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# Create a file global namespace server

Network-attached storage is a file-level storage architecture that makes stored data more accessible to networked devices.

## About this task

See Understanding PowerMax File for storage systems for an overview of File services.

## Steps

1. Select a storage system that supports PowerMax File.
2. Select Storage > File.
3. Select the GLOBAL NAMESPACES tab.
4. Select the type of Global Namespace Server(GNS) you want to create,
   - Namespace server for NFS only-the namespace provides access via NFS(nfsv4) protocol only.
   - Namespace server for SMB only-the namespace provides access via SMB protocol only.
   - Namespace server for NFS and SMB-the namespace provides access via both NFS and SMB.
5. Click Next.
6. Select the NAS server. A NAS Server can host multiple namespaces.
7. Click Next.
8. Select an existing file system or create a file system (recommended).

   Option 1: Create a file system (Recommended)

   Create its own file system to host GNS is recommended so that File System does not have exports/ shares defined as it is impossible to create an NFS export pointing to a root of this FS for the existing created FS.

   Enter Name, description, size, storage resource pool and select the service level.

   Or

   Option 2: Select from available General Type File system

   You must take care to select a FS not having its NFS export pointing to a root of this FS, else it results in the failure of creation of GNS server.

   Select filesystems having exports not mounted on root directory.

   | NOTE: Namespace filesystem can host many namespace servers if the paths are separate and not conflicting.

9. Click Next.
10. Type the namespace server name, description, and local path.
    Name of the server - It is used by remote hosts to connect to the Unified Namespace over the network
    Local Path
    - Local path to the storage resource or any existing sub-folder of the storage resource that is shared over the network.
    - This path is relative to the NAS Server and thus must start with the filesystem's mountpoint path, which is the filesystem name. For example, to share the top-level of a filesystem named svr1fs1, which is mounted on the /svr1fs1mountpoint on the NAS Server, use /svr1fs1 in the path parameter.

    Namespace Path is formed based on the namespace server names and interface of the selected NAS Server.

11. Click Next.
12. View the summary.
13. Do one of the following:
    - Click Run In The Background to perform the operation in the background.
    - Expand Run in the Background and click Add to Job List to add this task to the job list, from which you can schedule or run the task at your convenience. For more information, see Schedule jobs and Preview jobs

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