NAME SPACE SERVER - Configured for Each DC in organization?

[Kyle Blake]

Hi

I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly for 3
years!

I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup point! [
and iscsi back end ]

Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?

I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did not work.

Anyone else experience this?

So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?

I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set this up.

Thanks!

[Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]]

Hello Kyle,

Yes, it is a best practice to have domain controllers in your organization
act as namespace servers. The advantages of this is that you will have each
DC act as fault tolerant, and secondly it will enable users to access dfs
locally, thus reducing your network traffic. This is my thinking. Each DC
should have a "MainShare" folder with exactly same permissions. On your PDC
or main DFS DC, create the root and then on each additional DC create an FT
root. (dfsutil.exe /addftroot /server:servername /share:sharename ) and your
DFS GUI console should look something like this.
\\domain.com\MainShare (root share) -> \\server01\MainShare
\\server01\MainShare
\\server03\MainShare

Hope this helps,

Isaac

Post by Kyle Blake
Hi
I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly for 3
years!
I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup point! [
and iscsi back end ]
Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?
I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did not work.
Anyone else experience this?
So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?
I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set this up.
Thanks!

[Kyle BLake]

Yup that helps! Thank you so much Isaac!

I have "\\domain name\Branches" as only Name space.

I have my 4 DC's listed as Name Space Servers

I ensured Permissions were "identical" across all name servers.

I checked other domain controllers DFS Management GUI and I see the newly
added Namespace servers present.

Q: Isaac do you install the DFS managment Components from Add/Remove
programs on all your DC'S so you can manage DFS from any of them?

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]
Hello Kyle,
Yes, it is a best practice to have domain controllers in your organization
act as namespace servers. The advantages of this is that you will have each
DC act as fault tolerant, and secondly it will enable users to access dfs
locally, thus reducing your network traffic. This is my thinking. Each DC
should have a "MainShare" folder with exactly same permissions. On your PDC
or main DFS DC, create the root and then on each additional DC create an FT
root. (dfsutil.exe /addftroot /server:servername /share:sharename ) and your
DFS GUI console should look something like this.
\\domain.com\MainShare (root share) -> \\server01\MainShare
\\server01\MainShare
\\server03\MainShare
Hope this helps,
Isaac

Post by Kyle Blake
Hi
I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly for 3
years!
I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup point! [
and iscsi back end ]
Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?
I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did not work.
Anyone else experience this?
So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?
I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set this up.
Thanks!

[Isaac Oben [MCITP,MCSE]]

Kyle,

Once you add domain based namespace in each DC, the dfs GUI and all
management components are automatically created/installed. just go to admin
tools, and select dfs mmc. If you can see the root and shares you can add
them
--
Isaac Oben [MCTIP:EA, MCSE]

Post by Kyle BLake
Yup that helps! Thank you so much Isaac!
I have "\\domain name\Branches" as only Name space.
I have my 4 DC's listed as Name Space Servers
I ensured Permissions were "identical" across all name servers.
I checked other domain controllers DFS Management GUI and I see the newly
added Namespace servers present.
Q: Isaac do you install the DFS managment Components from Add/Remove
programs on all your DC'S so you can manage DFS from any of them?

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]
Hello Kyle,
Yes, it is a best practice to have domain controllers in your
organization
act as namespace servers. The advantages of this is that you will have each
DC act as fault tolerant, and secondly it will enable users to access dfs
locally, thus reducing your network traffic. This is my thinking. Each DC
should have a "MainShare" folder with exactly same permissions. On your PDC
or main DFS DC, create the root and then on each additional DC create an FT
root. (dfsutil.exe /addftroot /server:servername /share:sharename ) and your
DFS GUI console should look something like this.
\\domain.com\MainShare (root share) -> \\server01\MainShare
\\server01\MainShare
\\server03\MainShare
Hope this helps,
Isaac

Post by Kyle Blake
Hi
I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly
for
3
years!
I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup
point!
[
and iscsi back end ]
Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?
I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did
not
work.
Anyone else experience this?
So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?
I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set
this
up.
Thanks!

[Kyle BLake]

Hi again!

The default DFS GUI is just the basic one found under admin tools. I truely
believe you have to goto add/remove components to add the "improved" mgmt
tools.

I've checked to DC's that don't have those tools checked marked versus two
DC'S that do and I can see the proper GUI on those.

I show the basic GUI as :%SystemRoot%\system32\dfsgui.msc /s
I show the envhanced GUI as: %SystemRoot%\system32\dfsmgmt.msc

I even did a search for "dfsmgmt.msc" on the DC's without components and no
files found.

I found this link which is semi- relevant :
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738552.aspx

IT says that makes me believe I must add the check mark to the right area in
add/remove components!

:Two methods for installing Distributed File System are provided. The method
using the Manage Your Server file server tool allows you to install
Distributed File System as a part of the file server role. This method also
installs other file server tools, such as the File Server Resource Manager
and File Server Management. The method using Add or Remove Programs allows
you to install either the DFS Management snap-in, the DFS Replication
service, or both.

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP,MCSE]
Kyle,
Once you add domain based namespace in each DC, the dfs GUI and all
management components are automatically created/installed. just go to admin
tools, and select dfs mmc. If you can see the root and shares you can add
them
--
Isaac Oben [MCTIP:EA, MCSE]

Post by Kyle BLake
Yup that helps! Thank you so much Isaac!
I have "\\domain name\Branches" as only Name space.
I have my 4 DC's listed as Name Space Servers
I ensured Permissions were "identical" across all name servers.
I checked other domain controllers DFS Management GUI and I see the newly
added Namespace servers present.
Q: Isaac do you install the DFS managment Components from Add/Remove
programs on all your DC'S so you can manage DFS from any of them?

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]
Hello Kyle,
Yes, it is a best practice to have domain controllers in your organization
act as namespace servers. The advantages of this is that you will have each
DC act as fault tolerant, and secondly it will enable users to access dfs
locally, thus reducing your network traffic. This is my thinking. Each DC
should have a "MainShare" folder with exactly same permissions. On your PDC
or main DFS DC, create the root and then on each additional DC create an FT
root. (dfsutil.exe /addftroot /server:servername /share:sharename ) and your
DFS GUI console should look something like this.
\\domain.com\MainShare (root share) -> \\server01\MainShare
\\server01\MainShare
\\server03\MainShare
Hope this helps,
Isaac

Post by Kyle Blake
Hi
I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly
for
3
years!
I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup
point!
[
and iscsi back end ]
Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?
I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did
not
work.
Anyone else experience this?
So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?
I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set
this
up.
Thanks!

[Kyle BLake]

Just checked my theory by going to add remove components and clicked DFS -
Details, check marked DFS Managment which automatically higlhisft DFS
relication diagnospotics!

This change brings in these enhanced tools!
Now all my dcs can make changes to DFS!

Only one of them actually participates in replication so now I get it!
Thanks for helping me out and expanding my knowledge!

Post by Kyle BLake
Hi again!
The default DFS GUI is just the basic one found under admin tools. I truely
believe you have to goto add/remove components to add the "improved" mgmt
tools.
I've checked to DC's that don't have those tools checked marked versus two
DC'S that do and I can see the proper GUI on those.
I show the basic GUI as :%SystemRoot%\system32\dfsgui.msc /s
I show the envhanced GUI as: %SystemRoot%\system32\dfsmgmt.msc
I even did a search for "dfsmgmt.msc" on the DC's without components and no
files found.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc738552.aspx
IT says that makes me believe I must add the check mark to the right area in
add/remove components!
:Two methods for installing Distributed File System are provided. The method
using the Manage Your Server file server tool allows you to install
Distributed File System as a part of the file server role. This method also
installs other file server tools, such as the File Server Resource Manager
and File Server Management. The method using Add or Remove Programs allows
you to install either the DFS Management snap-in, the DFS Replication
service, or both.

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP,MCSE]
Kyle,
Once you add domain based namespace in each DC, the dfs GUI and all
management components are automatically created/installed. just go to admin
tools, and select dfs mmc. If you can see the root and shares you can add
them
--
Isaac Oben [MCTIP:EA, MCSE]

Post by Kyle BLake
Yup that helps! Thank you so much Isaac!
I have "\\domain name\Branches" as only Name space.
I have my 4 DC's listed as Name Space Servers
I ensured Permissions were "identical" across all name servers.
I checked other domain controllers DFS Management GUI and I see the newly
added Namespace servers present.
Q: Isaac do you install the DFS managment Components from Add/Remove
programs on all your DC'S so you can manage DFS from any of them?

Post by Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]
Hello Kyle,
Yes, it is a best practice to have domain controllers in your organization
act as namespace servers. The advantages of this is that you will have each
DC act as fault tolerant, and secondly it will enable users to access dfs
locally, thus reducing your network traffic. This is my thinking. Each DC
should have a "MainShare" folder with exactly same permissions. On your PDC
or main DFS DC, create the root and then on each additional DC create an FT
root. (dfsutil.exe /addftroot /server:servername /share:sharename ) and your
DFS GUI console should look something like this.
\\domain.com\MainShare (root share) -> \\server01\MainShare
\\server01\MainShare
\\server03\MainShare
Hope this helps,
Isaac

Post by Kyle Blake
Hi
I have a domain which is Windows 2003 R2 wide, forest and functional levels
are Windows 2003. We have been running DFS and it's worked perfectly
for
3
years!
I only ran with two path's to each dfs link, one is hard coded as primary
and the other is secondary. Sites and services is not critical to this
working from a geographical stand point....as you can see it's hard coded.
Branch is active, hq acts as backup and also serves as tape backup
point!
[
and iscsi back end ]
Is it best practices to have all DC'S in the organization serve as a
NameSpace Server?
I've once seen an end user authenticate to a DC which is not a nameserver
and when the VBS login script ran to MAP THEM TO THE DFS link it did
not
work.
Anyone else experience this?
So I believe it would be a good idea to add all DC'S to the name space
servers area of DFS Managment GUI, do you agree?
I choose Domain-Based Name space not standalone when I initially set
this
up.
Thanks!