AFS for OS X/Darwin

What is AFS and why do I need it?

AFS provides a system of accessing network file servers in a reasonable and scalable manner. So from a user standpoint, it's much like SMB/CIFS and Appleshare. A lot of universities (such as UNC Chapel Hill, where I work) use it to provide integrated access to files on central servers. Unless you need to access an AFS cell, you don't need it.

ATN has some good docs on afs to get you started.

But before we get started, a few caveats:

The Options

There are two good options, OpenAFS and Arla. I've tried both, and there's little difference in performance. OpenAFS is probably the better choice for most folks, since it's in wide use.

Also, if you're interested, here's some other references:

Installing OpenAFS

AFS Tools

I've put together a list of useful AFS tools, things like athentication plugins, GUI tools, and useful scripts.

Installing Arla

Here's a older document describing installation of Arla.