DFS folder structure depth issue?

[OU812]

I recently implimented DFS on our domain:
2003 DC's
2003 domain and forest levels
This is a domain DFS/DFSR setup.

The machines actually hosting files and being accessed are 2008 servers with
I dentical hardware and software. I have had zero replication issues and
only a couple areas where I had not set security correctly, otherwise this
has been a smooth transistion.

Here is my current issue. I have Macintosh's and XP machines on site. Macs
are accessing one of the 2008 servers directly as they cannot connect to a
namespace, all my XP machines are going to a namespace.

I have set the namespace to refer traffic to the same server as my macs
access directly and use the second server as a failover.

In the following path my Macs can open the files just fine (they are
accessing directly), windows machines cannot (connecting to namespace).

\\domainname.com\nas2\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices

If I have my windows machines access the files directly - bypassing
namespace and connecting to the server they can open the files.

\\servername\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices

If I copy some of the folder structure to a different directory (logged into
the server thus access directly), thus shortening the path, my PC's are able
to open the files via namespace:

\\namespace.com\nas2\xxx_Files\team\xxxx\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices

It seems to me the folder depth is the issue but I have not been able to
find any documentation to support this hypothesis.

Help please

[Danny Sanders]

See if this helps:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247(VS.85).aspx

hth

Post by OU812
2003 DC's
2003 domain and forest levels
This is a domain DFS/DFSR setup.
The machines actually hosting files and being accessed are 2008 servers with
I dentical hardware and software. I have had zero replication issues and
only a couple areas where I had not set security correctly, otherwise this
has been a smooth transistion.
Here is my current issue. I have Macintosh's and XP machines on site.
Macs
are accessing one of the 2008 servers directly as they cannot connect to a
namespace, all my XP machines are going to a namespace.
I have set the namespace to refer traffic to the same server as my macs
access directly and use the second server as a failover.
In the following path my Macs can open the files just fine (they are
accessing directly), windows machines cannot (connecting to namespace).
\\domainname.com\nas2\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact
Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
If I have my windows machines access the files directly - bypassing
namespace and connecting to the server they can open the files.
\\servername\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact
Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
If I copy some of the folder structure to a different directory (logged into
the server thus access directly), thus shortening the path, my PC's are able
\\namespace.com\nas2\xxx_Files\team\xxxx\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact
Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
It seems to me the folder depth is the issue but I have not been able to
find any documentation to support this hypothesis.
Help please

[OU812]

I solved my own problem.

Ultimately the issue comes down to number of characters in filename/path

Changing:
\\xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com\nas2 <--- Namespace
to
\\xxxxxxx\ <-- connecting directly to server
Removed enough characters from the path to bring it under 255 characters.

As a test I then connected using the fully qualified servername and I was
again over 255 and the files could not be opened.

Hope this helps somebody sometime.

Post by OU812
2003 DC's
2003 domain and forest levels
This is a domain DFS/DFSR setup.
The machines actually hosting files and being accessed are 2008 servers with
I dentical hardware and software. I have had zero replication issues and
only a couple areas where I had not set security correctly, otherwise this
has been a smooth transistion.
Here is my current issue. I have Macintosh's and XP machines on site. Macs
are accessing one of the 2008 servers directly as they cannot connect to a
namespace, all my XP machines are going to a namespace.
I have set the namespace to refer traffic to the same server as my macs
access directly and use the second server as a failover.
In the following path my Macs can open the files just fine (they are
accessing directly), windows machines cannot (connecting to namespace).
\\domainname.com\nas2\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
If I have my windows machines access the files directly - bypassing
namespace and connecting to the server they can open the files.
\\servername\xxx_Files\clients\x_thru_x\xxxx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
If I copy some of the folder structure to a different directory (logged into
the server thus access directly), thus shortening the path, my PC's are able
\\namespace.com\nas2\xxx_Files\team\xxxx\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_Prosp-Inact Folder\eBlast-Intermittent-Club-ProspInact_files\slices
It seems to me the folder depth is the issue but I have not been able to
find any documentation to support this hypothesis.
Help please