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NAS Diagnostics Guide#

Overview#

The NAS (Network Attached Storage) Diagnostics tool provides comprehensive file sharing and network storage troubleshooting capabilities within VergeOS. These diagnostic commands enable system administrators to monitor NAS performance, troubleshoot file sharing issues, and maintain optimal NAS service health for SMB/CIFS, NFS, and other network storage protocols.

What You'll Learn

  • How to access and use NAS diagnostic tools
  • Understanding of each diagnostic command and its file sharing focus
  • Best practices for NAS troubleshooting and maintenance
  • When to use specific diagnostic commands for network storage issues

Prerequisites#

  • Access to VergeOS interface with NAS service management privileges
  • Basic understanding of network file sharing protocols (SMB/CIFS, NFS)
  • Knowledge of VergeOS NAS service architecture

NAS Service Context

NAS diagnostics are specific to individual NAS service instances. Each NAS service has its own diagnostic interface and commands.

Accessing NAS Diagnostics#

  1. Navigate to NAS Diagnostics: - From the Main Dashboard, click Services in the left menu - Select the desired NAS service from the list - Click Diagnostics in the left menu

  2. Using Diagnostic Commands: - Select desired command from the Diagnostics Query dropdown menu - Configure available parameters on the right side - Click Send → to execute the command

Command Visibility

Enable "Show Command" to view the exact command being executed, useful for SSH execution or script automation.

Diagnostic Commands Reference#

ARP Scan#

Purpose: Discovers active devices on the NAS service's network using ARP packets.

When to Use: - Network connectivity troubleshooting - Client discovery on NAS network segments - Network topology verification

Parameters: - Interface: Network interface to scan from (e.g., eth0)

CLI Syntax: 

nmap -sn [NETWORK_RANGE]

ARP Table#

Purpose: Displays the NAS service's ARP cache showing IP-to-MAC address mappings.

When to Use: - Client connectivity troubleshooting - Network neighbor verification - MAC address conflict resolution

CLI Syntax: 

arp -a

Date/Time#

Purpose: Shows current system date and time configuration for the NAS service.

When to Use: - Time synchronization troubleshooting - Log timestamp verification - Authentication issue diagnosis (Kerberos, domain joins)

CLI Syntax: 

date
timedatectl status

DNS Lookup#

Purpose: Tests DNS resolution from the NAS service perspective.

When to Use: - Domain name resolution troubleshooting - Active Directory connectivity issues - External service access verification

Parameters: - Hostname: Target hostname to resolve - DNS Server: Specific DNS server to query

CLI Syntax: 

nslookup [HOSTNAME]
dig [HOSTNAME]

Groups#

Purpose: Displays system groups and group membership information.

When to Use: - User access troubleshooting - Permission issue diagnosis - Group-based access control verification

CLI Syntax: 

getent group
groups [USERNAME]

IP#

Purpose: Advanced IP command access for network interface and routing diagnostics.

When to Use: - Network configuration verification - Routing table analysis - Interface troubleshooting

Parameters: - Command: IP command options (addr, route, link, etc.)

CLI Syntax: 

ip [COMMAND] [OPTIONS]

Common Commands: - ip addr show - Display interface addresses - ip route show - Show routing table - ip link show - Display network interfaces

Logs#

Purpose: Displays NAS service system logs and events.

When to Use: - Service troubleshooting - Error analysis - Performance issue investigation - Security event monitoring

CLI Syntax: 

journalctl -u [NAS_SERVICE]
tail -f /var/log/samba/log.*

NFS#

Purpose: Shows Network File System (NFS) service status and configuration.

When to Use: - NFS service troubleshooting - Export configuration verification - Client mount issue diagnosis

CLI Syntax: 

exportfs -v
rpcinfo -p
showmount -e

NTP Query#

Purpose: Queries Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers and synchronization status.

When to Use: - Time synchronization troubleshooting - NTP server connectivity testing - Clock drift analysis

Parameters: - NTP Server: Target NTP server to query

CLI Syntax: 

ntpq -p
chrony sources

Ping#

Purpose: Tests network connectivity from the NAS service.

When to Use: - Basic connectivity testing - Network latency measurement - Client reachability verification

Parameters: - Destination: Target IP address or hostname - Count: Number of ping packets

CLI Syntax: 

ping -c [COUNT] [DESTINATION]

Samba#

Purpose: Displays Samba/SMB service status, configuration, and active connections.

When to Use: - SMB/CIFS service troubleshooting - Share access issues - Client connection analysis - Performance optimization

CLI Syntax: 

smbstatus
testparm
smbclient -L localhost

Services#

Purpose: Shows status of all services running on the NAS system.

When to Use: - Service availability verification - Dependency troubleshooting - Performance analysis - Service startup issues

CLI Syntax: 

systemctl list-units --type=service
service --status-all

TCP Connection Test#

Purpose: Tests TCP connectivity to specific ports on remote hosts.

When to Use: - Service port accessibility testing - Firewall rule verification - Client-server communication troubleshooting

Parameters: - Host: Target hostname or IP address - Port: TCP port number to test

CLI Syntax: 

telnet [HOST] [PORT]
nc -zv [HOST] [PORT]

TCP Dump#

Purpose: Captures and analyzes network packet traffic for the NAS service.

When to Use: - Deep packet inspection - Protocol troubleshooting - Security analysis - Performance diagnostics

Parameters: - Interface: Network interface to monitor - Filter: Berkeley Packet Filter expression

CLI Syntax: 

tcpdump -i [INTERFACE] [FILTER]

Performance Impact

Packet capture can impact NAS performance. Use judiciously in production environments.

Top CPU Usage#

Purpose: Shows processes consuming the most CPU resources on the NAS service.

When to Use: - Performance troubleshooting - Resource utilization analysis - Process optimization

CLI Syntax: 

top -o %CPU
htop

Top Network Usage#

Purpose: Displays processes with highest network utilization.

When to Use: - Network performance analysis - Bandwidth utilization troubleshooting - Connection monitoring

CLI Syntax: 

iftop
nethogs
ss -tuln

Trace Route#

Purpose: Traces network path from the NAS service to a destination.

When to Use: - Network routing troubleshooting - Path analysis - Connectivity issue diagnosis

Parameters: - Destination: Target IP address or hostname

CLI Syntax: 

traceroute [DESTINATION]
mtr [DESTINATION]

Users#

Purpose: Displays system users and user account information.

When to Use: - User access troubleshooting - Account verification - Permission issue diagnosis

CLI Syntax: 

getent passwd
who
w

What's My IP#

Purpose: Shows the NAS service's external IP address.

When to Use: - External connectivity verification - NAT configuration troubleshooting - Network configuration validation

CLI Syntax: 

curl ifconfig.me
curl ipinfo.io/ip

Winbind#

Purpose: Displays Winbind service status for Active Directory integration.

When to Use: - Active Directory integration troubleshooting - Domain authentication issues - User/group resolution problems

CLI Syntax: 

wbinfo -t
wbinfo -u
wbinfo -g

Best Practices#

NAS Health Monitoring Workflow#

  1. Service Status: Check Services and specific protocol status (Samba/NFS)
  2. Network Connectivity: Verify basic connectivity with Ping and network configuration
  3. Authentication: Test Users, Groups, and Winbind (if applicable)
  4. Performance: Monitor Top CPU Usage and Top Network Usage
  5. Logs: Review service logs for errors or warnings

File Sharing Troubleshooting#

  • SMB/CIFS Issues: Use Samba diagnostics to check shares and connections
  • NFS Problems: Verify NFS service status and export configurations
  • Permission Issues: Check Users and Groups for proper access rights
  • Authentication: Test Winbind for domain-joined environments

Performance Optimization#

  • Resource Monitoring: Regularly check CPU and network usage patterns
  • Connection Analysis: Monitor active connections and client loads
  • Network Tuning: Use network diagnostics to optimize performance
  • Time Synchronization: Ensure proper NTP configuration for authentication

Troubleshooting Common NAS Issues#

Connectivity Problems#

  1. Start with Ping to test basic network connectivity
  2. Use ARP Table and ARP Scan for network discovery issues
  3. Check IP configuration for interface problems
  4. Use Trace Route for routing issues

File Sharing Issues#

  1. Check Samba status for SMB/CIFS problems
  2. Verify NFS service for NFS-related issues
  3. Review Services for service availability
  4. Test specific ports with TCP Connection Test

Authentication Problems#

  1. Verify Users and Groups configuration
  2. Test Winbind for Active Directory integration
  3. Check DNS Lookup for domain name resolution
  4. Verify Date/Time for Kerberos authentication

Performance Issues#

  1. Monitor Top CPU Usage for resource constraints
  2. Check Top Network Usage for bandwidth utilization
  3. Use TCP Dump for detailed traffic analysis
  4. Review Logs for performance-related errors

Advanced Diagnostics#

Protocol Analysis#

  • Use TCP Dump with specific filters for SMB or NFS traffic
  • Monitor Samba connections for SMB-specific issues
  • Check NFS exports and mount status

Security Monitoring#

  • Review Logs for security events and failed access attempts
  • Monitor Users and Groups for unauthorized changes
  • Use TCP Dump for security analysis when needed

Network Optimization#

  • Analyze Top Network Usage patterns for optimization
  • Use IP commands for advanced network tuning
  • Monitor ARP Table for network efficiency

Integration Considerations#

Active Directory Integration#

  • Use Winbind diagnostics for domain troubleshooting
  • Verify DNS Lookup for proper domain resolution
  • Check Date/Time synchronization with domain controllers

Multi-Protocol Support#

  • Balance Samba and NFS service performance
  • Monitor protocol-specific usage patterns
  • Optimize network configuration for multiple protocols

Next Steps#

After mastering NAS diagnostics, consider exploring:

  • Advanced file sharing protocol optimization
  • Integration with external authentication systems
  • Automated monitoring and alerting for NAS services
  • Performance tuning for high-availability environments

For complex NAS issues or performance optimization guidance, contact VergeOS Support with detailed diagnostic output and service configuration information.