Once /etc/exports is configured, you're ready to start your NFS server. Most distributions will have an "nfs" initialization script that can be used to start NFS -- type /etc/init.d/nfs start or /etc/rc.d/init.d/nfs start to use it. Once NFS is started, typing rpcinfo should display output that looks something like this:

# rpcinfo -p
   program vers proto   port
    100000    2   tcp    111  portmapper
    100000    2   udp    111  portmapper
    100024    1   udp  32802  status
    100024    1   tcp  46049  status
    100011    1   udp    998  rquotad
    100011    2   udp    998  rquotad
    100003    2   udp   2049  nfs
    100003    3   udp   2049  nfs
    100003    2   tcp   2049  nfs
    100003    3   tcp   2049  nfs
    100021    1   udp  32804  nlockmgr
    100021    3   udp  32804  nlockmgr
    100021    4   udp  32804  nlockmgr
    100021    1   tcp  48026  nlockmgr
    100021    3   tcp  48026  nlockmgr
    100021    4   tcp  48026  nlockmgr
    100005    1   udp  32805  mountd
    100005    1   tcp  39293  mountd
    100005    2   udp  32805  mountd
    100005    2   tcp  39293  mountd
    100005    3   udp  32805  mountd
    100005    3   tcp  39293  mountd