How to mount object storage container as a file system in Linux using s3fs on ESA HPC

If you want to create a new Object Storage container, follow this guide: How to use Object Storage on ESA HPC.

To mount your Object Storage container as file system do following steps:

Check if the s3fs is preinstalled on your virtual machine:

eouser@vm1:~$ whereis s3fs
s3fs: /usr/local/bin/s3fs

Provide access and secret key to the .passwd-s3fs file in your home directory:

eouser@vm1:~$ echo access_key:secret_key>~/.passwd-s3fs

For obtaining ec2 credentials please follow this FAQ: How to generate ec2 credentials on ESA HPC

Change the permissions for the file with stored credentials:

eouser@vm1:~$ chmod 600 ~/.passwd-s3fs

Make an folder which you would like to use as mount place of the bucket:

eouser@vm1:~$ mkdir directory

Mount a container using s3fs:

eouser@vm1:~$ /usr/local/bin/s3fs testjohn directory -o passwd_file=~/.passwd-s3fs -o url=https://s3.eohpc.net -o use_path_request_style -o umask=0002 -o allow_other

Parameters explanation:

-o passwd file = describe the path to the file with credentials

-o url = describe an endpoint address of your private object storage

-o use path_request style = parameter that already fix issues with special characters such as dots.

-o umask = describe permissions for accessing a container (read-write-execute)

-o allow_other = the rule that allow other users to gain access to the container

If you do not proceed an operation as a root user, you may encounter an error such as:

Warning

fusermount: option allow_other only allowed if ‘user_allow_other’ is set in /etc/fuse.conf

In this case, open /etc/fuse.conf file by using text editor, e.g. nano

eouser@vm1:~$ sudo nano /etc/fuse.conf

and search for the line:

# Allow non-root users to specify the allow_other or allow_root mount options.

#user_allow_other

Uncomment user_allow_other by deleting #:

user_allow_other

Save the file.

Now you might repeat a mount command

eouser@vm1:~$ /usr/local/bin/s3fs testjohn directory -o passwd_file=~/.passwd-s3fs -o url=https://s3.eohpc.net -o use_path_request_style -o umask=0002 -o allow_other

After that, go to the directory where your bucket is being mounted and list all the data inside:

eouser@vm1:~$ cd directory/
eouser@vm1:~/directory$ ls -al
total 5
drwxrwxr-x 1 eouser eouser    0 Jan  1  1970 .
drwxr-xr-x 8 eouser eouser 4096 Oct 27 07:05 ..
-rwxrwxr-x 1 eouser eouser   15 Oct 27 07:17 tes1.txt

It have found a one file: tes1.txt. To make sure about its existence, log in to your Horizon Panel and click on the Object Store tab:

../_images/mountos1.png

Choose “Containers”.

../_images/mountos2.png

Click on the container. In this case it’s being called “testjohn”.

../_images/mountos3.png

On your right are files, that are stored inside the bucket.