Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`mountd(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, mountd is the illumos NFS mount and access-check daemon at /usr/lib/nfs/mountd. It reads /etc/dfs/sharetab, not an exports file, and share(8) starts it. It has only -r and -v, and its options apply to NFSv2/v3 clients only.

The manual pages

Solnix: mountd(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
Linux: mountd(8) nfs-utils-2.9.1
FreeBSD: mountd(8) 15.1-RELEASE
OpenBSD: mountd(8) 8.0
NetBSD: mountd(8) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos mountd at /usr/lib/nfs/mountd, which is not in /usr/bin, /usr/sbin or /sbin. No other variants are shipped. The NOTES section says the svc:/network/nfs/server service starts it automatically; the page also says share(8) invokes it. Only the super user can run it. Configuration properties are in nfs(5).

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
all four	export list source	Solnix mountd reads `/etc/dfs/sharetab` to learn what can be mounted, and takes no exports-file argument. Linux uses `/var/lib/nfs/etab`, maintained by exportfs(8). FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD read exports(5) and accept an exportsfile operand. Source: Solnix mountd(8) DESCRIPTION; Linux mountd(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD mountd(8) SYNOPSIS, exportsfile; OpenBSD mountd(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD mountd(8) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	reloading exports	The BSD pages say to send SIGHUP to mountd after editing the exports file, then check syslog for parse errors. The Solnix page describes no reload signal and says share(8) invokes mountd. Source: FreeBSD mountd(8) DESCRIPTION (SIGHUP); OpenBSD mountd(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD mountd(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix mountd(8) DESCRIPTION
all four	how it is started	On Solnix, the svc:/network/nfs/server service starts mountd, and share(8) also invokes it. Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD document it as a daemon you run with options. The Solnix page gives no foreground or port flags. Source: Solnix mountd(8) NOTES, DESCRIPTION; Linux mountd(8) OPTIONS -F; FreeBSD mountd(8) -N; NetBSD mountd(8) SYNOPSIS
Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD	fixing the port for firewalls	Solnix mountd has no port option; its only options are `-r` and `-v`. Linux has `-p`/-P/-`-port`, FreeBSD has `-p` port, and NetBSD has `-p` port to give mountd a fixed port. OpenBSD has no port option either. Source: Solnix mountd(8) SYNOPSIS; Linux mountd(8) -p; FreeBSD mountd(8) -p; NetBSD mountd(8) -p
all four	`-d` debug flag	Solnix mountd has no `-d`. Linux `-d` takes a kind argument (all, auth, call, general, parse). FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD `-d` runs in the foreground and prints debug messages to stderr. On Solnix, `-v` logs each access decision to the console. Source: Solnix mountd(8) -v; Linux mountd(8) -d; FreeBSD mountd(8) -d; OpenBSD mountd(8) -d; NetBSD mountd(8) -d
Linux	`-v` flag	Solnix `-v` is verbose mode, logging each client access result and how it was reached. In the Linux page, `-V` is the version option. The mechanically extracted Linux flag list also has `-v`, but the visible text does not describe it. Source: Solnix mountd(8) -v; Linux mountd(8) option list in header
FreeBSD	`-r` meaning	Solnix `-r` rejects new mount requests from clients, and existing mounts are unaffected. FreeBSD `-r` allows mount RPCs for regular files to be served. Same letter, opposite kind of effect. Source: Solnix mountd(8) -r; FreeBSD mountd(8) -r
all four	NFSv4 coverage of options	Solnix says `-r` and `-v` are supported for NFSv2/v3 clients and not for NFSv4 clients. Linux says mounting in NFSv4 is by regular NFS requests handled by nfsd, so rmtab is not updated. FreeBSD `-R` is for NFSv4-only servers. Source: Solnix mountd(8) Options; Linux mountd(8) Mounting File Systems with NFSv4; FreeBSD mountd(8) -R
Linux	mounted-client records	Linux records successful MNT requests in `/var/lib/nfs/rmtab` and warns it may be inaccurate. Solnix says mountd provides which clients mount which file systems, printable with showmount(8). The Solnix page names no file. Source: Linux mountd(8) The rmtab File; Solnix mountd(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	unprivileged client ports	FreeBSD `-n` and NetBSD `-N` allow mount requests from non-reserved ports. The Solnix page documents no such option. OpenBSD says a reserved port is always used. Source: FreeBSD mountd(8) -n; NetBSD mountd(8) -N; OpenBSD mountd(8) HISTORY; Solnix mountd(8) SYNOPSIS

Standards

POSIX: mountd is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Do not rely on mountd flags in scripts: -r, -v, -d, -p and -N differ or are missing across Solnix, Linux and the BSDs. Use each system's share or export tool instead.
Do not assume mountd is on PATH. On Solnix it lives at /usr/lib/nfs/mountd, and Linux uses /usr/sbin/rpc.mountd.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.