Share Device via NFS
 

Hello,

So given that "everything is a file" in linux, and nfs is a networked file system...

Does it then follow that I can create an export of /dev/usbdev1.9_ep00 in my nfs exports file, and then mount that export under the /dev tree of another linux box, and so share the usb device over IP?

I suspect quite strongly that the answer is "no", but what is missing here principally?

Thanks,

Paul

Ya the answer is NO, because the NFS service is for sharing files and folders, or just a file system.

but the device file is a special file used by the system, after it recognize the device using its driver.

So even if you could share this file, it will not work at the other side, but if it is a usb storage, mount it first where you connected it, then try to share it across the network using NFS or SAMBA services.

I figured as much.

No - the usb device isn't storage, it is anything else really... scanner, pda, phone, whatever.

OK, the answer still NO, any way can you do it with MAC or Windows??????????

Oh come on, people, be creative. You could probably use ssh for example to direct input to the computer with the device and get back the output from the device. I'm not sure if it would work but it sounds fun.

There are probably other and more simple ways.

You could VNC into the remote machine and run the device that way.

As far as I know, the only operating system capable of sharing *any* devices across the network is Plan 9 from Bell Labs.