Windows Server

Matt Dwyer · Guest

I currently have an SBS 2003 domain controller with a separate 2003 Std
edition file server (say 200 GB in 300K files ) in a main office. I
also have a 2003 Std edition dns/file server (circa 20 GB in 50K files)
in a branch office, all same domain, and all connected via a VPN tunnel
over a T1.

I want to speed up this WAN, and considered Steelhead, Tacit, Availl,
etc. Reading 2003 R2 literature, it looks like R2 FRS with RDC will
provide some/most? of the benefits that the 3rd party tools provide.
Comments?

In order to implement R2 DFS/FRS with RDC, I assume that I need storage
at each site equal to the shared data. Does that need to be on the
server that is the DNS server at each site? Any onsite server? SAN?

Do I need an enterprise edition of 2003 Server at one or both sites to
get the RDC function? I saw that comment somewhere, and wasn't sure if
it is correct.

Jill Zoeller [MSFT] · Guest

Assuming all servers are running R2, you can use any type of storage
attached to the server running R2. Does that make sense? Basically all
members that participate in DFS Replication must run R2. DFS Replication
doesn't care about the underlying storage type--you just specify the local
path of the data to replicate.

For your question about Enterprise Edition, there is a function of RDC known
as cross-file RDC that is used when a server running R2 Enterprise is
replicating data to another R2 server, such as Standard Edition. Cross-file
RDC uses a heuristic to identify files that are similar to the file that
needs to be replicated. This is useful when a new file is created on one
server and needs to be replicated to another server. Instead of replicating
the entire file, DFS Replication can use portions from files that are
similar to the replicating file to minimize the amount of data transferred
over the WAN.

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Matt Dwyer · Guest

Thanks Jill.

So, RDC of a file is in all R2 versions, but R2 Enterprise includes the
cross-file enhancement. Storage must be local to an R2 server. I
guess SBS comes in R2 flavor also (since it is a version of Std)?

While I am bugging you, I also understand that file locking is NOT part
of R2 DFSR, correct? So, last write wins?

Jill Zoeller [MSFT] · Guest

I'm checking on your question about SBS. I don't know the answer off the top
of my head, and I don't want to circulate a guess.

The cross-file RDC requirement has caused some confusion in the past, so let
me give you an example just to make sure it's crystal clear. Say you have a
hub server running Enterprise, and several branch servers running Standard.
Any time the hub server replicates with one of the branch servers,
cross-file RDC will be used. It doesn't matter which way the data is flowing
(from branch to hub or vice versa). On the other hand, if the branch servers
replicate with each other, then cross-file RDC is not used. Hope this makes
sense.

And you're right--DFS Replication does not provide file locking, and we do
use a last-writer-wins algorithm. We do save the "losing" file in a
subfolder under the replicated root, but these files are purged
periodically, not to mention are renamed. Ideally your goal will be to avoid
conflicts by setting up share or NTFS permissions, or by using DFS
Replication in single-author scenarios.

Hope this helps!

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Jill Zoeller [MSFT] · Guest

I'm still checking on your SBS question. From what I've heard, SBS is
intended to be a stand-alone server, so there is no need for it to run DFS
Replication.

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Jill Zoeller [MSFT] · Guest

OK, I have the answer: none of the features in Windows Server 2003 R2 will
be included in SBS R2.

--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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