Add mount nfs server support to function container

[feiniao0308]

We have a lot of utilities and libraries stored in an internal NFS server which is maintained by other teams. To write a function, we need to call some libraries from the NFS server. But looks like current function container does not support to mount external NFS server to the container.

I'd like to request this feature support since I'm only blocked by this feature to use OpenFaaS in my project. Thanks a lot.

[feiniao0308]

@alexellis could you please help it? Any way i can workaround it?

[alexellis]

Please can you fill out the whole issue template? We'll need all the information to make a decision.

[alexellis]

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## My actions before raising this issue
- [ ] Followed the [troubleshooting guide](https://docs.openfaas.com/deployment/troubleshooting/)
- [ ] Read/searched [the docs](https://docs.openfaas.com/)
- [ ] Searched [past issues](/issues)

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## Expected Behaviour
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## Current Behaviour
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## Possible Solution
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## Your Environment
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* FaaS-CLI version ( Full output from: `faas-cli version` ):

* Docker version `docker version` (e.g. Docker 17.0.05 ):

* Are you using Docker Swarm or Kubernetes (FaaS-netes)?

* Operating System and version (e.g. Linux, Windows, MacOS):

* Code example or link to GitHub repo or gist to reproduce problem:

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[feiniao0308]

My actions before raising this issue

• Followed the troubleshooting guide
• Read/searched the docs
• Searched past issues

We have a lot of utilities and libraries stored in an internal NFS server which is maintained by other teams. To write a function, we need to call some libraries from the NFS server. But looks like current function container does not support to mount external NFS server to the container.

Expected Behaviour

Able to mount external NFS server to function container. The function can call some libraries/binaries from the NFS server since the function relies on the libraries/binaries.

Current Behaviour

Unable to mount external NFS server. The libraries in the NFS server is maintained by different team which does not use OpenFaaS framework, so the function cannot call it directly unless mounting the NFS server to the container

Possible Solution

No workaround solution. I'm fully blocked by it to use OpenFaaS in my project.

Context

Without the feature, I'm unable to write some functions which depends on other libraries which are stored in NFS server and maintained by other teams.

Your Environment

• FaaS-CLI version ( Full output from: faas-cli version ):
  commit: 25cada08609e00bed526790a6bdd19e49ca9aa63
  version: 0.8.14

• Docker version docker version (e.g. Docker 17.0.05 ):
  Client: Docker Engine - Community
  Version: 18.09.0
  API version: 1.39
  Go version: go1.10.4
  Git commit: 4d60db4
  Built: Wed Nov 7 00:47:43 2018
  OS/Arch: darwin/amd64
  Experimental: false

Server: Docker Engine - Community
Engine:
Version: 18.09.0
API version: 1.39 (minimum version 1.12)
Go version: go1.10.4
Git commit: 4d60db4
Built: Wed Nov 7 00:55:00 2018
OS/Arch: linux/amd64
Experimental: false

• Are you using Docker Swarm or Kubernetes (FaaS-netes)?
  Kubernetes (FaaS-netes)

• Operating System and version (e.g. Linux, Windows, MacOS):
  MacOS

• Code example or link to GitHub repo or gist to reproduce problem:
  N/A

• Other diagnostic information / logs from troubleshooting guide

[feiniao0308]

Thanks @alexellis for the quick response. Just update the issue template. Thanks a lot.

[alexellis]

You must fill in everything. Looks like you missed the last section.

[feiniao0308]

Updated @alexellis :-)

[alexellis]

Code example or link to GitHub repo or gist to reproduce problem:

Can you give a sample and the error you received?

[stefanprodan]

You could put those libraries in a container image and use that as the base image for your functions. This approach would allow you to version the libraries and migrate your functions independently between versions. Another advantage would be that the docker engine caches the image layers on each node. Even if the base image is larger it will be downloaded once per node.

[alexellis]

I'd like to see the error. Does this involve mounting a filesystem for instance?

[feiniao0308]

@stefanprodan Since the libraries are stored in external NFS server, and they linked to different libraries in the same NFS server. I cannot just extract part of libraries from the NFS server and move them into base image. Also the utitlie libraries are maintained by other teams, the libraries are updated frequently. To keep to use the latest stable libraries, we need to mount the NFS server as a volume in the container. Then access the libraries in the function.

[feiniao0308]

@alexellis there's no way to mount external NFS server as a volume to function container, so no any error. I'm blocked by how I can access the libraries stored in the NFS server. To implement the function, I need call the libraries to access internal resources.

[alexellis]

At this time we have no plans to add volume mounts for function containers.

Please see the following related issue: #320

That said, I think we could still help you.

The storage story for functions is normally to utilise SQL, no-sql or s3 (for instance AWS, Ceph, or Minio). I would suggest that you set up a Minio server and have it mirror the NFS server.

This way your function can pull in whatever it requires from S3 using the API when it starts up or on demand.

Here's an example blog post and tutorial for you: https://blog.alexellis.io/openfaas-storage-for-your-functions/

You may also find that functions are not appropriate for your use-case, in which case you may want to look into:

• Kubernetes Jobs

• JaaS (Jobs for for Swarm)

I'll close the issue now, but feel free to comment.

Alex

[alexellis]

/add label: wontfix

[feiniao0308]

Thanks @alexellis . Does jaas suppor to run against kubernetes?