DFS folder structure depth issue?

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\x xx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLA TES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermitten t_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\SERVI CE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_P ROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_P rosp-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\Intermitt ent\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

See if this helps:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...47(VS.85).aspx

hth

"OU812" <> wrote in message
news:65953196-8596-4642-9180-...
>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\x xx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLA TES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermitten t_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\SERVI CE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_P ROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_P rosp-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\Intermitt ent\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

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.



"OU812" wrote:

> 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\x xx\SERVICE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLA TES_IN_PROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermitten t_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\SERVI CE_AND_PARTS\CREATIVE\TEMPLATES\BYO_TEMPLATES_IN_P ROGRESS\Intermittent\10985_BYO_Intermittent_Club_P rosp-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\Intermitt ent\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