Skip to main content

Use DFS to Seamlessly Move Redirected Folders and Home Paths to a New Server – Part I

By

Last week I delivered a Windows Server 2012 R2 class in Fort Wayne.  I had a real neat idea from the class pop up during the Distributed File System (DFS) content.  The class member’s situation was that he had over a terabyte of user home folders and redirected folders on a Windows Server 2003 R2 box and needed to move it to a Windows Server 2012 R2 box with minimal, if not zero, disruption to his 24-7 organization.  DFS sounds like a good idea, but would the two versions of DFS work together?

This is part 1 of a 3 part series on how we accomplished this task.

 

We started off with this configuration:

image

Our general process looks like this:

·         Install DFS Namespace and replication on both servers (S1 and S2).

·         Create a DFS Namespace on S1 that has references to both shares.

·         Create a DFS Replication Group between S1 and S2.

·         Change the GPOs to point to the new server.

·         Disable S1 and verify that the clients are using S2.

·         Bring S1 back online and remove the Replication.

·         Remove DFS from S2.

 

In all honesty, the hardest part of this was trying to remember how to install Windows Server 2003.  We struggled a bit to get it right.  I may be an MCSE on Win 2003, but it has been a very long time.  After we got the cob webs between my ears cleared up, we went to work.

 

 

Install DFS on S1 (Windows Server 2003 R2)

Insert the Windows Server 2003 R2 DVD (Or ISO file) in the DVD drive.

Click Start à All Programs à Administrative Tools à Manage Your Server.

Click Add or remove a role.

In the Configure Your Server Wizard, click Next.

On the Server Role page, click File Server à Next à Next.

In the Add File Server Role Wizard, click Next, and then click Replicate data to and from this server.

Follow any on screen instructions and then reboot the server.

 

Install DFS on S2 (Windows Server 2012 R2)

Open Windows PowerShell as an Administrator

Type (This is one continuous line):

Install-WindowsFeature -Name FS-DFS-Namespace,

    FS-DFS-Replication -IncludeAllSubFeature -IncludeManagementTools -Restart

 

Tomorrow, we will add in the DFS Namespace and replication.

 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to list all the AD LDS instances on a server

By
AD LDS allows you to provide directory services to applications that are free of the confines of Active Directory.  To list all the AD LDS instances on a server, follow this procedure: Log into the server in question Open a command prompt. Type dsdbutil and press Enter Type List Instances and press Enter . You will receive a list of the instance name, both the LDAP and SSL port numbers, the location of the database, and its status.
Post a Comment
Read more

How to run GPResult on a remote client with PowerShell

By
In the past, to run the GPResult command, you would need to either physically visit this client, have the user do it, or use and RDP connection.  In all cases, this will disrupt the user.  First, you need PowerShell remoting enabled on the target machine.  You can do this via Group Policy . Open PowerShell and type this command. Invoke-Command –ScriptBlock {GPResult /r} –ComputerName <ComputerName> Replace <ComputerName> with the name of the target.  Remember, the target needs to be online and accessible to you.
Post a Comment
Read more

Where did a User’s Account Get Locked Out?

By
Updated: May 15, 2015 When this article was originally published, two extra carriage returns were add causing the code to malfunction.  The code below is correct.   My client for this week’s PowerShell class had a really interesting question. They needed to know where an account is being locked out at. OK, interesting. Apparently users hop around clients and forget to log off, leading to eventual lock out of their accounts. The accounts can be unlocked, but are then relocked after Active Directory replication. This problem is solved in two parts. The first one is to modify the event auditing on the network. The second part is resolved with PowerShell. The first part involves creating a group policy that will encompass your Domain Controllers. In this GPO, make these changes. Expand Computer Configuration \ Policies \ Windows Settings \ Security Settings \ Advanced Audit Policy Configuration \ Audit Policies \ Account Management Double click User Account Management C...
18 comments
Read more