| Author |
Message |
Gordon Fecyk
Guest
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 Posted:
Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:
DFS, Home Directories and Profiles Followup |
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Some time back in Summer 2004 I wrote in asking how crazy it would be to
specify a DFS root as the target for home directories, roving profile
directories, and so on. The majority of the responses were like, "Don't do
it... you'll be sorry..."
Well, after five months it seems to be working OK, except for considerable
slow-downs of inter-office access at the beginning and the end of the work
day, no doubt attributed to DFS replication traffic.
The hints I got at first were a great help. First I had to specify larger
DFS staging area sizes and DFS database sizes because of the sheer number of
files involved. Then at one point I used the process described in KB 266679
to prestage a third DFS replica at a new installation site (essentially, use
NTBACKUP to back up the DFS from one of the replicas to the new server,
restore it to the new server, then create the new replica) to avoid an
inital replication of some 10 GB.
There have been network outages, power outages, and even some DFS database
errors (not journal wraps - inconsistencies in the database). All of which
were dealt with pretty much automatically by the DFS and FRS services.
Using a replicated DFS for home directories and profiles is definitely a
"Don't try this at home" project. But it's not impossible to do. The only
thing I'd change the next time I do this is to specify a replication
schedule that happens after business hours, but that would mean no
inter-office roaming during business hours.
There is only one thing that bugs me in this process. It's that I can't
create a hidden DFS root (something like \\example.com\dfs$) so it wouldn't
be visible in Network Neighborhood. I can't create folders on a hard drive
with a dollar sign in the name, and I can't use a folder name that's
different from the share name. Or can I? ie:
c:\dfs -> \\server1\dfs$
c:\dfs -> \\server2\dfs$
c:\dfs -> \\server3\dfs$
DFS'd into -> \\example.com\dfs$
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Guest
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| Posted:
Mon Dec 06, 2004 1:02 pm Post subject:
Re: DFS, Home Directories and Profiles Followup |
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Gordon Fecyk wrote:
| Quote: | Some time back in Summer 2004 I wrote in asking how crazy it would be to
specify a DFS root as the target for home directories, roving profile
directories, and so on. The majority of the responses were like, "Don't do
it... you'll be sorry..."
Well, after five months it seems to be working OK, except for considerable
slow-downs of inter-office access at the beginning and the end of the work
day, no doubt attributed to DFS replication traffic.
The hints I got at first were a great help. First I had to specify larger
DFS staging area sizes and DFS database sizes because of the sheer number of
files involved. Then at one point I used the process described in KB 266679
to prestage a third DFS replica at a new installation site (essentially, use
NTBACKUP to back up the DFS from one of the replicas to the new server,
restore it to the new server, then create the new replica) to avoid an
inital replication of some 10 GB.
There have been network outages, power outages, and even some DFS database
errors (not journal wraps - inconsistencies in the database). All of which
were dealt with pretty much automatically by the DFS and FRS services.
Using a replicated DFS for home directories and profiles is definitely a
"Don't try this at home" project. But it's not impossible to do. The only
thing I'd change the next time I do this is to specify a replication
schedule that happens after business hours, but that would mean no
inter-office roaming during business hours.
There is only one thing that bugs me in this process. It's that I can't
create a hidden DFS root (something like \\example.com\dfs$) so it wouldn't
be visible in Network Neighborhood. I can't create folders on a hard drive
with a dollar sign in the name, and I can't use a folder name that's
different from the share name. Or can I? ie:
c:\dfs -> \\server1\dfs$
c:\dfs -> \\server2\dfs$
c:\dfs -> \\server3\dfs$
DFS'd into -> \\example.com\dfs$
|
I also have achived this after many attempts.
I have a true romeing network with profiles user storage and most of the
company data, all groups use a fqdn dfs map drives, this is statewide
and working well with few hickups for now.
good on ya for not giveing up.
cheers
Paul |
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Sparks
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Jan 11, 2005 10:55 pm Post subject:
Re: DFS, Home Directories and Profiles Followup |
|
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| Quote: | Using a replicated DFS for home directories and profiles is definitely a
"Don't try this at home" project. But it's not impossible to do. The
only
thing I'd change the next time I do this is to specify a replication
schedule that happens after business hours, but that would mean no
inter-office roaming during business hours.
|
This is exactly what I am now attempting ;-)
As you have done it, maybe you can help me with something.
(I have 4 sites, all linked with 256k Leased Lines.)
how does a PC accessing the \\domain\DFS share know which server to put the
files on?
I understand once the files are on one server, they will be replicated (And
that bit works fine in my setup)
But before I go and try it with roaming profiles, do I have to do anything
special to the PC's at each site!?
The reason I ask, is, I have found, when logging in at the moment, it seems
random which server authenticates the login
(The login script is run from what seems to be, random servers across the
WAN)
....or does this point to something not being set correctly!
Sparks... |
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Jason
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Jan 19, 2005 6:47 am Post subject:
Re: DFS, Home Directories and Profiles Followup |
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Did you set up your sites in Active directory Sites and Services and
define the subnets for each site. Also did you setup you site links and
set costs for them. This is how DFS and AD determines how it selects a
server to use.
HTH
Jason
Sparks wrote:
| Quote: | Using a replicated DFS for home directories and profiles is definitely a
"Don't try this at home" project. But it's not impossible to do. The
only
thing I'd change the next time I do this is to specify a replication
schedule that happens after business hours, but that would mean no
inter-office roaming during business hours.
This is exactly what I am now attempting ;-)
As you have done it, maybe you can help me with something.
(I have 4 sites, all linked with 256k Leased Lines.)
how does a PC accessing the \\domain\DFS share know which server to put the
files on?
I understand once the files are on one server, they will be replicated (And
that bit works fine in my setup)
But before I go and try it with roaming profiles, do I have to do anything
special to the PC's at each site!?
The reason I ask, is, I have found, when logging in at the moment, it seems
random which server authenticates the login
(The login script is run from what seems to be, random servers across the
WAN)
...or does this point to something not being set correctly!
Sparks...
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