systemd/nfs-server.service: Is `ExecStopPost=/usr/sbin/exportfs -au` necessary?

Paul Menzel <pmenzel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:18:19 +0200

Dear NFS folks,

Since the beginning in 2014 with commit 929aaa7eeab1 (Added 
systemd/nfs-server.service) the systemd service unit 
`systemd/nfs-server.service` has

    Description=NFS server and services
    […]
    [Service]
    Type=oneshot
    RemainAfterExit=yes
    ExecStartPre=-/usr/sbin/exportfs -r
    ExecStart=/usr/sbin/rpc.nfsd
    ExecStop=/usr/sbin/rpc.nfsd 0
    ExecStopPost=/usr/sbin/exportfs -au
    ExecStopPost=/usr/sbin/exportfs -f

and this is still present today as of commit b76dbaa48f7c (exports(5): 
update and correct information about subdirectory exports) [1].

Is flushing out the kernel’s export table with `exportfs -au` really 
necessary when stopping the NFS server?

Kind regards,

Paul

[1]: 
https://git.linux-nfs.org/?p=steved/nfs-utils.git;a=blob;f=systemd/nfs-server.service;h=ac17d5286d3bf93d693fea5554eb439425f6857c;hb=b76dbaa48f7c239accb0c2d1e1d51ddd73f4d6be