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Network File System
2049/UDP is commonly used by NFS (Network File System), a protocol developed by Sun Microsystems that enables remote access to shared file systems across a network. It allows systems to mount disks located on remote hosts as seamlessly as if they were part of the local file system hierarchy. This facilitates file sharing, centralized management, and collaboration within distributed network environments..
Network File System (NFS) operating on port 2049 primarily over UDP, but often supports TCP as well, is a widely used distributed file protocol. Invented by Sun Microsystems, it allows a client machine to access files stored on a remote server as if they were on a local disk, enabling easy sharing and management of file resources across networked UNIX and Linux systems. Administrators can export directories on a server which clients then mount into their own file system trees.
NFS utilizes Remote Procedure Call (RPC) mechanisms to facilitate its communication between clients and servers. Typically, mountd and portmap help negotiate initial connections, but modern NFSv3 and particularly NFSv4 streamline communication by defaulting to the well-known port 2049, without depending on portmap. NFS supports stateless communication in early versions, with improvements for stateful handling, locking, and security features introduced in later versions.
While early versions rely heavily on UDP for lightweight communication, newer implementations commonly favor TCP for reliability, especially across unreliable networks. The protocol is platform-agnostic, extending support beyond UNIX/Linux to other systems, making it a versatile choice for network-attached storage and centralized home or user directories in enterprise and research environments.