SSHFS is a user-space filesystem client that enables mounting remote directories securely via SSH. This approach can be beneficial when you need direct access to remote files for development, data analysis, or backup purposes.

In this guide, we will show you how to mount a remote directory in Linux using SSHFS.

Why Use SSHFS?

Using SSHFS provides several benefits:

  • Ease of Use: With a single command, you can access remote files as if they were local.
  • Security: SSHFS uses the SSH protocol, which means your data is transferred securely.
  • No Extra Setup: SSHFS requires no extra software on the remote server; it only needs SSH access.
  • Versatility: You can use SSHFS to connect to any server that allows SSH, giving you flexible access.

Installing SSHFS

SSHFS is usually available in the repositories of most Linux distributions. Install it using the package manager for your specific distribution.

On Ubuntu/Debian:

apt update
apt install sshfs

On CentOS/RHEL:

yum install epel-release
yum install sshfs

On Fedora:

dnf install sshfs

Verify the installation by running:

sshfs -V

Basic Syntax

To mount a remote directory with SSHFS, you need to know the remote directory path, remote user credentials, and have a designated local directory for mounting.

Here is a basic syntax:

sshfs [user]@[remote_host]:[remote_directory] [local_mount_point]

Where:

  • user: name of the remote user
  • remote_host: IP address of the remote host
  • remote_directory: path of the remote directory that you want to mount
  • local_mount_point: path of the local mount directory

Create a Mount Point

A mount point is a directory on your local machine where the remote filesystem will be mounted. You can create a directory in your home folder to serve as the mount point:

mkdir ~/remote_directory

This directory will represent the remote server’s filesystem after mounting.

Mount the Remote Directory

Now that SSHFS is installed, you can use it to mount the remote directory. Use the following command to mount the remote directory:

sshfs username@remote_host:/path/to/remote/directory ~/remote_directory

Where:

  • username: The username used to log into the remote server.
  • remote_host: The IP address or hostname of the remote server.
  • /path/to/remote/directory: The directory on the remote server that you wish to mount.
  • ~/remote_directory: The local mount point.

For example, if your remote server has an IP address of 192.168.1.100 and you want to mount the /var/www directory:

sshfs [email protected]:/var/www ~/remote_directory

Verify the Mount

Once mounted, you can verify that the remote directory is accessible using standard filesystem commands like ls:

ls ~/remote_directory

You should see the contents of the remote directory as if they were local.

Note: Keep in mind that file permissions on the remote server will still apply after mounting, so you may need to adjust ownership or permissions on the remote side if you encounter access issues; for shared access, the -o allow_other option can be used with caution, but be aware of the potential security implications as it allows other local users to access the mounted directory.

Unmounting the Remote Directory

When you’re done working with the remote directory, it’s important to unmount it properly to avoid issues.

umount ~/remote_directory

Advanced Options for SSHFS

SSHFS provides several options to customize the connection and mount behavior.

Compression: You can enable SSH compression to improve performance when transferring many files:

sshfs -C username@remote_host:/path/to/remote/directory ~/remote_directory

Port Specification: If your SSH server is running on a non-standard port (not 22), you can specify it using the -p flag:

sshfs -p 2222 username@remote_host:/path/to/remote/directory ~/remote_directory

Reconnect Automatically: To automatically reconnect if the connection drops, use the reconnect option:

sshfs -o reconnect username@remote_host:/path/to/remote/directory ~/remote_directory

Conclusion

SSHFS is a powerful tool that allows you to access remote directories over SSH seamlessly. It’s easy to set up and secure and doesn’t require any special server-side configurations beyond SSH. Whether you need to manage files on a remote server for development or administrative purposes, SSHFS provides an efficient and secure solution. Need to access files on a remote server? Deploy dedicated server hosting with Atlantic.Net and leverage the power of SSHFS!