NetWare Distributed File System

Distributed File System (DFS) for NetWare 6.5 effectively allows you to directory-enable your NetWare volumes . It lets you create virtual directory structures of data that in reality exist on multiple servers in the eDirectory tree. A DFS junction can be applied at any point in your file system. All it does is point to the actual location of the volume referred to by the junction. In effect, it is a file system alias.

It is DFS and the DFS junction that makes it possible to move and split NetWare volumes, as mentioned previously. When a junction is created, a unique ID for the junction is stored in the Volume Location Database (VLDB). When a user requests access to data through a junction, the Novell client uses to junction's unique ID to search the VLDB for the path to the physical location of the data. It then retrieves and displays the data from its physical location transparently .

Junctions eliminate the need for a user to understand where data is stored on the network. By creating junctions, it is possible to make all a user's data appear as if it is located on a single server, when in fact it is distributed across several servers. This can greatly simplify the interface to network-stored data and reduce the complexity of drive mappings that must be managed by your IT staff.

Using DFS Junctions

NetWare 6.5 does not include a Web-based interface for performing DFS management, so you have to use ConsoleOne if you are going to use DFS. There are a few tasks associated with using DFS, described next .

Create a DFS Management Context

You must create at least one DFS management context in your eDirectory tree. The DFS management context will hold the VLDB. You can create more than one if you want to better support a dispersed network infrastructure. That way, VLDBs can be controlled locally. To create a management context, complete the following steps:

1. Launch ConsoleOne and browse to the container objectorganization (O) or organizational unit (OU)that you want to use as the DFS management context.

2. Right-click the container and select New >> DFS Management Context.

3. At the Select the Servers screen, select a server or servers to host the VLDB and click Next. Use the right and left arrows to select and deselect servers.

4. At the Specify Database Location screen, specify where you want to store the VLDB on the server, and click Finish. The default location is SYS:\ETC . Make sure you check Load NLMs automatically when the server restarts if you want VLDB.NLM to load automatically when the server boots.

Once created, you can view VLDB information and perform a few basic VLDB tasks by right-clicking the Server object that is running VLDB and selecting Properties. Double-click the Supported Services tab and select NSS VLDB.

Create a DFS Junction

Once the DFS management context is created, and the service is started on the server you selected, you can create DFS junctions. To create a DFS junction, complete the following steps:

NOTE

Only NetWare 6 or newer servers can host DFS junctions, but junctions can point to both NSS and Traditional NetWare 5.1 volumes.

1. Launch ConsoleOne and browse to the subdirectory where you want to create a DFS junction. You can also create a new subdirectory for this purpose. You can also select a Volume object to create a junction at the root of a volume.

2. Right-click the subdirectory and select New >> Shortcut >> Junction.

3. At the Target Information screen, browse to the volume to which you want the junction to point, and click Next.

4. Specify the name of the Junction object, and click Finish. Once the junction is created, you might need to refresh ConsoleOne before you will see the new object.

Once created, a DFS junction appears as any other directory or folder in your file system. You can leverage DFS junctions using the latest Novell client, the Microsoft Windows CIFS protocol, or using the XTier protocol for Web services. If you attempt to use a DFS junction from some other method, you will see a small file but will not be able to read or open it.

Moving and Splitting Volumes

Moving and splitting volumes provides unsurpassed flexibility in managing the location of data on your NetWare servers. Moving a volume involves transferring all the data associated with a given NetWare volume to another location, which can be on the same server or a different server in the same directory tree. When a volume is moved, a junction is left behind to point to the new location of the data.

Splitting a volume allows you to move some portion of an NSS volume to a different location, which can be on the same server or a different server in the same directory tree. When a volume is split, a junction is left behind to point to the new location of the data.

A few caveats exist with moving and splitting volumes. They include the following:

• You can move or split volumes only to a destination NSS volume. The source volume for a split must be NSS, but for a move it can be either NSS or traditional.

• When you specify the context for a source volume, use the full context with both leading and trailing dots.

• DFS supports the capability to resume an operation if a server crash or some other type of event interrupts it. When the server restarts, the DFS operation will continue where it left off.

• If at all possible, DFS operations should only be performed during off hours when files in the affected volume are closed. DFS cannot transfer open files, although it can keep track of them and allow you to deal with them manually. For more information, see the NetWare 6.5 online documentation.

Volume moves and splits are performed from iManager. To move a volume, complete the following steps:

1. Launch iManager, open the Storage link, and select Volumes in the left navigation frame.

2. Specify the server that holds the volume you want to Move.

3. Select the volume you want to move and click Move.

4. Specify the name of the server to which you want to move the volume and click Next. If you want to schedule the move operation to take place at some later time, you can specify that as well.

5. Specify the name of the moved volume on the new server and click Next. The volume name must be unique on the destination server and follow all standard volume naming conventions.

6. Specify the storage pool into which the new volume will be created and click Next. You can also create a new storage pool, if desired.

7. Select the appropriate volume attributes for the new volume and click Finish.

At this point, all volume data, attributes, and access controls are moved to the new server. To split a volume, complete the following steps:

1. Launch iManager, open the Storage link, and select Volumes in the left navigation frame.

2. Specify the server that holds the volume you want to split.

3. Select the volume you want to move and click Split.

4. At the Split Volume page, specify the name of the server to which you want to move the split portion of the volume, and then specify the directory at which the split should occur. Click Next. If you want to schedule the move operation to take place at some later time, you can specify that as well.

5. Specify the name of the split volume and click Next. The volume name must be unique on the destination server and follow all standard volume naming conventions.

6. Specify the storage pool into which the split volume will be created and click Next. You can also create a new storage pool, if desired.

7. Select the appropriate volume attributes for the new volume and click Finish.

At this point, the split portion of the volume will be moved to the location specified. A DFS junction is left at the point of the split so that the data from the split volume will still be accessible as if it were still in its original location.