documentation/docs/admin-guide/configuration/files/afs.md

AFS

!!! warning Deprecation Note The usage of AFS is deprecated. AFS home directories will be set to read-only in March 2026, project drives will be set read-only May 2026. The service will be put out of order Friday 21 August 2026.

In case you have questions and need help in the migration please contact the Linux Core Group!

Migration away from AFS

User Home on AFS

By default the user home directory is on AFS up to RHEL8. To migrate away we suggest following procedure for such computers and workstations:

• make an appointment with the user(s)
• change in Hiera to local homes: base::local_homes: true
• run puppet agent -t
• let the user move stuff from /afs/psi.ch/user/?/?????? to the new home
  • consider moving the data to a network share, as there is no backup on the local home
  • think about using Partially Shared Homes
  • think about having the required CIFS/NFS shares available in /psi.ch and have it enabled

If after there is no need for AFS on the machine any more, you may fully disable it:

• configure in Hiera: base::enable_afs: false
• run puppet agent -t
• reboot

AFS Project or Group Shares

See the AFS Migration guide by AIT how to get a NFS/CIFS share to move your data onto.

AFS Configuration

AFS is depending on the Puppet role already configured by default. Additionally it can be enabled or disabled in Hiera with base::enable_afs:

base::enable_afs: true

respectively to disable:

base::enable_afs: false

Following details can be modified, but are usually not required:

• afs_client::mountpoint
• afs_client::root_volume
• afs_client::enable_dynroot
• afs_client::min_cache_size (e.g. 8G)
• afs_client::files
• afs_client::dcache

When disabling AFS the daemon is not automatically switched off. There is additional manual effort required on the host:

systemctl disable yfs-client.service
reboot

If you want to do it without reboot, first stop all processes using AFS. You might figure them out e.g. with lsof | grep /afs.

Then do

umount /afs
systemctl stop yfs-client.service
systemctl disable yfs-client.service
afsd -shutdown