This README file was copied from the https://githug.com/libfuse/sshfs project, and modified as needed.

Abstract

This is a filesystem client based on the SSH File Transfer Protocol. Since most SSH servers already support this protocol it is very easy to set up: i.e. on the server side there's nothing to do. On the client side mounting the filesystem is as easy as logging into the server with ssh.

The snapshotfs filesystem can be used like the sshfs filesystem, except it is designed to cache a snapshot of the SSH connected filesystem. Writing to the filesystem is supported, but is experimental.

Features of this implementation are:

• Based on FUSE (the best userspace filesystem framework for Linux ;)

• Multithreading: more than one request can be on it's way to the server

• Files and directory entries are cached locally on first access.

• Run applications locally instead of using VNC or remote desktop.

Latest version

The latest version and more information can be found on https://github.com/davechri/snapshot-fs

How to mount a filesystem

Once snapshotfs is installed (see next section) running it is very simple:

snapshotfs hostname:/dir mountpoint

Note, that it's recommended to run it as user, not as root. For this to work the mountpoint must be owned by the user. If the username is different on the host you are connecting to, then use the "username@host:" form. If you need to enter a password snapshotfs will ask for it (actually it just runs ssh which ask for the password if needed). You can also specify a directory after the ":". The default is the home directory.

To unmount the filesystem:

fusermount -u mountpoint

Installing

First you need to download FUSE 2.2 or later from http://github.com/libfuse/libfuse.

These libraries must be installed:

• libpthread
• libssh

You also need to install the devel package for glib2.0. After installing FUSE, compile sshfs the usual way:

make
make install (as root)

And you are ready to go.