DFS namespace setup for new file server
I am about to bring on two new file servers (2012) to replace the existing one (2008 R2) and wanted to make sure I do it right for the DFS namespace.
We are using the DF
There are two critical shared items that I need to take into consideration on the existing file server.
A repository of all of our department folders on e: and on d: all user home directories (with profile folder for profile path and data folder for home folder).
My plan was to move each one of those to a separate folder.
The department folders on e: are referenced by a logon script so once I have robo copied those over I could just adjust the logon script to point to the new server.
The profile path to the user home directories is setup using the DFS namespace as they are \\domainname\users\usernam
It's been ages since I worked with DFS namespace so my question is this... Can I just robo copy all the data over to the new server and THEN add that new server (the one for the user profiles etc.) to the existing namespace on the current file server and eventually (not sure how long it takes for the two servers to be synced) remove the old one, thus making it seamless for users. Although I will try to limit the number of users that need to logon/logoff during that time. Will that work?
We are using the DF
There are two critical shared items that I need to take into consideration on the existing file server.
A repository of all of our department folders on e: and on d: all user home directories (with profile folder for profile path and data folder for home folder).
My plan was to move each one of those to a separate folder.
The department folders on e: are referenced by a logon script so once I have robo copied those over I could just adjust the logon script to point to the new server.
The profile path to the user home directories is setup using the DFS namespace as they are \\domainname\users\usernam
It's been ages since I worked with DFS namespace so my question is this... Can I just robo copy all the data over to the new server and THEN add that new server (the one for the user profiles etc.) to the existing namespace on the current file server and eventually (not sure how long it takes for the two servers to be synced) remove the old one, thus making it seamless for users. Although I will try to limit the number of users that need to logon/logoff during that time. Will that work?
Keelyn Henning
I would use FreeFileSync over RoboCopy. You can view what files are different and sync them must faster. I know this doesn't answer your question but I was very happy when I switched so I thought I would share.
ASKER
Will take at look at FreeFileSync ... thanks for that...
Still need input for original question... :-)
Still need input for original question... :-)
The plan you have set up with work. As long as you keep the user path to the data with the existing server until your new servers are 100% linked you should be good. I would use FreeFileSync to get your initial setup going and than on the day you are ready, perform another FreeFileSync once everyone is logged off and than switch your path over to the new server.
Obviously keep your old server up and running just in case something goes wrong and you need to switch back quickly.
ASKER
Thanks for the feedback.
How can I tell if they are 100% linked/synced, etc. Is there an obvious place to check?
I might use FreeFileSync if I find enough time to test it with that product, because it worked with Robo and I completed testing... it also let me do one copy and then only changes.. obviously any copy program would need to maintain all the NTFS permissions since the user folders have those set per user no inheritance and then the main share (users$) is just everyone full access share permissions.
So copy over all data from existing to new file server >> join new to old file server name space (at which point the name of the server is not relevant since it just point to the namespace since we have it setup in their profiles to go to \\domainname\users\usernam
How can I tell if they are 100% linked/synced, etc. Is there an obvious place to check?
I might use FreeFileSync if I find enough time to test it with that product, because it worked with Robo and I completed testing... it also let me do one copy and then only changes.. obviously any copy program would need to maintain all the NTFS permissions since the user folders have those set per user no inheritance and then the main share (users$) is just everyone full access share permissions.
So copy over all data from existing to new file server >> join new to old file server name space (at which point the name of the server is not relevant since it just point to the namespace since we have it setup in their profiles to go to \\domainname\users\usernam
ASKER
checked out FreeFileSync and when I tried it ... looked at documentation ...it does not copy NTFS permissions over so it is no good for me as Robo Copy does... earlier question (repeated below) still open... cheers
So copy over all data from existing to new file server >> join new to old file server name space (at which point the name of the server is not relevant since it just point to the namespace since we have it setup in their profiles to go to \\domainname\users\usernam
So copy over all data from existing to new file server >> join new to old file server name space (at which point the name of the server is not relevant since it just point to the namespace since we have it setup in their profiles to go to \\domainname\users\usernam
I'm not sure what documentation you were looking at but FreeFileSync does carry over NTFS permissions.
https://www.freefilesync.org/faq.php
Which features make FreeFileSync unique?
https://www.freefilesync.org/faq.php
Which features make FreeFileSync unique?
- Copy NTFS extended attributes (compressed, encrypted, sparse)
- Copy NTFS security permissions
- Copy NTFS Alternate Data Streams
ASKER
Care to point to the section I need to look at to make sure they do as I did not see that under options (compare, filter, sync).
I mapped 2 drives - one to my file server source 2008 R2 and one to my file server target 2012 - and ran the utility. It did copy over everything and fast, but none of the NTFS permission security groups and settings were there and they were replaced with default permissions on the new server.
I mapped 2 drives - one to my file server source 2008 R2 and one to my file server target 2012 - and ran the utility. It did copy over everything and fast, but none of the NTFS permission security groups and settings were there and they were replaced with default permissions on the new server.
They are listed on this page: https://www.freefilesync.org/faq.php#features
ASKER
LOL... I saw that but it did not do it for me... anyway doesn't matter I have robo copy and that is tested by us already. Cheers though...
ASKER
One more question... after I copy everything with Robocopy and install DFS on the new server do I share out the "users" share (shared with everyone FC and then NTFS per folder on existing file server) on the new server before I add it to the existing DFS namespace, because 'share' permissions are not copied by Robocopy on NTFS and if the root folder is not shared on the new server (2012) then the roaming user profiles will not work when I turn off the existing 2008 server, even if the 2012 is part of the namespace and has sync'd. Thoughts?
Is this a new DFS?
ASKER
No existing on 2008 R2... I am adding a new 2012 server to the existing namespace so I can (after I copy all data over, install DFS on 2012) decommission the 2008 R2 server without impacting user logon with roaming profile...
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Craig - because I was under the impression that if the files (about 220GB) are copied over by the servers i.e. synced then it will take much longer than robocopy...
Kevin - just to make sure I got this right... so I install DFS on the new server... copy over all the data... make sure that the new server has the same structure and same shares, e.g. users\user folders... with everyone Change or FC for sharing and then ntfs permissions per user folder --> and that is the way it is setup on the existing server right now... then I add the new 2012 server (with identical data and shares) to the existing namespace on the 2008 and disable it... on day of switch over I do final robocopy or sync, then enable new server 2012 and disable the 2008 existing one... presumably the new 2012 will then be the holder of the namespace alone... done... sound about right?
Kevin - just to make sure I got this right... so I install DFS on the new server... copy over all the data... make sure that the new server has the same structure and same shares, e.g. users\user folders... with everyone Change or FC for sharing and then ntfs permissions per user folder --> and that is the way it is setup on the existing server right now... then I add the new 2012 server (with identical data and shares) to the existing namespace on the 2008 and disable it... on day of switch over I do final robocopy or sync, then enable new server 2012 and disable the 2008 existing one... presumably the new 2012 will then be the holder of the namespace alone... done... sound about right?
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Okay now I am confused...
See picture of our setup right now... only the users namespace is of concern and we only have one server FS1 that is the current 2008 server. Maybe I should (rather than coming up with scenarios) just ask what the critical steps are to make sure that the new server becomes part of the namespace, obtains a full copy of the users folder (with NTFS permissions and share permissions) from the old server and maintains the namespace so I can then turn off the existing 2008 server? Really appreciate a high level step by step as I sincerely thought it would become clear, but it has just become more confusing. Sorry and thanks so much.
The reason the namespace is on the file server is because it was done before I took over and it might be wrong, but since we are also dropping in new DC soon... it would be one less thing to worry about if it stays on the file server (the new one).
See picture of our setup right now... only the users namespace is of concern and we only have one server FS1 that is the current 2008 server. Maybe I should (rather than coming up with scenarios) just ask what the critical steps are to make sure that the new server becomes part of the namespace, obtains a full copy of the users folder (with NTFS permissions and share permissions) from the old server and maintains the namespace so I can then turn off the existing 2008 server? Really appreciate a high level step by step as I sincerely thought it would become clear, but it has just become more confusing. Sorry and thanks so much.
The reason the namespace is on the file server is because it was done before I took over and it might be wrong, but since we are also dropping in new DC soon... it would be one less thing to worry about if it stays on the file server (the new one).
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I know what you mean because the namespace tab is empty... no folders... The person who set it up before me had no clue, but was too proud (I guess) to ask others. Any idea how I can fix this... any chance I can fix this during cutover on the new 2012 server... :-(
dfs2.jpg
dfs2.jpg
ASKER
Okay so Kevin you are right and I have no idea how it could have worked in the past, except it did even though the are no Namespace links on the file server, nor anywhere else. I created a new namespace (properly) and added two servers to it, tested the replication and it worked pretty good as it replicated 8GB in less than 50 min so I would like to use it to move the 200 GB over to the new file server since they can both exist and copy data and still work for uses. However, how do I overcome the fact that I do not have a namespace link for it. What is the impact for replication and assuming replication still work, for when I remove the old server from the namespace. Will the new one (since there is no namespace link to hold the info) still continue to work. OR can I just copy over all the data with Robocopy, delete the namespace on the existing file server that is not setup right, recreate the exact namespace on the new file server so it does not change the UNC for users when they log in as their profile points to \\domainname\users\usernam
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okay robocopy it is... lol
so what is the impact of not having a dfsroot share folder (there was none on the fileserver, not the DC nor any other server) with the namespace link for the users and no namespace link under dfs?
so what is the impact of not having a dfsroot share folder (there was none on the fileserver, not the DC nor any other server) with the namespace link for the users and no namespace link under dfs?
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understood... but what happens, considering the current setup, if I want to add another server (very likely for redundancy) in the near future?
With DFS (if I make it replication) it copies it cover and knows about the content as it is DFS doing the copying... but with robocopy would I still do replication or just add the server (new) to the namespace of the old server once all the data has been copied and then remove the old server... I ask because I tried that earlier (no replication) and it after the warning (if no other server the namespace will get deleted) it deleted the entire namespace... even though I was showing two servers and only deleted one... I also tried it with two namespace servers (each having copied data by robocopy not dfs) without namespace link and after it was all setup (no errors) and I when I tried to remove the old server it warned me that it wants to remove the namespace itself... which breaks everything...
With DFS (if I make it replication) it copies it cover and knows about the content as it is DFS doing the copying... but with robocopy would I still do replication or just add the server (new) to the namespace of the old server once all the data has been copied and then remove the old server... I ask because I tried that earlier (no replication) and it after the warning (if no other server the namespace will get deleted) it deleted the entire namespace... even though I was showing two servers and only deleted one... I also tried it with two namespace servers (each having copied data by robocopy not dfs) without namespace link and after it was all setup (no errors) and I when I tried to remove the old server it warned me that it wants to remove the namespace itself... which breaks everything...
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BTW thanks to both of you for all the great insights and feedback... very grateful...
The goal is to add a new file server to the existing namespace and then decommission the existing file server without significant downtime. Everything is physical. Later (in a few months) I was planning to add an extra file server (virtual or physical) to have redundancy.
I think I figured out why it kept trying to delete the namespace. Instead or right clicking the namespace server itself and selecting delete .. I was clicking on the actions tab (far right) and that delete clearly means something else. It is fine I can in fact delete just one of the servers...
The goal is to add a new file server to the existing namespace and then decommission the existing file server without significant downtime. Everything is physical. Later (in a few months) I was planning to add an extra file server (virtual or physical) to have redundancy.
I think I figured out why it kept trying to delete the namespace. Instead or right clicking the namespace server itself and selecting delete .. I was clicking on the actions tab (far right) and that delete clearly means something else. It is fine I can in fact delete just one of the servers...
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Thanks everyone. I think I got it.