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DFS


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#1
soboyle

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I just tried to set up DFS on my 2003 server, I want to offload some of the data on the server to a machine that is idle on the network, but make it appear that the files are still on the server to users, just what DFS was designed for.

But it doesnt seem to work as advertised, when I try to map a network drive to the dfs folder on the server it just hangs. Any dumb things to look out for when setting up DFS that arent obvious? A permissions problem?
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#2
gerryf

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something doesn't sound right about the way you are describing this....are you using the dfs wizard?
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#3
soboyle

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Yes, I'm using the DFS wizard.
I created a new domain root
gave it a unique name
Root Share, I designated an existing local folder on the server, this is a folder that is shared as "share1" for all domain users for data storage.
And that creates the Root Target

I then create a new link under the root target called archive, this link goes to another computer on the network that has data I want to be available to the computers looking at the "share1" share.

I can now see the archive folder listed in the share1 directory, but when I try to click on it I get
"L:\archive is nto accessible.
The network location can not be reached."

Seems like a permissions issue, but all looks good as far as I can see.
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#4
gerryf

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ok, the way you phrased it, I was not sure.

Permission issues are usually "you do not have permission to access this resource" kind of responses...

It sounds like you are doing everything right....is ARCHIVE published in Active Directory?
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#5
soboyle

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The actual share name of the remote directory isnt archive, but is called serv1_ar, I named the dfs link archive, and archive is the name that displays in the share1 folder.
How would I confirm that archive is being published to active directory?
Or perhaps I should keep the remote directory share name and the dfs link name the same?
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#6
soboyle

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I should add that I can see the share fine across the network, so it doesnt seem to be a permissions problem.
Got to be something simple.
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#7
gerryf

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Hmm, let's back up...You set up the dfs root, like this?

1.Open the Dfs console.

2. Right-click the Distributed File System icon and select NEW ROOT from the flyout menu. The New Root Wizard opens.

3. Click Next. The Root Type window opens. Select the Domain Root radio button.

4. Click Next. The Host Domain window opens. Select the domain to host the Dfs PKT information. The root servers should be members of this domain.

5. Click Next. The Host Server window opens. Enter the fully qualified DNS name of the server that will host the Dfs root or click Browse to locate the server. This searches Active Directory. It does not use the browser. This ensures that you pick servers from the correct domain. The server need not be a domain controller.

6. Click Next. The Root Name window opens. Enter the name you selected for the Dfs root. The Preview field will show you the UNC name and the Share To Be Used field will show you the flat name of the share that will be created at the root server.

7. Click Next. If the share does not already exist on the root server, the Root Share window opens. Enter the full path to the folder. For example: D:\Dfsroot. If the folder does not already exist, it will be created.

8. Click Finish. The wizard shares the selected folder and creates the root. It makes the necessary entries in the local Registry and creates the FTDfs object in Active Directory.

Create Dfs Links
At this point, the Dfs namespace is like a freshly formatted disk. It has a root directory but no data. It's time to build links to share points in accordance with your design document. Open the Dfs console and follow the steps in Procedure 16.7.


Now, create a Dfs Link
Right-click the Dfs root icon and select NEW LINK from the flyout menu. The New Link window opens


Under Link Name, enter the name that you want the users to see when they browse Dfs.

Under Path To Target, enter the UNC path to the share point at the server or use the Browse button. This will search the My Network Places browse list. Remember that the target does not have to be a Windows server as long as you are running NT4 clients or later.

Click OK to save the change and add the link to Dfs.

Users should now be able to browse the contents of the folder via Dfs.
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#8
soboyle

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Yes, that is the exact way I have done it, and I have redone it several times to make sure I am doing it correctly.

The strange thing is that I have got it running in a new server test directory I created, but on the existing directory where I want to see the archive folder it will not work. So it works when I set the root target to the \\domain_name\new_test-directory but not on the \\domain_name\existing_directory

Another strange symptom is that I cant see the target directory from the server, but I can if I map a drive across the network from another machine to the new_test_directory share, then and only then can I view the contents of the target directory.
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#9
gerryf

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it does not sound like you are doing anything wrong.....i must be missing something....
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#10
soboyle

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Thanks for your help, if anything comes to you let me know, otherwise I will just go with the second shared directory for now.
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