How to Mount Unaspro NFS Shares as Docker Volumes

If you're using a Ubiquiti UNAS Pro and want to use its NFS feature to store Docker container data on shared drives, this guide will walk you through the process.

Prerequisites

A Linux server with Docker installed
A Ubiquiti UNAS Pro
Basic understanding of Docker

Step 1: Verify Your NFS Exports

Before attempting to mount anything, it's crucial to verify which paths your Ubiquiti UNAS Pro is actually exporting. The Settings -> Services dashboard might display a mount command like:

sudo mount -t nfs 10.1.1.1:/var/nfs/shared/[Shared Drive Name] /mnt

However, this exported path may not work inside the Docker container.

Image 1

Image 2

Use Case: Storing Docker Container Volume Data on Ubiquiti UNAS Pro

Scenario:

A user has a Ubiquiti UNAS Pro and a Linux-based server running Docker. They want to store Docker container volume data on the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro using NFS to ensure centralized storage, easy backups, and better data persistence across container restarts.

Solution:

Enable NFS on the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro and configure exported shared drives.
Configure Docker volumes to use the mounted NFS path for persistent storage.

Benefit:

This setup ensures that container data is stored securely on the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro, making it easier to manage, back up, and access from multiple servers if needed.

Setup

Make sure that you have enabled the NFS share in the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro settings - service UI and that the both machines Ubiquiti UNAS Pro and Linux server are at the same network.

showmount -e YOUR_UNASPRO_IP

For example:

showmount -e 10.1.1.1

This might return something like:

Export list for 10.1.1.1:
/volume1/.srv/.unifi-drive/[Shared Drive Name]/.data [YOUR_LINUX_SERVER_IP]

The [YOUR_LINUX_SERVER_IP] comes from the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro NFS settings see the Image 2

Important: Note the exact path shown here. This is the actual path you'll need to use, not what might be shown in the Ubiquiti UNAS Pro dashboard.

Step 2: Create a docker-compose.yml File on your Linux server

Create a docker-compose.yml file with the following content:

version: '3'

services:
  your-service:
    image: ubuntu  # or any image you prefer
    command: tail -f /dev/null  # Keeps the container running
    volumes:
      - nfs-data:/mount/point
    # Add other container configurations as needed

volumes:
  nfs-data:
    driver: local
    driver_opts:
      type: nfs
      o: "addr=YOUR_UNASPRO_IP,rw,nfsvers=3,nolock"
      device: ":/EXACT_PATH_FROM_SHOWMOUNT"

Replace:

YOUR_UNASPRO_IP with your Unaspro server IP (e.g., 10.10.1.1)
/EXACT_PATH_FROM_SHOWMOUNT with the path you got from the showmount command (e.g., /volume1/.srv/.unifi-drive/[Shared Drive Name]/.data)
/mount/point with where you want the files to appear inside your container

Step 3: Start Your Container

Run the following command to start your container:

docker compose up -d

Step 4: Verify the Mount

Check if your container is running:

docker compose ps

If it's running, you can access the container and verify the mount:

docker compose exec [Your Docker Container name] bash

# Once inside the container, check the mount:
df -h
# or
mount | grep nfs
# or
ls -la /mount/point

Try creating a test file to verify write access:

echo "Hello from Docker" > /mount/point/test_file.txt

Common Issues and Solutions

[TODO]

Conclusion

Mounting Unaspro NFS shares as Docker volumes provides a convenient way to have persistent storage for your containers. The key is to verify the exact export path and use the correct mount options.
This approach allows you to:

Share data between containers
Persist data beyond container lifecycles
Leverage your existing Unaspro storage infrastructure

Have you used NFS with Docker? Share your experiences in the comments!

UNASPRO Shared Drives and Docker volumes mount