A few Questions about DFS.

Hello.

We have 2DCs-win2k, which have a DFS-folder USERFILES

1. I had startet a full backup on the First DC in LIVE enviroment.
The Backup-Report(NT backup) is without errors.
Normally must a have errors due to openeted files from Users which
cannot be saved (LIVE enviroment).
Q: If a file is opened form user goes the NT-Backup and takes the Replicat
from Second DC to Backup them?
Otherwise i cannot explain the Backup form openeted files.

2. We have a Antivirus program which check in realtime the Userfiles in Both
DC.
Q: Is this not to much? I mean, if the Antivirus program check only the
Userfiles form Second DC, is think this is enough because the are replicats
of the first DC or not?

3. How can i "see" the ACTIVITY of DFS?
Microsoft says throu replmon Utility, but this is for AD replication not
for DFS.
ACTIVITY means to me : Which file are momentally replicated, which not
and why.
Maybe a DFS log anywhere?


Thanks.

1. The backup does not know that the file system is part of a DFS. It does
not contain any logic to get the file from the other DC. There must be
another explanation for the not-Open files.
2. I assume it is a two-way replication so although you may use it one-way,
it is possible to write to the second copy so you should protect it with AV.
3. As a crude method you can look in the staging directory to see if there
is activity. There is also a logfile ntfrs_001 etc in Windows\Debug
Anthony
http://www.airdesk.co.uk




"marsias" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello.
>
> We have 2DCs-win2k, which have a DFS-folder USERFILES
>
> 1. I had startet a full backup on the First DC in LIVE enviroment.
> The Backup-Report(NT backup) is without errors.
> Normally must a have errors due to openeted files from Users which
> cannot be saved (LIVE enviroment).
> Q: If a file is opened form user goes the NT-Backup and takes the Replicat
> from Second DC to Backup them?
> Otherwise i cannot explain the Backup form openeted files.
>
> 2. We have a Antivirus program which check in realtime the Userfiles in
> Both DC.
> Q: Is this not to much? I mean, if the Antivirus program check only the
> Userfiles form Second DC, is think this is enough because the are
> replicats of the first DC or not?
>
> 3. How can i "see" the ACTIVITY of DFS?
> Microsoft says throu replmon Utility, but this is for AD replication
> not for DFS.
> ACTIVITY means to me : Which file are momentally replicated, which not
> and why.
> Maybe a DFS log anywhere?
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>

Hello Anthony.
Thank you for the response.

> 1. The backup does not know that the file system is part of a DFS. It does
> not contain any logic to get the file from the other DC. There must be
> another explanation for the not-Open files.

What for explaination can this be?

> 2. I assume it is a two-way replication so although you may use it
> one-way, it is possible to write to the second copy so you should protect
> it with AV.

Its two-way replication.
Can i change to one- way Replication by go to Replication Policy and than
Disable the Replikation on DC2?

I have following:

DC1 Replication : YES c:\userfiles
DC2 Replication : YES c:\userfiles <------here Disable?

What about Clients?

Some Clients have as ACTIVE under DFS --- DC1 others DC2.
IF i change this to DC1 for all clients are this change permanatly or
change this after boot to random DC?

> 3. As a crude method you can look in the staging directory to see if there
> is activity. There is also a logfile ntfrs_001 etc in Windows\Debug

Stanging directory are momentaly empty.
The logs under windows\debug are not "readble"

Thanks.

1) I am afraid that is too broad a question for me to attempt an answer.
What files do you think should be locked?
2) W2K3 DFS Replication will allow you to do Hub Spoke replication. I don't
have a W2K to check, but I thought it was just multi-master, so you can't
have a one-way replication. The DFS client is updated from AD (in a domain
DFS) and is designed to find the local site replica. I don't know of a way
to force it to use one replica only.
3) I should also mention Ultrasound and Sonar are two great tools for
monitoring replication on Win2K.
Anthony
http://www.airdesk.co.uk


"marsias" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Hello Anthony.
> Thank you for the response.
>
>> 1. The backup does not know that the file system is part of a DFS. It
>> does not contain any logic to get the file from the other DC. There must
>> be another explanation for the not-Open files.
>
> What for explaination can this be?
>
>> 2. I assume it is a two-way replication so although you may use it
>> one-way, it is possible to write to the second copy so you should protect
>> it with AV.
>
> Its two-way replication.
> Can i change to one- way Replication by go to Replication Policy and than
> Disable the Replikation on DC2?
>
> I have following:
>
> DC1 Replication : YES c:\userfiles
> DC2 Replication : YES c:\userfiles <------here Disable?
>
> What about Clients?
>
> Some Clients have as ACTIVE under DFS --- DC1 others DC2.
> IF i change this to DC1 for all clients are this change permanatly or
> change this after boot to random DC?
>
>> 3. As a crude method you can look in the staging directory to see if
>> there is activity. There is also a logfile ntfrs_001 etc in Windows\Debug
>
> Stanging directory are momentaly empty.
> The logs under windows\debug are not "readble"
>
> Thanks.
>
>

Hallo Anthony.

> 1) I am afraid that is too broad a question for me to attempt an answer.
> What files do you think should be locked?

The files was *.doc, *xls , all this files was opened with the users in
the moment of backup.

> 2) W2K3 DFS Replication will allow you to do Hub Spoke replication. I
> don't have a W2K to check, but I thought it was just multi-master, so you
> can't have a one-way replication. The DFS client is updated from AD (in a
> domain DFS) and is designed to find the local site replica.


I think also, this one-way Replication are not possible in win2000 Server
enviroment.

> I don't know of a way to force it to use one replica only.

Problem here is:
A user opened a file which was in DFS-link on \\DC2\test.txt, and made
change on it.
in the meantime a other user tried to open the SAME file (test.txt),but
because the active DFS-link was on \\DC1\test.txt, he has opened a "old"
file not the actually.
Do you know a resolution for this??

Thanks.

1) I can't give you an authoritative answer on that. Maybe someone else can.
It depends on the nature of the lock, which I think depends on the version
of Word, Excel.
2) I don't think there is a resolution for that. In the documentation for
W2K FRS it says it is not suitable for simultaneous editing. It is ideal for
large read-only libraries. With W2K3 you can create one-way replication and
read-only replicas, but it sounds like you want to be able to edit at both
locations.
Anthony
http://www.airdesk.co.uk

"marsias" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hallo Anthony.
>
>> 1) I am afraid that is too broad a question for me to attempt an answer.
>> What files do you think should be locked?
>
> The files was *.doc, *xls , all this files was opened with the users in
> the moment of backup.
>
>> 2) W2K3 DFS Replication will allow you to do Hub Spoke replication. I
>> don't have a W2K to check, but I thought it was just multi-master, so you
>> can't have a one-way replication. The DFS client is updated from AD (in a
>> domain DFS) and is designed to find the local site replica.
>
>
> I think also, this one-way Replication are not possible in win2000 Server
> enviroment.
>
> > I don't know of a way to force it to use one replica only.
>
> Problem here is:
> A user opened a file which was in DFS-link on \\DC2\test.txt, and made
> change on it.
> in the meantime a other user tried to open the SAME file (test.txt),but
> because the active DFS-link was on \\DC1\test.txt, he has opened a "old"
> file not the actually.
> Do you know a resolution for this??
>
> Thanks.
>

> but it sounds like you want to be able to edit at both

NO. i dont wont to edit both(original and replica)

I wont, if one user opens the "original" file the replicat of this file
becomes readonly.

thank you.

Yes, I know you don't want _simultaneous_ edits.
W2K FRS won't do this. W2K3 R2DFS Replication has a feature to protect
against simultaneous edits:
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window....mspx?mfr=true
which may be sufficient for your needs.

To really protect against simultaneous edits across replicas you would need
Synchronous file replication, where the file is locked until saved at both
ends. It really depends what you are using the replicas for.
Anthony
http://www.airdesk.co.uk






"marsias" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> but it sounds like you want to be able to edit at both
>
> NO. i dont wont to edit both(original and replica)
>
> I wont, if one user opens the "original" file the replicat of this file
> becomes readonly.
>
> thank you.
>