Namespace DFS on a DC

[Jim]

I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

My Company is implementing DFS soon. We estimate we will grow to 1000
targeted folders under multiple Namespace Roots.

I have read that there might be extended Boot up times for the Domain
Controllers as the Namespace is checked during the boot up process.

Has anyone expericenced negative effects to using the Domain controllers as
a Namespace server? Does Microsoft have some know issues with DCs as a
namespace.

[DaveMills]

Post by Jim
I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

Where?
I don't recall ever seeing such a recommendation but it does publish the DFS
root to the browser list.

Post by Jim
My Company is implementing DFS soon. We estimate we will grow to 1000
targeted folders under multiple Namespace Roots.
I have read that there might be extended Boot up times for the Domain
Controllers as the Namespace is checked during the boot up process.
Has anyone expericenced negative effects to using the Domain controllers as
a Namespace server? Does Microsoft have some know issues with DCs as a
namespace.

[Dave Warren]

Post by DaveMills

Post by Jim
I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

Where?
I don't recall ever seeing such a recommendation but it does publish the DFS
root to the browser list.

Isn't this basically a requirement to avoid having a single point of
failure in the DFS root unless you run Enterprise across the board and
make use of clustering?

In other words, unless you use DCs, users need to guess which DFS root
is both local to them (and up right now) in order to access any other
resources under the DFS shares.

I might be wrong about that, when we rolled out DFS we didn't have
enough servers to have any other options and it would take a lot to
overcome inertia.

[DaveMills]

Post by Dave Warren

Post by DaveMills

Post by Jim
I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

Where?
I don't recall ever seeing such a recommendation but it does publish the DFS
root to the browser list.

Isn't this basically a requirement to avoid having a single point of
failure in the DFS root unless you run Enterprise across the board and
make use of clustering?

No you only need multiple DCs and multiple DFS Root servers but see my comments
below too.

Post by Dave Warren
In other words, unless you use DCs, users need to guess which DFS root
is both local to them (and up right now) in order to access any other
resources under the DFS shares.
I might be wrong about that, when we rolled out DFS we didn't have
enough servers to have any other options and it would take a lot to
overcome inertia.

According the "How DFS Works"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782417(WS.10).aspx

having the DFS service installed on a DC is now part of the "optimal
configuration"

I think this has changed since I first read this document. Clearly from "How DFS
works" you do not have to have the DFS service on all DCs but maybe it helps to
do so. The client will get the root referral to the DC instead of a DFSRoot
server. This could be less demanding on the client as it already has a
connection to the DC. It may also help resolve the long delays that occurs when
a DFS Root server goes down.

I will have to review my configuration and look into adding the DFS Server role
to the DCs.

[Dave Warren]

Post by DaveMills

Post by Dave Warren

Post by DaveMills

Post by Jim
I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

Where?
I don't recall ever seeing such a recommendation but it does publish the DFS
root to the browser list.

Isn't this basically a requirement to avoid having a single point of
failure in the DFS root unless you run Enterprise across the board and
make use of clustering?

No you only need multiple DCs and multiple DFS Root servers but see my comments
below too.

Post by Dave Warren
In other words, unless you use DCs, users need to guess which DFS root
is both local to them (and up right now) in order to access any other
resources under the DFS shares.
I might be wrong about that, when we rolled out DFS we didn't have
enough servers to have any other options and it would take a lot to
overcome inertia.

According the "How DFS Works"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782417(WS.10).aspx
having the DFS service installed on a DC is now part of the "optimal
configuration"
I think this has changed since I first read this document. Clearly from "How DFS
works" you do not have to have the DFS service on all DCs but maybe it helps to
do so. The client will get the root referral to the DC instead of a DFSRoot
server. This could be less demanding on the client as it already has a
connection to the DC. It may also help resolve the long delays that occurs when
a DFS Root server goes down.
I will have to review my configuration and look into adding the DFS Server role
to the DCs.

By putting DFS roots on DCs, all users across the entire organization
can use \\company.example\dfsroot as a starting point regardless of
their location and they get an appropriately local DC when possible.

If the DFS roots aren't on DCs then users will have varying
\\servername.company.example\dfsroot starting points, and if a user
moves from one site to another or a server goes down (or whatever)
they'll need to manually use a new "servername" portion.

Is there a way to get a similar \\company.example\dfsroot type
experience for users across multiple sites without putting dfsroots on
DCs?

[DaveMills]

Post by Dave Warren

Post by DaveMills

Post by Dave Warren

Post by DaveMills

Post by Jim
I know it is recommended to use your Domain Controllers as the Namespace
server.

Where?
I don't recall ever seeing such a recommendation but it does publish the DFS
root to the browser list.

Isn't this basically a requirement to avoid having a single point of
failure in the DFS root unless you run Enterprise across the board and
make use of clustering?

No you only need multiple DCs and multiple DFS Root servers but see my comments
below too.

Post by Dave Warren
In other words, unless you use DCs, users need to guess which DFS root
is both local to them (and up right now) in order to access any other
resources under the DFS shares.
I might be wrong about that, when we rolled out DFS we didn't have
enough servers to have any other options and it would take a lot to
overcome inertia.

According the "How DFS Works"
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc782417(WS.10).aspx
having the DFS service installed on a DC is now part of the "optimal
configuration"
I think this has changed since I first read this document. Clearly from "How DFS
works" you do not have to have the DFS service on all DCs but maybe it helps to
do so. The client will get the root referral to the DC instead of a DFSRoot
server. This could be less demanding on the client as it already has a
connection to the DC. It may also help resolve the long delays that occurs when
a DFS Root server goes down.
I will have to review my configuration and look into adding the DFS Server role
to the DCs.

By putting DFS roots on DCs, all users across the entire organization
can use \\company.example\dfsroot as a starting point regardless of
their location and they get an appropriately local DC when possible.
If the DFS roots aren't on DCs then users will have varying
\\servername.company.example\dfsroot starting points, and if a user
moves from one site to another or a server goes down (or whatever)
they'll need to manually use a new "servername" portion.

Not exactly true. I have a single site but even though the DFSRoot is not on any
DC I can use \\domain\dfsroot or \\domain.com\dfsroot. I cannot browse \\domain
and then find DFSRoot though which would be an advantage of using the DC as the
root.

Post by Dave Warren
Is there a way to get a similar \\company.example\dfsroot type
experience for users across multiple sites without putting dfsroots on
DCs?