Symlinks vs. NFS

[David Elliott]

We have run across a problem with NFS and symlinks that we would like
to solve.

Assume you have a remote path that is actually a symlink.

If that symlink is absolute, the filesystem resolves this path to the
local machine.  That is, if the link is to "/etc/passwd", the
resolution is to my /etc/passwd instead of the one on the remote
machine.

If the symlink is relative, the resolution depends on how I have the
filesystems mounted.  Assume that the link is in the directory /usr/foo
on the other machine, and that the link is to "../../etc/passwd".  Now,
if my system has the remote /usr and remote / mounted in the "typical"
relationship (that is, /usr is mounted on /), and that /usr/foo and
/etc on that machine are set up typically as well, everything works as
expected.  If, on the other hand, I have the remote /usr/foo mounted in
my /usr just so I can use it, the link resolves to my local /etc/passwd
again.

What kind of solutions exist for this problem?  Do these solutions
take into account the possibility that the target of the symlink may
not be on a mounted filesystem?

-- 
David Elliott		dce at mips.com  or  {ames,prls,pyramid,decwrl}!mips!dce