Windows Server

Derek · Guest

I've setup a Hub-Spoke model for DFS replication of application sources
(MSI's) used for software installation. 3 main sites are well connected and
one site uses 128Kb ISDN link.

For the ISDN linked site I've setup a schedule to replicate after business
hours. I was assuming that; if I add a file to the DFS replication group and
than delete the file because I have a newer version and copy the new version
into the DFS replication group, the ISDN linked site would only replicate
the newer file. BUT what I see is that:

- the old file stays in the staging area until the scheduled replication
kicks off

- than replicates the deleted file (can take a ling time if a MSI is 50Mb+

- removes the file (seconds)

- replicates the new file ... without removing it of course

Is this the correct behavior? I would expect that the deleted file would be
removed from the staging area as soon as it has been deleted on the Hub.
This means that if there's a lot off new additions that are removed within
say minutes, these new additions are replicated to a scheduled spoke just to
be deleted ... very weird behavior.

Should I look for something else to do the job right .... like scheduled
Robocopy :-)

Paul Williams [MVP] · Guest

That is the correct behaviour. Replication works by scanning the USN change
journal. Any new file added is replicated. If it is deleted, it is still
replicated downstream and the delete will follow later. This is because the
change is already queued.

The new DFSR will fix this issue for you with the new RDC technology. It
will still replicate based on USN changes, but only file changes are
replicated. So if you delete the file and whip another one, which is
similar, in there, only the changes need to be replicated and they are
highly compressed. We're talking only a couple of K, even if the MSI is
huge! You can have a 1GB file called file01, save it as file02 and leave
file01 there, RDC will only replicate a couple of K and you will have both
files on the other end of the downstream replica. Awesome!

This is coming in R2.

--
Paul Williams
Microsoft MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services
http://www.msresource.net | http://forums.msresource.net

	Windows Server Forum Index -> DFS and FRS	All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1