i know you are saying open for "all" clients, why ?  Configure export and specify ip of the interface on ESXi that will be making the connection, if you have multiple interfaces something you have to set static routes on ESXi to force it to use correct route. Also try to add ip address of VMKernel port to the export.

What I want is not to restrict the NFS exports for any client IP (this is actually the customer requirement), therefore when creating an export, I do not specify any value for 'root' and 'access' options - per EMC support it is supposed to leave them open for connections from any host that will ping the VDM interface on which the export resides.

So when I do that, I can mount the export on the ESX, but I cannot write to it: cannot create a new folder or a VM.

These is the command I use to configure export:

'server_export VDM_NFS_01 -P nfs /NFS_3'

Then it mounts on the server with no issue, but no write access.

Is there a way to use a wild card, or any specific command, switch option, to make it read/write for all hosts?

did you try to add * to read/write area of the export

It does not let me add * in the GUI, or the CLI.

In fact, you cannot even manage them from the GUI, because there is a bug, and after sometime the exports disappear from unisphere. This freaked me out today a bit when I first saw it. here is an EMC kb for that:

https://emc--c.na5.visual.force.com/apex/KB_BreakFix_1?id=kA17000000019FV

works for me

[nasadmin@emcn1vsacs1 ~]$ server_export server_2 -P nfs -list

server_2 :

export "/fs02" rw=*

export "/" anon=0 access=128.221.252.100:128.221.253.100:128.221.252.101:128.221.253.101

You are using a VDM NFS export – they arent support in the GUI – only in the CLI

Yes – if you don’t specify any other export clause then its read/write for any hosts.

BUT If you dont specify a value for root= or use anon=0 then root users get mapped to anon

Unless you use a umask that allows write for others that usually doesn’t work well with clients where users/apps work as root

For details on how which NFS export clause works and how they interact see the VNX NFS pdf manual – especially the Appendix A

Anyway – do a „showmount –e“ from the client that wants to mount to see if it shows up there

I am trying to figure out what I am missing in this command syntax:

[root@PRODVNX5400-CS0 nasadmin]# server_export VDM_NFS_01 -P nfs -o rw=* /NFS_3

VDM_NFS_01 :

Error 22: VDM_NFS_01 : Invalid argument

Export Error: syntax error in rw list.

What is it that it does not like in the 'rw' list?

The only way that I can make this NFS export open for all clients is this:

[root@PRODVNX5400-CS0 nasadmin]# server_export VDM_NFS_01 -P nfs -o anon=0 /NFS_3

I tried root=*, access=*, I cannot mount it.

What other options do I have?

server_export server_2 -option root=* /root_vdm_1/fs01