What is NFS?

NFS (Network File System) is a protocol that lets clients access files over a network as if they were on a local disk. It’s been around since the late 1980s and is still used across legacy systems, dev clusters, and environments where basic file sharing is all that’s needed.

At its core, NFS is about mounting a shared folder from one machine (the server) onto another (the client). While it’s simple and lightweight, NFS wasn’t designed with high-performance, container-native, or multi-zone workloads in mind. That’s where its limitations start to show.

How NFS Works

NFS operates using a client-server model. One server shares a directory, and clients mount that directory over the network using the NFS protocol.

• Runs on TCP/IP with support for versions like NFSv3 and NFSv4
• Uses RPC (Remote Procedure Calls) to request files
• Mount points appear as local directories to client apps
• No built-in redundancy unless configured externally

It’s basic, and that’s both its strength and weakness.

🚀 Tired of Tuning NFS for Modern Workloads?
Move to CSI-native storage built for scale and simplicity.
👉 Use Simplyblock for Software-Defined Storage →

Where NFS Is Still Used

NFS is still present in many setups—often because it’s already there and “just works”:

• On-prem clusters running legacy apps
• Shared home directories in Unix/Linux environments
• Dev/test labs that need basic shared storage
• Kubernetes volumes using the built-in NFS driver

For low-throughput or non-critical workloads, NFS is a valid option. But when performance, reliability, or scale enter the picture, it quickly becomes a bottleneck.

NFS Limitations in Kubernetes

While Kubernetes does support NFS volumes, that doesn’t mean it’s ideal.

• No dynamic provisioning without manual setup
• Single server bottleneck — one overloaded NFS server affects everything
• Lack of failover unless wrapped in complex HA configurations
• High latency in read/write-heavy workloads
• Security challenges due to limited multi-tenant isolation

This is why many teams working with software-defined storage are moving toward CSI-native solutions that offer better failover and volume management.

NFS vs CSI-Based Storage

NFS and CSI-based storage solve the same problem in very different ways. Knowing where they differ helps you choose the right approach for your workloads.

Dynamic provisioning is one of the major differentiators, especially for Kubernetes-native operations that expect automated volume creation and scaling.

Replacing NFS with Something Built for Scale

As infrastructure gets more dynamic, relying on NFS starts to cost time, uptime, and IOPS. That’s where Simplyblock makes a difference.

Instead of centralizing storage on a single NFS node, Simplyblock delivers CSI-native block volumes that:

• Scale automatically with your Kubernetes cluster
• Support multi-zone and multi-node failover
• Deliver NVMe-over-TCP speed for high-ingest workloads
• Work seamlessly with StatefulSets, databases, and microservices
• Include built-in features like snapshotting and volume replication

For teams focused on optimizing Kubernetes costs, this architecture also reduces waste from over-provisioned persistent volumes.

Is It Time to Move On from NFS?

If your apps are low-risk and mostly read-only, NFS might still hold up. But in a world of persistent data, multi-cloud clusters, and dynamic workloads, you’ll quickly hit its limits.

More teams are now migrating to platforms that offer fast backups and disaster recovery with reliable failover and cross-node availability—something NFS simply wasn’t built to support.

Moving to a platform like simplyblock means fewer headaches, faster deployments, and a setup that keeps up as your stack evolves.

Questions and answers