Windows Server

Guest · Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 8:51 am Post subject: Info on cascade DFS

Hi All,

Can anyone provide me some info on how a cascade DFS is setup and
overview on how it works.

I have found a few mentions of this type of DFS implementation but no
details on how it is setup up.

I have a situation where we are trying to consolidate some servers and
we were hoping to implement DFS. Standalone may not be an option
because there is hesitation to deploy clusters. So want to use
domain-based but unfortunately have more than 5000 shares therefore
greater than 5000 links will be required.

Maybe cascaded dfs mau help, would appreciate any info to help me
better understand my options.

Cheers
Anthony.

Paul Williams [MVP] · Guest

I assume, by cascading, you are referring to a DFS root that points to
multiple DFS roots?

This is feasible, and recommended in some setups. The Windows Server 2003
Deployment Guide - Planning Server Deployments discusses this in the DFS
section.

You can link to other domain roots or stand-alone roots. Obviously, you
need enterprise edition if you want multiple domain-based roots.

The way you do it, I believe (you should read the aforementioned
chapter -there's a soft copy online), is to create the DFS roots and links,
and then create the parent root and point that at existing links or the
roots themselves.

Here's some info. from this book:
--
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/cd6dd855-c25a-42e9-a0b1-861989aeac74.mspx

"
Creating links to different namespaces
Windows Server 2003 supports creating links that point to other DFS
namespaces. Linking to other namespaces is common in organizations that want
to combine the availability benefits of domain-based DFS namespaces with the
scalability of stand-alone DFS namespaces. For example, if an organization
needs to create 10,000 links but does not want to divide these between two
domain-based DFS namespaces, the organization can take the following steps:

1.
Create a stand-alone DFS namespace with 10,000 links.

2.
Create a domain-based DFS root.

3.
Under the domain-based DFS root, create a link that points to the
stand-alone DFS namespace.

When linking to other namespaces, you must follow these guidelines to make
certain that clients can be redirected properly if a target is unavailable:

. If you plan to specify a domain-based DFS namespace as a link target
(either the root or a link within that namespace), you cannot specify
alternate link targets. (Windows Server 2003 enforces this restriction.)

. If you plan to specify a stand-alone DFS namespace as a link target
(either the root or a link within that namespace), you can specify alternate
link targets that are either stand-alone DFS roots or links within the
stand-alone DFS namespace. Do not specify domain-based DFS roots or shared
folders as alternate targets.

Important

. The DFS tools do not prohibit you from specifying domain-based DFS
roots or shared folders as alternate targets. Therefore, follow these
guidelines carefully.

When linking to other namespaces, review the following restrictions:

. A DFS path can consist of no more than eight hops through other DFS
namespaces.

. Clients running Windows 98 might not correctly access links pointing
to other DFS namespaces. Windows 98-based clients can only access the
following types of links to other namespaces:

. A link in a stand-alone DFS namespace that points to a
stand-alone DFS root or link.

. A link in a domain-based DFS namespace that points to a
stand-alone DFS root. (This works only if the client has the latest Active
Directory client installed, as described in article Q323466, "Directory
Services Client Update for Windows 95 and Windows 98." To find this article,
see the Microsoft Knowledge Base link on the Web Resources page at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/webresources.

For additional rules for specifying multiple link targets, see "Choosing an
Availability Method for Data in Link Targets" later in this chapter."

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

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