DFS Windows 2003 domain
Hi Experts,
We are planning to implement DFS in a Windows 2003 domain and forest. The DCs are running 2003 R2 and our file server is a Windows 2008 R2 server. We were planning to implement at the domain level and have roots on the 2008 file server. This is a single site network but file shares are greater than 2TB on VMFS which is why we want to use DFS to make shares transparent to users.
Is there a better way to implement DFS? WIll running file shares on a 2008 R2 server in a 2003 domain have any issues?
TIA
We are planning to implement DFS in a Windows 2003 domain and forest. The DCs are running 2003 R2 and our file server is a Windows 2008 R2 server. We were planning to implement at the domain level and have roots on the 2008 file server. This is a single site network but file shares are greater than 2TB on VMFS which is why we want to use DFS to make shares transparent to users.
Is there a better way to implement DFS? WIll running file shares on a 2008 R2 server in a 2003 domain have any issues?
TIA
Since you are using domain based DFS, you actually are installing the DFS namespace on your Windows 2003 R2 domain controllers. You will then create links to your file server(s). Make sure that you setup the namespace on at least two domain controllers for redundancy.
On your Windows 2008 server you can setup a replication group for redundancy purposes.
Create a Replication Group-applies to 2008 and 2008 r2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725893.aspx
Create a Replication Group-applies to 2008 and 2008 r2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725893.aspx
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ASKER
So I would go about creating the Namespace on the Windows 2008 File server or WIndows 2003 DC? I was under the assumption that if I create the namespace on the File Server then it will automatically generate the namespace under the 2003 DC? Many thanks
Your assumption about the namespace is incorrect. You need to create it on a domain controller.
ASKER
Hi kevinhsieh, thanks for your patience. On my Windows 2003 R2 DC I have the following data:
Domain: abc.com
Host Server: Windows 2008 R2 file server
Share name: program
Root name: program
Will I be having a new root name for each share that I create on the 2008 File Server?
Domain: abc.com
Host Server: Windows 2008 R2 file server
Share name: program
Root name: program
Will I be having a new root name for each share that I create on the 2008 File Server?
I suggest 1 root, and then put everything under that.
domain: abc.com
root name: DFS
Root Share: \\abc.com\DFS (dc.abc.com\DFS)
Programs
|_______ Program1 -> \\server1\apps$\program1
|_______ Program2 -> \\server1\apps2$\program2
Users -> \\server1\users$
I am using hidden $shares so they will not show up for clients browsing the file servers. It encourages them to just look at the DFS
domain: abc.com
root name: DFS
Root Share: \\abc.com\DFS (dc.abc.com\DFS)
Programs
|_______ Program1 -> \\server1\apps$\program1
|_______ Program2 -> \\server1\apps2$\program2
Users -> \\server1\users$
I am using hidden $shares so they will not show up for clients browsing the file servers. It encourages them to just look at the DFS
ASKER
Hi Kevinhsieh, thanks for the response. I was able to implement the basic setup as you mentioned above but all my shares which are 2TB in size are shared from only one file server and when I try to browse to Programs I see only the content in Program1 and not Program2 i.e. Programs does not allow me to see combined data from Program1 and Program2 and I only see content from the first folder in the link. Do you know what I could look at to fix this? Thanks
Did you create a second folder and links for Program2 in DFS?
ASKER
Yes I created a folder target called as Program2 under the share called as Programs
dfs thread
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/winserverfiles/thread/f25b2f66-41b0-411c-803f-af3d70be3cbf