The basic procedure to be able to access your sgi machine is the following:

• Create the directory you want to connect to on your sgi machine (or use an existing one).
• Add your macintosh OSX system to the sgi /etc/hosts file as well as the /etc/exports file.
• Add your sgi machine to your Mac using NetInfo Manager
• Add the sgi mount point to the mounts on your Mac using NetInfo Manger

This example will use NetInfo Manager on the Mac....the system tool used for managing hosts and mount points. There is an OSX tool called NFSManager (Click here to go to NFSManager Website) which provides a nice gui to configuring nfs mounts. I'd recommend using NFSManager for this instead of doing it the NetInfo way, but I figured it was best to go through the basics first and then show the settings appropriate for NFSManager.

Disclaimer: Installing software and making changes on the sgi system requires root privileges, which means you can seriously mess things up if you do something wrong. By making modifications to the system you have the potential of accidentally deleting or moving and changing important files which the system may need, rendering your system useless. If you aren't confident about making changes, please don't do it.

Add the Mac to your sgi System

Become super-user. Add your macintosh system to the hosts file.

% cd /etc
% nedit hosts

Add the macintosh machines to the hosts file, following the format laid out by other entries (the # at the beginning of the lines signifies a comment -- what follows the line is ignored by the sgi system).:

#Discreet Systems
192.168.30.20 flame 
192.168.30.22 fire

#Macintosh Systems
192.168.30.10     tibook
192.168.30.12     inferno2mac

Save the hosts file.

Next, we need to modify the /ect/exports file. This is where you give permission for the macintosh system to access the sgi mount point.

% nedit exports

Follow the example of what is already in the file (if there is anything there). This example assumes the following:

• Macintosh names (entered earlier in the hosts file) : tibook, inferno2mac
• Other sgi system names: flame, fire
• Mount point: /usr/discreet/images

/usr/discreet/images -access=tibook:inferno2mac:flame:fire,root=tibook:inferno2mac:flame:fire

Save the exports file. And then run the following command to export your new mounts:

% exportfs -a

Add the sgi machine to NetInfo on the Macintosh

The next thing that you have to do is use NetInfo Manager to add your discreet machine to the list of TCP/IP hosts. You will need admin privileges on your OSX Macintosh to do this. Open NetInfo Manager (it is located in /Applications/Utilities).

Next, we'll navigate to the hosts (a.k.a. machines) area in the Directory Browsesr area of the NetInfo Manager window. In the second column, select "machines". Then in the third column, select "localhost". You'll see the information for localhost come up in the bottom part of the NetInfo screen. From the Edit menu, select "Duplicate". Confirm the duplication. This creates a copy of the information, which we will revise to be the information of your sgi machine running flame or inferno.

Double-click on the IP address value field (127.0.0.1). This will allow you to enter the IP address for your discreet machine. Enter the IP address of the discreet sgi machine. Next, double-click on the name value field. Enter the name of your sgi machine. It is best to follow unix conventions and make this one word...it simply works out best in the end. You should end up with something like this:

Type Command-N (or select New Subdirectory from the Directory menu). A new mount point will be added:

Next, tap in the name value field and enter:

• the hostname of the sgi machine you entered earlier
• a colon (:)
• the mount point you created on the sgi machine

Next, we need to enter where your sgi directory will be mounted on the OSX machine. Make sure you have the name line selected or have clicked somewhere in the bottom Directory: window. Type Shift-Command-N (or select New Property from the Directory menu). A new_property and new_value will be created.

• Enter dir as the new_property
• Enter /mnt as the new_value

We need to create another new property to define this mount as an NFS mount. Type Shift-Command-N (or select New Property from the Directory menu).

A new_property and new_value will be created.

• Enter vfstype as the new_property
• Enter nfs as the new_value

Finally, we need to create another new property to define some nfs options. Type Shift-Command-N (or select New Property from the Directory menu).

A new_property and new_value will be created.

• Enter opts as the new_property

The opts property needs 3 values. To do this, make sure the opts line is selected. Then type Option-Command-N twice (or select New Value from the Directory menu two times). You should now have the following:

Enter net, -b, and ro as the three values, so you end up with the following:

Finally, save the settings by pressing Command-S (or selecting Save from the Domains menu).

If you need to add another sgi machine to NetInfo, simply select the mount you just added press Command-D to duplicate the settings (or select Duplicate from the Edit menu). Then simply change the value for "name" for each mount point you want to add. Then save your settings.

Connecting to Your sgi Machine

Go to the finder, and select Connect to Server.... from the Go menu (or press Command-K)

Enter the path as shown, substituting the values you entered in NetInfo Manager. Before connecting to the server, consider adding the server to your Favorites. This way you can easily access your sgi machine.

One important note: Make sure you unmount your nfs volume before you put the computer to sleep. There appear to be some problems when waking up from sleep which might cause your Mac to crash.