> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ionos.com/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/faqs.md).
# FAQ
Answers to common questions on NFS clusters, shares, pricing, security, mounting, and the Cloud API for cloud administrators on IONOS CLOUD
The following are a few FAQ to provide insight into the Network File Storage (NFS) product.
## Provisioning and configuration
### What are the current limitations of Network File Storage?
NFS has its own set of limitations. For more information, see [Technical Specification and Limitations](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/overview/tech-specification-limitation.md).
### What is the minimum and maximum size for an NFS cluster?
Cluster size ranges from 2 TiB to 42 TiB, in 1 TiB increments. All provisioned capacity is fully usable; no space is reserved for system overhead or performance headroom. For more information, see [Pricing Model](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/overview/pricing-model.md).
### Can I decrease the size of an NFS cluster after creation?
No. After creation, the cluster size can only be increased, not decreased.
### Which regions is NFS available in?
NFS is available in Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, London, Logroño, Las Vegas, Newark, and Lenexa. It will soon be available in Worcester, United Kingdom. For more information, see [Technical Specification and Limitations](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/overview/tech-specification-limitation.md).
## Shares and access control
### What is a share within an NFS cluster?
A share represents individual file systems within an NFS cluster. Each cluster can contain multiple shares. For more information, see [Create Shares](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/how-tos/create-nfs-share.md).
### How do I control which VMs can access a share?
Add client groups when creating or managing a share, using either **IP Networks** (an authorized CIDR network) or **Hosts** (specific VM IP addresses). If both are set, IP Networks supersedes the Hosts list.
### What is squash security?
Squash security is a built-in mechanism that reduces the risk of unauthorized root-level access from a client machine to the NFS server. When creating a share, choose one of three squash modes: **No squash mode**, **Map root user to anonymous user id**, or **Map all users to anonymous user id**.
### Can I limit the amount of data a share can store?
Yes. Each share supports an optional quota specified in MiB that restricts the amount of data it can store. Set the quota to 0 to disable it for that share.
## Performance
### What are the benefits of the NFSv4.2 protocol compared to NFSv3?
The key difference is protocol efficiency: NFSv4.2 uses compound operations and caching to reduce round-trips, while NFSv3 issues one operation per request.
space.vars.ionos\_cloud supports **NFSv4.2**, the latest version of the NFS protocol. It allows standard Linux users to read and write directly to storage, with performance that scales linearly for both Input/Output Operations Per Second (IOPS) and throughput.
| **Capability** | **NFSv3** | **NFSv4.2** |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| Protocol overhead | One operation per request | Reduced with compound operations and caching |
| File operations | Higher server interaction | Efficient, with minimal server interaction |
| Network connections | Single connection per session | Enhanced performance with multiple parallel connections |
| Data movement | Interrupts active sessions | Live data movement without interruption |
| Telemetry | No built-in file-level telemetry | Detailed file-level access and performance telemetry |
### Does Network File Storage support NIC Multi-Queue?
Yes. [NIC Multi-Queue](/cloud/network-services/vdc-networking/nic-multi-queue.md) is activated by default on the NFS backend, provided the cluster has at least two CPU threads (two cores, or one core with hyperthreading). It distributes network traffic across multiple queues to improve throughput and reduce latency. No action is required from the customer to enable it.
## Security
### How does NFS secure data?
NFS is based on Block Storage and inherits its data security properties, including encryption at rest and secure deletion. For details, see [Data Security](/cloud/backup-and-storage/block-storage/overview/data-security.md).
### Who can create and manage NFS clusters and shares?
Only contract administrators, owners, and users with the **Access and Manage Network File Storage** privilege can create and manage NFS clusters and shares. You can set this privilege via the DCD group privileges or, through the Cloud API, by setting the `accessAndManageNFS` privilege to `true`. For more information, see [Set User Privileges for Network File Storage](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/how-tos/set-user-privileges.md).
## Mounting and connectivity
### How do I mount an NFS share on a Linux machine?
You need the IP address of the cluster and the UUID of the share, in the format `mount -t nfs : `. For more information, see [Create Shares](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/how-tos/create-nfs-share.md#mount-an-nfs-share-on-a-linux-machine).
### Can multiple VMs access the same share at the same time?
Yes. Data can be accessed simultaneously from multiple compute instances, such as VMs and containers, without compromising data consistency.
### Can I use NFS with Kubernetes?
Yes. NFS integrates with Kubernetes clusters to provide persistent storage for containerized workloads. You can provision an NFS share as a ReadWriteMany (RWX) persistent volume, so multiple pods across nodes can mount the same share simultaneously.
## Billing
### How is NFS billed?
Billing for NFS is based on the cluster size. For more information, see [Pricing Model](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/overview/pricing-model.md).
### Are there data transfer charges between NFS and my VMs?
No. Data transfer between NFS and your VMs is not metered and incurs no charges.
## Troubleshooting
### What do the different NFS cluster statuses mean?
* **BUSY:** The cluster is being created or updated.
* **AVAILABLE:** The cluster is available and operational.
* **DESTROYING:** The cluster is being deleted.
* **FAILED:** The cluster is not available due to an error.
For more information, see [View Clusters](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/how-tos/view-nfs-clusters.md).
### Why cannot I create or modify NFS clusters or shares?
You likely don't have the required privilege. Without the **Access and Manage Network File Storage** privilege, users have read-only access and cannot provision changes. For more information, see [Set User Privileges for Network File Storage](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/how-tos/set-user-privileges.md).
### Why am I not seeing the documented aggregate write IOPS?
Reaching the aggregate write IOPS figure requires around 372 concurrent operations at \~20 ms latency, which exceeds the default NFS RPC slot table limit of 64–128 per mount. Mount from multiple clients to reach the documented aggregate. For more information, see [Technical Specification and Limitations](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/overview/tech-specification-limitation.md).
## NFS API
### What authentication method does the NFS API use?
The API uses the **Token Authentication** method. Specify the header value as `Bearer` followed by your token.
### Does the NFS API support pagination?
Yes. The `retrieve clusters` and `retrieve shares` endpoints support pagination using `limit` and `offset` query parameters.
### What privileges are required to manage NFS clusters and shares through the API?
Only contract administrators, owners, and users with the `accessAndManageNFS` privilege can create and manage clusters and shares through the API. For more information, see [Set User Privileges through the API](/cloud/backup-and-storage/network-file-storage/api-how-tos/set-user-privileges-api.md).
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