[CS-FSLUG] To SHFS or SSHFS...

[Don Parris]

...that is the question.

SHFS and SSHFS are two projects that could replace NFS as a secure network 
filesystem in our proposed LS3.  However, what are the the advantages of each?


Here is the SHFS project:
http://shfs.sourceforge.net/

and the SSHFS project:
http://fuse.sourceforge.net/sshfs.html


---------------
O.k., here is my *limited* understanding so far.

SHFS is simply a kernel module, like smbfs, with a userspace mount utility 
(quoted almost verbatim from the project's web site).
# file cache for access speedup
# perl and shell code for the remote (server) side
# could preserve uid/gid (root connection)
# number of remote host platforms (Linux, Solaris, Cygwin, ...)
# Linux kernel 2.4.10+ and 2.6
# arbitrary command used for connection (instead of ssh)
# persistent connection (reconnect after ssh dies)



SSHFS, on the other hand, makes use of the FUSE filesystem and SSH to 
accomplish the task.  Apparently, it's fairly simple to use.

     *  Based on FUSE (the best userspace filesystem framework for linux ;-)
     * Multithreading: more than one request can be on it's way to the server
     * Allowing large reads (max 64k)
     * Caching directory contents


Based on what I can see, SHFS appears to be more mature/robust than SSHFS. 
SHFS can make root connections, while SSHFS suggests running as user, not 
root.  I assume that means it's best not to make connections as root. 
Someone else may have a sense of whether this is an advantage or 
disadvantage.  SSHFS has no need of server side configuration, as SSH 
already supports the protocol.  That could be beneficial.

Can anyone share thoughts on this?

Blessings,
Don