---
name: "nfsd"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nfsd"
---

# nfsd(8)

remote NFS server

## NAME

**nfsd** – remote NFS server

## SYNOPSIS

**nfsd** \[**-rtu**\] \[**-n** *num\_servers*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**nfsd** runs on a server machine to service NFS requests from client machines. At least one **nfsd** must be running for a machine to operate as a server.

Unless otherwise specified, four servers for UDP transport are started.

The options are as follows:

- **-n** *num\_servers*

  Specifies how many servers to create (max 20).

- **-r**

  Register the NFS service with [portmap(8)](/portmap/8.md) without creating any servers. This option can be used along with the **-u** or **-t** options to re-register NFS if the portmap server is restarted.

- **-t**

  Serve TCP NFS clients.

- **-u**

  Serve UDP NFS clients.

For example, “nfsd -u -t -n 6” serves UDP and TCP transports using six daemons.

A server should run enough daemons to handle the maximum level of concurrency from its clients, typically four to six.

**nfsd** listens for service requests at the port indicated in the NFS server specification; see RFCs 1094 and 1813.

## EXIT STATUS

The **nfsd** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## SEE ALSO

[nfsstat(1)](/nfsstat/1.md), [nfssvc(2)](/nfssvc/2.md), [mountd(8)](/mountd/8.md), [portmap(8)](/portmap/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **nfsd** utility first appeared in 4.3BSD-Reno.