Some questions around moving shared folders to DFS...

Hi,

I'm testing DFS to know if it can handle my current shared folders.

First I see I can not create a tree-like DFS directory. I want to organize
the current sharings in the DFS in such a way they UNC appears grouped by
servers where they originally resided. For example I created the DFS root
\\company.net\Files. Now I want to create such a DFS UNCs:

\\company.net\Files\Server1\SharedFolder1 which points to
\\server1\SharedFolder1
\\company.net\Files\Server1\SharedFolder2 which points to
\\server1\SharedFolder2
\\company.net\Files\Server2\SharedFolder1 which points to
\\server2\SharedFolder1

But within DFS console I can not create such "3 steps subdirectories" UNC.
It only allows the creation of one link (like "Server1"), but not a
"sublink" (like "SharedFolder1"). Can it be done?

Second, we currently share a folder \\server1\d read only to everyone. It is
mapped to D:\. But we also share \\server1\restricted to certain users
read/write and is mapped d:\restricted. It can be read by everyone, but
write access is restricted. There are many sharings like this. I want to
move all this hierarchy to another server and shut down the original server.
My plan is:

-Configure DFS
-Register all sharings inside DFS as new liks
-Create a new target for each link
-Replicate each link to the new target
-Delete the old targets for each link
-Shut down the old server

Is it correct? Will DFS do the task correctly? Will it recognize that
original sharings are subfolders of \\server1\d? Will it create duplicate
replicas of \\server1\d and \\server1\d\restricted?

Thnks in advance
Sammy

On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:00:50 -0500, "SammyBar" <> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I'm testing DFS to know if it can handle my current shared folders.
>
>First I see I can not create a tree-like DFS directory. I want to organize
>the current sharings in the DFS in such a way they UNC appears grouped by
>servers where they originally resided. For example I created the DFS root
>\\company.net\Files. Now I want to create such a DFS UNCs:
>
>\\company.net\Files\Server1\SharedFolder1 which points to
>\\server1\SharedFolder1
>\\company.net\Files\Server1\SharedFolder2 which points to
>\\server1\SharedFolder2
>\\company.net\Files\Server2\SharedFolder1 which points to
>\\server2\SharedFolder1
>
>But within DFS console I can not create such "3 steps subdirectories" UNC.
>It only allows the creation of one link (like "Server1"), but not a
>"sublink" (like "SharedFolder1"). Can it be done?
Yes you can. It looks like you may be trying to create a link to "Server1" then
add another link to the server1 share within the already linked folder. What you
do in create a DFS folder "server1" without links then create SheredFolder1
within it and link it to the UNC of the share.

For example I have a root \\Domain\Storage, within it I created a subfolder
"Home". Within Home I created "GroupA" and targeted it to \\ServerA\GroupAHome.
I did similar for all the groups. GroupA users map the H: drive to
\\Domain\Storage\Home\GroupA

>
>Second, we currently share a folder \\server1\d read only to everyone. It is
>mapped to D:\. But we also share \\server1\restricted to certain users
>read/write and is mapped d:\restricted. It can be read by everyone, but
>write access is restricted. There are many sharings like this. I want to
>move all this hierarchy to another server and shut down the original server.
>My plan is:
>
>-Configure DFS
>-Register all sharings inside DFS as new liks
>-Create a new target for each link
>-Replicate each link to the new target
>-Delete the old targets for each link
>-Shut down the old server
>
>Is it correct? Will DFS do the task correctly? Will it recognize that
>original sharings are subfolders of \\server1\d? Will it create duplicate
>replicas of \\server1\d and \\server1\d\restricted?
>
>Thnks in advance
>Sammy
>
>
--
Dave Mills
There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.

On Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:00:50 -0500, "SammyBar" <> wrote:
Opps click send before finishing.


>
>Second, we currently share a folder \\server1\d read only to everyone. It is
>mapped to D:\. But we also share \\server1\restricted to certain users
>read/write and is mapped d:\restricted.
How do you Map D:\Restricted to anything, I know of no way. Do you mean
Restricted is a folder within D:\ in which case any share \\server1\restricted
is just ignored.

>It can be read by everyone, but
>write access is restricted. There are many sharings like this. I want to
>move all this hierarchy to another server and shut down the original server.
>My plan is:
>
>-Configure DFS
>-Register all sharings inside DFS as new liks
>-Create a new target for each link
>-Replicate each link to the new target
>-Delete the old targets for each link
>-Shut down the old server

DFS can achieve the setup you want but not the way you describe it.
Simply create the folder structure you want in the DFS console. Then target the
lowest lever folders to the shares by adding Link targets>

>Is it correct? Will DFS do the task correctly? Will it recognize that
>original sharings are subfolders of \\server1\d? Will it create duplicate
>replicas of \\server1\d and \\server1\d\restricted?

Overall I think you have misunderstood DFS. It does not "recognize" anything, it
just follows your DFS setup. You create a DFSroot, within that you create
folders (DFS folders). These can be nested just like any other folder. Only the
deepest DFSFolder can be linked. When you add the link target you are creating a
reparse point which jumps to the Share it points to.

>
>Thnks in advance
>Sammy
>
>
--
Dave Mills
There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.