View DFS domain and roots in network browser

I don't want to sound like I'm arguing semantics, but I genuinely want to make sure I understand your topology:

1) You have an Active Directory domain called hq.mydomain.com?

2) The NetBIOS-compatible name for your domain is "HQ"

3) There is a server with the File Services role installed and the DFS role services installed. Called (example) dfs-server.hq.mydomain.com

4) In this AD domain, you have created two domain DFS namespaces (current terminology)

5) You are running an OS that supports multiple DFS roots (Enterprise or Datacenter)

Is all this correct?

I no doubt am using the incorrect vocabulary.  Multiple roots must be incorrect; I think I mean multiple namespaces.

I have two servers running 2008R2 STD and both have File Services role installed.

AD domain is hq.mydomain.com

DFS namespaces are all under \\hq.mydomain.com\

Within \\hq.mydomain.com\ I have two namespaces created

So the namespaces are:
\\hq.mydomain.com\Finance
\\hq.mydomain.com\Helpdesk

What I CAN currently do is:
  - type in \\hq\Finance and I can see the shares under finance. (I can also enter the full hq.mycompany.com as well but hq works fine too)

What I CANNOT currently do is:
  - browse the network and see "hq" as a resource on the network.  
  - enter "\\hq" in file explorer and see "Finance" and "Helpdesk" as available folders. (I greatly want this ability.)

I am currently forced to enter, at the minimum, the UNC path of "\\hq\Finance" in order to see anything at all.

I hope that clarifies my question. Thanks.

Thank you for the explanation.  This limitation causes a problem with a good number of applications.  

For example, Eye-Fi wifi card management software only provides a browse dialog window to select the destination folder.  It is then impossible to use a DFS path.  Frustrating to say the least.

BTW, you can enter \\domaincontrollerhostingDFS-namespace and see \HelpDesk and \Finance, but that isn't really what you want.

kevinhsieh -- I will be going forward with a single namespace to at least simply new share creation; rather than a new namespace for every new 'app' or department which was my current method.

kevinhsieh -- correct, I don't want to use \\domaincontrollerhostingDFS-namespace since I would then lose the redundancy feature of the DFS path.

kevinhsieh -- Eye-Fi app runs as a desktop app so I would think it could use a mapped drive.  Good idea.  I also have another app which has background services; I'd have to try it with it and possibly enable desktop access for the account.

It would be nice to be able to somehow 'publish'? the DFS namespace within AD.  

Somehow get the namespace to be seen as a virtual server.

It looks like Eye-Fi is a current product. It's a shame that it won't accept a typed UNC path.

You could have a stand alone namespace hosted by a Windows failover cluster...that would be published.

Thanks everyone.  I think I'll have to live with this limitation for now.  Hopefully the drive mapping will work.

And I have already asked in the Eye-Fi forum suggestions for the ability to manually enter a path.

It is a Microsoft Server limitation; limited work-around possible.

Mapped Drives are a disaster.  There is no need to go back to the age of Dinosaurs and Novell.

Can't you just create a UNC based Shortcuts to the shares?  UNC Shortcuts work through Browse Dialog boxes.

I take it that the two Locations are:
\\hq.mycompany.com\ Finance
\\hq.mycompany.com\Helpdesk

So create two Shortcuts.  
Rename them "Finance" and "Helpdesk" respectively.
Change their Icon to one of the Folder style icons just for cosmetic purposes.
Place the Shortcuts into the "All Users" Desktop on the machines that it is important to have this.  Then when opening a browse Dialog from the Application you just choose Desktop and the two locations will appear in the dialog and you can "browse through" them just like you could any folder

The fastest way to create the Shortcuts is to type the path into the Run Line.  When the location opens in Windows Explorer just drag the Icon from the Address Bar to the Desktop.

pwindell -- it is a bit more restrictive than that.  The dialog window only shows network machines and folders. Though for users other tasks I would agree with using shortcuts versus mapped drives.   Thanks.

Translation,...poorly designed Application.

I have run into similar with one of ours.  Luckily it remembers where you went last,...and,...after you "browse" to a location it shows you a normal editable TextBox with the path in it.  So I just browsed to any location I could just so I could get to the TextBox and then I backspaced out the path and pasted in the correct UNC path.  It remembers it after that point and you can run the App without opening the Browse Dialog.  Not saying you would be that lucky,..but it worked for me.