Auzre NFS file shares do not support hardlinks of symbolic links

[jsimsmsft]

got a customer not happy about undocumented limitation of NFS shares not supporting hard links of symbolic links as per bug 4666914 Customer is asking to update the documentation to mention this limitation.

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• ID: 0c51c5ff-142c-fcaa-b7d4-dbfab61ca55f
• Version Independent ID: 3bb1f92e-8111-bf8f-299c-003f1fbab5fc
• Content: NFS file shares in Azure Files
• Content Source: articles/storage/files/files-nfs-protocol.md
• Service: storage
• Sub-service: files
• GitHub Login: @khdownie
• Microsoft Alias: kendownie

[SaibabaBalapur-MSFT]

@jsimsmsft Thanks for your feedback! We will investigate and update as appropriate.

[khdownie]

@jsimsmsft from our docs it appears that NFS 4.1 shares (Premium file shares) support both hard links and symbolic links (see Available Protocols table): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-files-planning

Is this not correct? Could you please share the bug you're referring to, or give more information?

[SaibabaBalapur-MSFT]

@khdownie Thank for your quick response.

@jsimsmsft if there are any further questions regarding the documentation, please tag me in your reply and we will be happy to continue the conversation.

[jsimsmsft]

Hi Team

Normal hard links work fine, however hard links of symbolic links do not work on an NFS Azure File Share.

Scenario: Customer is attempting to create a hard link from an already existing symbolic link. Its actually a github backup util requirement. https://github.com/github/backup-utils/blob/master/docs/requirements.md#storage-requirementshttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fgithub%2Fbackup-utils%2Fblob%2Fmaster%2Fdocs%2Frequirements.md%23storage-requirements&data=05%7C01%7Csupportmail9%40microsoft.com%7C6faead74d6c54b17566e08dac34aba01%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638037022998317774%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=DrSP53GhSbrkb3aDLxQN7TOqd3vPm2TmIuXIN6OXF1g%3D&reserved=0

I can confirm this reproduces an "Unknown Error" on an Azure NFS share using an Ubuntu Azure VM with an NFS Azure File Share mounted: [Text Description automatically generated]

However, from the local filesystem on the VM, it works: [Text Description automatically generated]

Per bug: https://msazure.visualstudio.com/DefaultCollection/One/_workitems/edit/4666914 I reached out to dev assigned to bug, he confirmed the issue but there is no fix on the roadmap

Javan Sims Microsoft Azure Customer Service and Support - IaaS VM / Storage (Direct: +1 (425) 703-4595) Working Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific US If assistance is needed during my off hours, please contact @.*** @.> with case # and availability. We love feedback. Please contact me or my manager at @.@.***>

From: Ken Downie @.> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2022 8:02 AM To: MicrosoftDocs/azure-docs @.> Cc: Javan Sims @.>; Mention @.> Subject: Re: [MicrosoftDocs/azure-docs] Auzre NFS file shares do not support hardlinks of symbolic links (Issue #101332)

@jsimsmsfthttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fjsimsmsft&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7C7def8860256640897cd708dac6598f43%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638040385205176435%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aZvhkrpnU%2Bd6WWaZtRXJKnd%2BSA6WCrwYlhj6ZKkF55Y%3D&reserved=0 from our docs it appears that NFS 4.1 shares (Premium file shares) support both hard links and symbolic links (see Available Protocols table): https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/storage-files-planninghttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flearn.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fazure%2Fstorage%2Ffiles%2Fstorage-files-planning&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7C7def8860256640897cd708dac6598f43%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638040385205176435%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=SvSI2uPSmXdmUeluZMTMIx2h%2B5t0FGwQAvP4aZGrggQ%3D&reserved=0

Is this not correct? Could you please share the bug you're referring to, or give more information?

Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHubhttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FMicrosoftDocs%2Fazure-docs%2Fissues%2F101332%23issuecomment-1313985173&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7C7def8860256640897cd708dac6598f43%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638040385205176435%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=k5xyfTl6LRaTdXepRtuRygbL2JI94NHWKw6sFVjvwrY%3D&reserved=0, or unsubscribehttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fnotifications%2Funsubscribe-auth%2FAZ53NXORPIFRBYAAGAWHGETWIJO7LANCNFSM6AAAAAAR6B2ZTQ&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7C7def8860256640897cd708dac6598f43%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638040385205176435%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FSjQXTKFyjs4wMCN7uoXp2H1FxtzGpLSotO%2BvLMpn1U%3D&reserved=0. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.@.>>

[SaibabaBalapur-MSFT]

@jsimsmsft I'm going to assign this to the document author so they can take a look at it accordingly.

@khdownie Please review it.

[khdownie]

I added a note to this doc saying that creating a hard link from an existing symbolic link isn't currently supported:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/files-nfs-protocol

Support appears to be on the roadmap, so I will remove the note when it's supported.

[khdownie]

#please-close

[jsimsmsft]

Amazing! Thank you Ken!

Javan Sims Microsoft Azure Customer Service and Support - IaaS VM / Storage (Direct: +1 (425) 703-4595) Working Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific US If assistance is needed during my off hours, please contact @.*** @.> with case # and availability. We love feedback. Please contact me or my manager at @.@.***>

From: Ken Downie @.> Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2022 10:11 AM To: MicrosoftDocs/azure-docs @.> Cc: Javan Sims @.>; Mention @.> Subject: Re: [MicrosoftDocs/azure-docs] Auzre NFS file shares do not support hardlinks of symbolic links (Issue #101332)

I added a note to this doc saying that creating a hard link from an existing symbolic link isn't currently supported:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/files/files-nfs-protocolhttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flearn.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fazure%2Fstorage%2Ffiles%2Ffiles-nfs-protocol&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7Ca1a6eb98499347d1286408dac7fde530%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638042190536888814%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=632oWADMqNe91RzUphpRtg9sPULs%2F72zsFtRkUkHvHE%3D&reserved=0

Support appears to be on the roadmap, so I will remove the note when it's supported.

Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHubhttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2FMicrosoftDocs%2Fazure-docs%2Fissues%2F101332%23issuecomment-1317444909&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7Ca1a6eb98499347d1286408dac7fde530%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638042190536888814%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=MGLAY2w6OzRlAyh16qLeCqQWYM%2F%2FWKbrYKPYrgHxOjI%3D&reserved=0, or unsubscribehttps://nam06.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Fnotifications%2Funsubscribe-auth%2FAZ53NXP5OJG5QLVVMRTFVLLWIUPSVANCNFSM6AAAAAAR6B2ZTQ&data=05%7C01%7CJavan.Sims%40microsoft.com%7Ca1a6eb98499347d1286408dac7fde530%7C72f988bf86f141af91ab2d7cd011db47%7C1%7C0%7C638042190536888814%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mLuN0J5mL8XqeRXzcYZBeSXghZnfTo0P0pCmo%2BCUkt8%3D&reserved=0. You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>