountinfo; enabled; preset: disabled)
     Active: active (mounted) since Sat 2025-11-08 10:16:37 CET; 3h 38min ago
      Where: /mnt/vmnfs
       What: atlas.uclab8.net:/volume1/VM-NFS
      Tasks: 0 (limit: 18577)
     Memory: 1.1M (peak: 2.5M)
        CPU: 16ms