Migrate from 2000 DFS-FRS to 2003 DFSR

OK, here's the situation:
1 forest, 1 tree, 1 domain, 3 sites
Machine A: A W2K3 R2 server R2 dc at site A.
Machine B: A W2K server dc at site B.
Machine C: A W2K3 R2 server dc at site C. (This machine is to replace the
server at location B.)

DFS-FRS was used to replicate data between sites A an B, but now is for some
reason out of sync.
In preperation of replacing machine B, data was also replicated from A to C,
but is also not complete. So now we have three versions. The server at
location C is not yet in operation so this can be rebuilt.
Data is updated daily on both sites. Down time is to be minimal.

Primary Objective:
To "upgrade" the DFS-FRS 2000 to 2003 DFRS and getting it in sync again.
Preferably without having to replicate all the data all over again (it's al
lot of data) or if that is not possible do it in such a fast way, that a "no
update period" is minimal.

Secondary Objective:
Merge additional other data from site A and B into 1 replicated folder on
both sites.

Questions:
What is the fastest way to realise the objectives?
Since the amount of replicated data is considerable, should machines be
relocated to the same site temporarily?
Could backing up data in one site and restoring it in the other be an option
for resolving the out of sync issue?
What is the roadmap to get this done? Please advise.

As you are changing the replication engine, I would not waste too much time
on what has gone wrong with FRS. We have had things go wrong that MS PSS
could not resolve. Your best bet is to delete the namespace and start again.
It only takes a few minutes to re-create a namespace.
You can pre-stage the data, but you have to get it physically to the machine
one way or another: tape, disk, backup/restore, robocopy. The difference
with FRS and DFSR pre-staging is that you no longer need to restore the
checksum data. If the data is the same both sides it will not be replicated.
Hope that helps,
Anthony, http://www.airdesk.co.uk



"Today He Lives" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:AE23387C-4B3D-43DD-8B67-(E-Mail Removed)...
> OK, here's the situation:
> 1 forest, 1 tree, 1 domain, 3 sites
> Machine A: A W2K3 R2 server R2 dc at site A.
> Machine B: A W2K server dc at site B.
> Machine C: A W2K3 R2 server dc at site C. (This machine is to replace the
> server at location B.)
>
> DFS-FRS was used to replicate data between sites A an B, but now is for
> some
> reason out of sync.
> In preperation of replacing machine B, data was also replicated from A to
> C,
> but is also not complete. So now we have three versions. The server at
> location C is not yet in operation so this can be rebuilt.
> Data is updated daily on both sites. Down time is to be minimal.
>
> Primary Objective:
> To "upgrade" the DFS-FRS 2000 to 2003 DFRS and getting it in sync again.
> Preferably without having to replicate all the data all over again (it's
> al
> lot of data) or if that is not possible do it in such a fast way, that a
> "no
> update period" is minimal.
>
> Secondary Objective:
> Merge additional other data from site A and B into 1 replicated folder on
> both sites.
>
> Questions:
> What is the fastest way to realise the objectives?
> Since the amount of replicated data is considerable, should machines be
> relocated to the same site temporarily?
> Could backing up data in one site and restoring it in the other be an
> option
> for resolving the out of sync issue?
> What is the roadmap to get this done? Please advise.
>
>
>

Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the reply.
Are you sure the data won't replicate?
I thought I need to assign a "primary" role to one of the servers. I read
that in case of similar data that one "wins".
Does the new DFSR check the timestamps correctly or does it just ignore them
and copies the primarye data over to the other side?

Regards, Hasso

"Anthony" wrote:

> As you are changing the replication engine, I would not waste too much time
> on what has gone wrong with FRS. We have had things go wrong that MS PSS
> could not resolve. Your best bet is to delete the namespace and start again.
> It only takes a few minutes to re-create a namespace.
> You can pre-stage the data, but you have to get it physically to the machine
> one way or another: tape, disk, backup/restore, robocopy. The difference
> with FRS and DFSR pre-staging is that you no longer need to restore the
> checksum data. If the data is the same both sides it will not be replicated.
> Hope that helps,
> Anthony, http://www.airdesk.co.uk
>
>
>
> "Today He Lives" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:AE23387C-4B3D-43DD-8B67-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > OK, here's the situation:
> > 1 forest, 1 tree, 1 domain, 3 sites
> > Machine A: A W2K3 R2 server R2 dc at site A.
> > Machine B: A W2K server dc at site B.
> > Machine C: A W2K3 R2 server dc at site C. (This machine is to replace the
> > server at location B.)
> >
> > DFS-FRS was used to replicate data between sites A an B, but now is for
> > some
> > reason out of sync.
> > In preperation of replacing machine B, data was also replicated from A to
> > C,
> > but is also not complete. So now we have three versions. The server at
> > location C is not yet in operation so this can be rebuilt.
> > Data is updated daily on both sites. Down time is to be minimal.
> >
> > Primary Objective:
> > To "upgrade" the DFS-FRS 2000 to 2003 DFRS and getting it in sync again.
> > Preferably without having to replicate all the data all over again (it's
> > al
> > lot of data) or if that is not possible do it in such a fast way, that a
> > "no
> > update period" is minimal.
> >
> > Secondary Objective:
> > Merge additional other data from site A and B into 1 replicated folder on
> > both sites.
> >
> > Questions:
> > What is the fastest way to realise the objectives?
> > Since the amount of replicated data is considerable, should machines be
> > relocated to the same site temporarily?
> > Could backing up data in one site and restoring it in the other be an
> > option
> > for resolving the out of sync issue?
> > What is the roadmap to get this done? Please advise.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>

Hi Hasso,
Here's a detailed explanation:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb540026.aspx. The initial sync
from the primary is a one-time sync. If the files are the same there is no
replication, but the syncing process still has to happen,
Anthony, http://www.airdesk.co.uk


"Today He Lives" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:CB74E024-7715-4300-8081-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi Anthony,
> Thanks for the reply.
> Are you sure the data won't replicate?
> I thought I need to assign a "primary" role to one of the servers. I read
> that in case of similar data that one "wins".
> Does the new DFSR check the timestamps correctly or does it just ignore
> them
> and copies the primarye data over to the other side?
>
> Regards, Hasso
>
> "Anthony" wrote:
>
>> As you are changing the replication engine, I would not waste too much
>> time
>> on what has gone wrong with FRS. We have had things go wrong that MS PSS
>> could not resolve. Your best bet is to delete the namespace and start
>> again.
>> It only takes a few minutes to re-create a namespace.
>> You can pre-stage the data, but you have to get it physically to the
>> machine
>> one way or another: tape, disk, backup/restore, robocopy. The difference
>> with FRS and DFSR pre-staging is that you no longer need to restore the
>> checksum data. If the data is the same both sides it will not be
>> replicated.
>> Hope that helps,
>> Anthony, http://www.airdesk.co.uk
>>
>>
>>
>> "Today He Lives" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>> message
>> news:AE23387C-4B3D-43DD-8B67-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > OK, here's the situation:
>> > 1 forest, 1 tree, 1 domain, 3 sites
>> > Machine A: A W2K3 R2 server R2 dc at site A.
>> > Machine B: A W2K server dc at site B.
>> > Machine C: A W2K3 R2 server dc at site C. (This machine is to replace
>> > the
>> > server at location B.)
>> >
>> > DFS-FRS was used to replicate data between sites A an B, but now is for
>> > some
>> > reason out of sync.
>> > In preperation of replacing machine B, data was also replicated from A
>> > to
>> > C,
>> > but is also not complete. So now we have three versions. The server at
>> > location C is not yet in operation so this can be rebuilt.
>> > Data is updated daily on both sites. Down time is to be minimal.
>> >
>> > Primary Objective:
>> > To "upgrade" the DFS-FRS 2000 to 2003 DFRS and getting it in sync
>> > again.
>> > Preferably without having to replicate all the data all over again
>> > (it's
>> > al
>> > lot of data) or if that is not possible do it in such a fast way, that
>> > a
>> > "no
>> > update period" is minimal.
>> >
>> > Secondary Objective:
>> > Merge additional other data from site A and B into 1 replicated folder
>> > on
>> > both sites.
>> >
>> > Questions:
>> > What is the fastest way to realise the objectives?
>> > Since the amount of replicated data is considerable, should machines be
>> > relocated to the same site temporarily?
>> > Could backing up data in one site and restoring it in the other be an
>> > option
>> > for resolving the out of sync issue?
>> > What is the roadmap to get this done? Please advise.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>