Which protocol would you use for file-level access from UNIX/Linux clients on NetApp?

• A. CIFS/SMB
• B. FTP
• C. NFS
• D. AFP

Answer: (C)

UNIX/Linux systems mount remote directories as file systems, so the protocol best suited for file‑level access from those clients is NFS. NFS is designed for mounting network shares and performing standard file operations with POSIX permissions and UID/GID mapping, which UNIX/Linux environments rely on for consistent access. On NetApp ONTAP, NFS supports multiple versions with features like file locking and ACLs, making it the most natural, seamless choice for Unix/Linux clients.

CIFS/SMB is Windows-focused and works well for Windows clients. AFP is Apple-focused and largely supplanted in NetApp environments. FTP is a simple transfer protocol and does not provide persistent, mountable file-system access with POSIX semantics. Therefore, NFS is the appropriate option for file-level access from UNIX/Linux clients.