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RFS Server
Remote File Sharing (RFS) is a protocol designed to provide transparent access to files and directories across a network. Operating over TCP port 556, RFS enables users and applications to interact with remote resources as if they reside locally, making distributed file management more efficient. Although largely obsolete now, RFS was historically significant in Unix environments for enabling seamless file sharing between systems..
Remote File Sharing (RFS) is a distributed file system protocol that facilitates sharing directories and files between UNIX systems over a network. Originating from AT&T UNIX System V, RFS was designed in the 1980s as a solution to allow seamless remote resource access, integrating deeply into the host's file system namespace.
Using port 556 over TCP, the rfs_server process listens for and manages RFS requests, handling file directory sharing, mounting, and permission management. Unlike more modern equivalents such as NFS or SMB, RFS aimed for tight kernel integration for transparent namespace management but suffered from lack of scalability and protocol extensibility.
Today, port 556 and RFS are rarely used, replaced by more robust networked file systems. However, understanding legacy protocols like RFS can still be important for maintaining compatibility in legacy environments or performing security reviews on older network infrastructure.