1AUTOMOUNT(8) System Manager's Manual AUTOMOUNT(8)
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6 automount - manage autofs mount points
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9 automount [options] [master_map]
10
12 The automount program is used to manage mount points for autofs, the
13 inlined Linux automounter. automount works by reading the
14 auto.master(8) map and sets up mount points for each entry in the mas‐
15 ter map allowing them to be automatically mounted when accessed. The
16 file systems are then automatically umounted after a period of inactiv‐
17 ity.
18
20 -h, --help
21 Print brief help on program usage.
22 -p, --pid-file
24 Write the pid of the daemon to the specified file.
25 -t, --timeout
27 Set the global minimum timeout, in seconds, until directories
28 are unmounted. The default is 10 minutes. Setting the timeout to
29 zero disables umounts completely.
30 -v, --verbose
32 Enables logging of general status and progress messages for all
33 autofs managed mounts.
34 -d, --debug
36 Enables logging of general status and progress messages as well
37 as debuging messages for all autofs managed mounts.
38 -Dvariable=value
40 Define a global macro substitution variable. Global definitions
41 are over-ridden macro definitions of the same name specified in
42 mount entries.
43 -r, --random-multimount-selection
45 Enables the use of ramdom selection when choosing a host from a
46 list of replicated servers.
47 -O, --global-options
49 Allows the specification of global mount options used for all
50 master map entries. These options will either replace or be ap‐
51 pened to options given in a master map entry depending on the
52 APPEND_OPTIONS configuration setting.
53 -V, --version
55 Display the version number, then exit.
56
58 automount takes one optional argument, the name of the master map to
59 use.
60 master_map
62 Location for autofs master map that defines autofs managed mount
63 points and the mount maps they will use. The default is
64 /etc/auto.master.
65
67 If the automount daemon catches a USR1 signal, it will umount all cur‐
68 rently unused autofs managed mounted file systems and continue running
69 (forced expire). If it catches the TERM signal it will umount all un‐
70 used autofs managed mounted file systems and exit if there are no re‐
71 maining busy file systems. If autofs has been compiled with the option
72 to ignore busy mounts on exit it will exit leaving any busy mounts in
73 place otherwise busy file systems will not be umounted and autofs will
74 not exit. Alternatively, if autofs has been compiled with the option
75 to enable forced shutdown then a USR2 signal to the daemon will cause
76 all mounts to be umounted and any busy mounts to be forcibly umounted,
77 including autofs mount point directories (summary execution). Note that
78 the forced umount is an unlink operation and the actual umount will not
79 happen in the kernel until active file handles are released. The dae‐
80 mon also responds to a HUP signal which triggers an update of the maps
81 for each mount point.
82 If any autofs mount point directories are busy when the daemon is sent
84 an exit signal the daemon will not exit. The exception to this is if
85 autofs has been built with configure options to either ignore busy
86 mounts at exit or force umount at exit. If the ignore busy mounts at
87 exit option is used the filesystems will be left in a catatonic (non-
88 functional) state and can be manually umounted when they become unused.
89 If the force umount at exit option is used the filesystems will be
90 umounted but the mount will not be released by the kernel until they
91 are no longer in use by the processes that held them busy. If auto‐
92 mount managed filesystems are found mounted when autofs is started they
93 will be recoverd unless they are no longer present in the map in which
94 case they need to umounted manually.
95
97 autofs(5), autofs(8), auto.master(5), mount(8).
98
100 Don't know, I've fixed everything I know about.
101 The documentation could be better.
103 Please report other bugs along with a detailed description to <aut‐
105 ofs@linux.kernel.org>. For instructions on how to join the list and for
106 archives visit http://linux.kernel.org/mailman/listinfo/autofs
107
109 H. Peter Anvin <hpa@transmeta.com> and Ian Kent <raven@themaw.net>.
110 12 Apr 2006 AUTOMOUNT(8)