Introduction to NFS
Windows uses NetBIOS for its file sharing, and Macintoshes use AppleTalk. These are both peer-to-peer protocols, with each system broadcasting its presence onto the LAN, and all machines being able to mount each other's shared folders dynamically. NFS is a bit different in that it's a client-server protocol, with designated servers sharing items that can be mounted remotely by specified NFS clients. This model is designed for centralization in an enterprise or university network, rather than for peer-to-peer file transfers, as other protocols tend to operate. However, with proper configuration, NFS can do almost everything that the other protocols can do and more, with the exception of server discovery.
Under both Windows ...
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