topic Unix Write Access does not work in ONTAP Hardware

Unix Write Access does not work

b_hesseling — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:19:27 GMT

I have a FAS-2240-2 system running 8.2.5P5 7-Mode.

There is only one Aggregate and one Share, Path is /vol/data_vol1 and one Volume, data_vol1 on aggr0. Security Style is mixed.

I have created an Export for Unix and set it to Client: "All hosts", Permission: "Allow Read Write".

From my ESXi servers via vCenter and also a testing Linux machine I can see the share but I can not write files.

If I remove this "all hosts" and add an non-existing IP instead, I can not even read. So this "Exports" seems to be the reason? It also does not work when I remove All hosts and just add the clients with their IP and permission Allow Read Write.

With my Domain Admin account via Windows I can read and write. NFS Permissions are set, so this is as expected.

But why does Unix not work as expected?

Thank you for help.

Re: Unix Write Access does not work

NetApp_SR — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 12:24:08 GMT

For VMware to use the volume the security style needs to be unix.

VMware ESXi NFS error "Cannot open volume: /vmfs/volumes/
https://kb.netapp.com/Advice_and_Troubleshooting/Data_Storage_Software/ONTAP_OS/Cannot_open_volume%3A__vmfs_volumes_5be11945-5b538746_error

Re: Unix Write Access does not work

Netapp_maniac — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 10:56:38 GMT

when write fails , what error are you receiving ?

Could you please error details

Re: Unix Write Access does not work

b_hesseling — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 10:52:13 GMT

Name of the job
create virtual machine
target
Cluster01
Status
access to the file ds:///vmfs/volumes/e2497d59-cc9fc17f/new vm not possible.

Is the error I am getting.

I expected "Mixed" to be compatible with both: NFS and Unix. But that might be the reson then. I will test.

Re: Unix Write Access does not work

paul_stejskal — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 22:51:00 GMT

No mixed is an odd duck for NFS and CIFS access. Honestly it's better to use for user mapping. However if you have a NFS only environment, UNIX is way better to use.

Re: Unix Write Access does not work

NetApp_SR — Thu, 15 Jul 2021 00:41:50 GMT

Unix security style is NFS. Ontap 7-mode system have three values that can be selected for volume security style, NTFS, UNIX and Mixed. The NTFS is for CIFS clients using Windows NTFS ACLs. UNIX is for UNIX hosts using NFS. Mixed security style is to allow NTFS and NFS on the same volume. VMware is not compatible with mixed security style volumes. You can have a mixed security style volume that is accessed by Linux and Windows hosts. Check the youtube video link below.

NetApp Multiprotocol Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXK1y0xT7hs