Virtual Share/Directory pointing to several diferent folders?

[ssuper2k]

Hi, my question is simple, but I haven't been able to find a real answer
about it.
Is it possible to create a Virtual Share/Directory from several diferent
folders and adding their contains?

I know I can mount every share to a subdirectory, but I want them all to be
listed a if they there all a virtual megeed directory, I DONT want to
replicate them, every share cotainjs fifferent files/dirs, and would like
them to be listed all together.

For Int. I have d:\data1\*. e:\data2\*. and [b]I want both
directories/shares to be listed as a whole merged one[/b](Not replicated)

Is this possible with FRS, I have a Windows 2008 Ent made DC(but I can
demote it)

Which steps should I follow?


Thanks in advance.

***@gmail.com
MCSA/E 2k/2k3

[ssuper2k]

Argggg ... how the hell can I edit my post?

I meant with DFS, NOT FRS, I don't want to replicate the folders, just list
them as a whole merged one!


Thanks!!

Post by ssuper2k
Hi, my question is simple, but I haven't been able to find a real answer
about it.
Is it possible to create a Virtual Share/Directory from several diferent
folders and adding their contains?
I know I can mount every share to a subdirectory, but I want them all to be
listed a if they there all a virtual megeed directory, I DONT want to
replicate them, every share cotainjs fifferent files/dirs, and would like
them to be listed all together.
For Int. I have d:\data1\*. e:\data2\*. and [b]I want both
directories/shares to be listed as a whole merged one[/b](Not replicated)
Is this possible with FRS, I have a Windows 2008 Ent made DC(but I can
demote it)
Which steps should I follow?
Thanks in advance.
MCSA/E 2k/2k3

[Isaac Oben [MCITP,MCSE]]

Hello ssuper2k,

Yes, this is possible using DFS. Here is what you can do.
1 On your W2K8 DC, create a namespace and root share, in this example I
will use "MainShare" and assigned permissions
2 Run command dfsutil /addftroot /server:W2K8Servername /Share:MainShare (Go
to start, administrative tools, and open dfs GUI, you should see your
domain.com\MainShare and on the right you should see
W2K8Servername\MainShare)
3 Add Links\target by right clicking on the domain.com\MainShare, add new
link (Name should reflect what you intend users to access) I will us e
"Data" and then path to target should be the share folder destination. say
\\servername\data1,
4 - follow step 3 to add more targets to links "Data" Right click on Data,
New target, enter path \\servername\data2 etc
you are all done...
From a clients workstation if the browse \\domain.com\MainShare\Data they
will see listed folders data1, data2 etc

I hope this is what you intend on achieving
--
Isaac Oben [MCTIP:EA, MCSE]

Post by ssuper2k
Hi, my question is simple, but I haven't been able to find a real answer
about it.
Is it possible to create a Virtual Share/Directory from several diferent
folders and adding their contains?
I know I can mount every share to a subdirectory, but I want them all to be
listed a if they there all a virtual megeed directory, I DONT want to
replicate them, every share cotainjs fifferent files/dirs, and would like
them to be listed all together.
For Int. I have d:\data1\*. e:\data2\*. and [b]I want both
directories/shares to be listed as a whole merged one[/b](Not replicated)
Is this possible with FRS, I have a Windows 2008 Ent made DC(but I can
demote it)
Which steps should I follow?
Thanks in advance.
MCSA/E 2k/2k3

[ssuper2k]

Hi Isaac, and thanks for the prompt answer, but I0m not sure you are guiding
me to what I was asking for..

I only managed to create a shared DFS resource with subfolders, and each one
is a resource from any other share.. but am not being able to merge their
contains.. (in the root share)

I mean, listing the contains of several shared within a single directory,
it's not enough mounting them in subfolders of a common share... that what I
think we get when adding new ftroots with dfsutl and we link the subflders,
am not able to mux/merge them all into one, it just creates subfolders!!

Apart from that, I managed also to guess which resource is displaid in the
default root, but I have to confess am pretty newbie with DFS and this
behaves very weirdy, in my opinion

Loading Image...
Loading Image...
As you can see in the pic2, I can activate one referral or another, but no
more than one at a time.... and I would like to active them all at a time,
pointing to a single Share, NOT subdirectories in the same share, that's not
enough(I could do it with win commands)

Thanks.

[Isaac Oben [MCITP,MCSE]]

Hello ssuper2k,

Only one referral is active because they all have the same information. If
you browse to \\homeip.net\nuevo\server you will see all folders.
--
Isaac Oben [MCTIP:EA, MCSE]

Post by ssuper2k
Hi Isaac, and thanks for the prompt answer, but I0m not sure you are guiding
me to what I was asking for..
I only managed to create a shared DFS resource with subfolders, and each one
is a resource from any other share.. but am not being able to merge their
contains.. (in the root share)
I mean, listing the contains of several shared within a single directory,
it's not enough mounting them in subfolders of a common share... that what I
think we get when adding new ftroots with dfsutl and we link the subflders,
am not able to mux/merge them all into one, it just creates subfolders!!
Apart from that, I managed also to guess which resource is displaid in the
default root, but I have to confess am pretty newbie with DFS and this
behaves very weirdy, in my opinion
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2775/dfs1.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7973/dfs2.jpg
As you can see in the pic2, I can activate one referral or another, but no
more than one at a time.... and I would like to active them all at a time,
pointing to a single Share, NOT subdirectories in the same share, that's not
enough(I could do it with win commands)
Thanks.

[DaveMills]

Isaac's solution is to create links to each folder within a DFS folder. This
works but if your uses can create new folders in the target shared folders then
you will need to add new links to those new folders.

You cannot simply have two or more targets and get the content of them all
listed as if it were a single folder. The reason is the way the links are
resolved. This is done by the client not the server. The client access a dfs
link folder and sees it is a re parse point with one or more (replica) target
folders. It then redirects to ONE of the possible targets and opens it just as
if the target's UNC name had been typed in directly. What you are looking for
would mean that the client would need to open all the targets and then merge the
list of files, which is does not do.

On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:58:01 -0700, ssuper2k

Post by ssuper2k
Hi Isaac, and thanks for the prompt answer, but I0m not sure you are guiding
me to what I was asking for..
I only managed to create a shared DFS resource with subfolders, and each one
is a resource from any other share.. but am not being able to merge their
contains.. (in the root share)
I mean, listing the contains of several shared within a single directory,
it's not enough mounting them in subfolders of a common share... that what I
think we get when adding new ftroots with dfsutl and we link the subflders,
am not able to mux/merge them all into one, it just creates subfolders!!
Apart from that, I managed also to guess which resource is displaid in the
default root, but I have to confess am pretty newbie with DFS and this
behaves very weirdy, in my opinion
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2775/dfs1.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7973/dfs2.jpg
As you can see in the pic2, I can activate one referral or another, but no
more than one at a time.... and I would like to active them all at a time,
pointing to a single Share, NOT subdirectories in the same share, that's not
enough(I could do it with win commands)
Thanks.

[ssuper2k]

Yep, I think 'Isaac's solution' is just viewing subfolders, each one could be
a different Share or Resource, within a single DFS Share, and I already had
that...

I was looking for a 'Merge' solution, which I guess it's not possible on
Windows, not even with DFS ...

I will explain it, again, with an example, to make it more 'understandable'

**I have 'Share A' with files 1, 2 and 3 ; and 'Share B' with files 4, 5 and 6
What I want, is a -New DFS Share root-, with files 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, on
the ROOT Path of the DFS Resource/Share, to be listed as a Single Share and
Single Direcory**(NOT within subfolders, and it needs to be transparent to
the user)

If anyone is aware of this being achievable, I'd appreciate to be told How..


Best Regards.

Post by DaveMills
Isaac's solution is to create links to each folder within a DFS folder. This
works but if your uses can create new folders in the target shared folders then
you will need to add new links to those new folders.
You cannot simply have two or more targets and get the content of them all
listed as if it were a single folder. The reason is the way the links are
resolved. This is done by the client not the server. The client access a dfs
link folder and sees it is a re parse point with one or more (replica) target
folders. It then redirects to ONE of the possible targets and opens it just as
if the target's UNC name had been typed in directly. What you are looking for
would mean that the client would need to open all the targets and then merge the
list of files, which is does not do.
On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:58:01 -0700, ssuper2k

Post by ssuper2k
Hi Isaac, and thanks for the prompt answer, but I0m not sure you are guiding
me to what I was asking for..
I only managed to create a shared DFS resource with subfolders, and each one
is a resource from any other share.. but am not being able to merge their
contains.. (in the root share)
I mean, listing the contains of several shared within a single directory,
it's not enough mounting them in subfolders of a common share... that what I
think we get when adding new ftroots with dfsutl and we link the subflders,
am not able to mux/merge them all into one, it just creates subfolders!!
Apart from that, I managed also to guess which resource is displaid in the
default root, but I have to confess am pretty newbie with DFS and this
behaves very weirdy, in my opinion
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2775/dfs1.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7973/dfs2.jpg
As you can see in the pic2, I can activate one referral or another, but no
more than one at a time.... and I would like to active them all at a time,
pointing to a single Share, NOT subdirectories in the same share, that's not
enough(I could do it with win commands)
Thanks.

--
Dave Mills
There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.

[Isaac Oben [MCITP:EA, MCSE]]

Hello Ssuper2k,

DFS primarily works with folders ..For files/documents merging, you may want
to take a look at sharepoint..It may be an alternative..I ahven't looked
into sharepoint myself, so I can't comment on it..
Isaac

Post by ssuper2k
Yep, I think 'Isaac's solution' is just viewing subfolders, each one could be
a different Share or Resource, within a single DFS Share, and I already had
that...
I was looking for a 'Merge' solution, which I guess it's not possible on
Windows, not even with DFS ...
I will explain it, again, with an example, to make it more
'understandable'
**I have 'Share A' with files 1, 2 and 3 ; and 'Share B' with files 4, 5 and 6
What I want, is a -New DFS Share root-, with files 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, on
the ROOT Path of the DFS Resource/Share, to be listed as a Single Share and
Single Direcory**(NOT within subfolders, and it needs to be transparent to
the user)
If anyone is aware of this being achievable, I'd appreciate to be told How..
Best Regards.

Post by DaveMills
Isaac's solution is to create links to each folder within a DFS folder. This
works but if your uses can create new folders in the target shared folders then
you will need to add new links to those new folders.
You cannot simply have two or more targets and get the content of them all
listed as if it were a single folder. The reason is the way the links are
resolved. This is done by the client not the server. The client access a dfs
link folder and sees it is a re parse point with one or more (replica) target
folders. It then redirects to ONE of the possible targets and opens it just as
if the target's UNC name had been typed in directly. What you are looking for
would mean that the client would need to open all the targets and then merge the
list of files, which is does not do.
On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:58:01 -0700, ssuper2k

Post by ssuper2k
Hi Isaac, and thanks for the prompt answer, but I0m not sure you are guiding
me to what I was asking for..
I only managed to create a shared DFS resource with subfolders, and each one
is a resource from any other share.. but am not being able to merge their
contains.. (in the root share)
I mean, listing the contains of several shared within a single directory,
it's not enough mounting them in subfolders of a common share... that what I
think we get when adding new ftroots with dfsutl and we link the subflders,
am not able to mux/merge them all into one, it just creates subfolders!!
Apart from that, I managed also to guess which resource is displaid in the
default root, but I have to confess am pretty newbie with DFS and this
behaves very weirdy, in my opinion
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/2775/dfs1.jpg
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7973/dfs2.jpg
As you can see in the pic2, I can activate one referral or another, but no
more than one at a time.... and I would like to active them all at a time,
pointing to a single Share, NOT subdirectories in the same share, that's not
enough(I could do it with win commands)
Thanks.

--
Dave Mills
There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.