DFSTasks

DFSTasks

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The following procedures use the DFS console, which is opened by:

Start Programs Administrative Tools Distributed File System

Command line dfsgui.msc

You can also manage many aspects of DFS from the command line using dfscmd (see Chapter 5 for more information).

Add a Root

For standalone DFS, do this:

Right-click on root node New root standalone root specify server name type a name for your new root specify folder to share

The last step is required only if the name you typed is not that of a folder already shared on your system.

For domain-based DFS, do this:

Right-click on root node New root domain root specify domain specify server name type a name for your new root specify folder to share

Add a New Root Target

This option is available on domain-based DFS only:

Right-click on DFS root New Root Target specify host server create or specify a folder to which the DFS root will point

The entire DFS root you select is now fault-tolerantif a DFS client tries to connect to the root and the original host server is unavailable, DFS transparently redirects the client to the new host server where the replica of the root resides. Once you have created a root target, you should configure replication, as described later in this section.

Add a Link

For either standalone or domain-based DFS, first make sure the shared folder you want to target already exists somewhere on the network, and then:

Right-click on DFS root New Link specify name for link specify shared folder to which link points specify DFS client cache time

By default, DFS client cache time is set to 1,800 seconds, or 30 minutes for DFS links, and to 300 seconds, or 5 minutes, for a DFS root. You may want to increase these times if clients need frequent access to shared folders and if you don't create or delete shared folders often on your file servers, as this reduces the network traffic associated with DFS.

Once you have created a DFS link, you can add additional DFS targets to it:

Right-click a DFS link New Target specify shared folder to which link points

Then if one target becomes unavailable for the link, clients can connect to another target instead.

Configure Replication

You can configure replication only if you have added a new root target for your root. To configure replication, do this:

Right-click on DFS root Configure Replication specify which root will be the initial master select a replication topology

Configure your replication schedule by:

Right-click on DFS root Properties Replication Schedule specify when replication should or should not be allowed to occur exclude certain types of files or subfolders from replication

If you need to make major changes to your DFS setup, you should first stop replication by:

Right-click on DFS root Stop Replication

You'll then have to reconfigure replication to get things going again.

Monitor Status of a Root or Link

Right-click on a DFS root or link Check Status

A red circle with an X indicates that the root or link is unavailable. If a root or link points to multiple targets, it is still available as long as at least one of its targets is still available.

Publish DFS

For domain-based DFS you can publish your DFS setup in Active Directory to make it easier for users to locate and access DFS resources on the network:

Right-click on DFS root Properties Publish