DFS includes a highly scalable, multimaster state-based file replication service that synchronizes file servers. It supports:
Automatic recovery from database loss or corruption.
Scheduling and bandwidth throttling for replication schemes.
Multiple replication topologies.
DFS Namespaces allow administrators to group shared folders located on different servers and present them to users as a virtual tree of folders known as a namespace. A namespace provides numerous benefits, including increased availability of data, load sharing, and simplified data migration. Users can navigate these virtual namespaces without having to keep track of the names of the physical servers or shared folders hosting the data.
Figure 1: Distributed File System
If local servers become unavailable, DFS Namespace configurations provide for client failover by closest site selection and failback to a preferred server. For example, DFS link that has targets in both the branch and the hub, branch clients will automatically failover to the hub when the local server is unavailable.
For Windows Server 2003 R2, DFS failback functionality allows administrators to set server priorities for root and link target referrals, including setting high and low priority servers. In this case, servers are first ordered by site cost and then by priority within each site. Clients failback to the branch server when availability is restored.
DFS Namespace is administered by using the DFS Management Console that provides a hierarchical view of namespace. The DFS Management Console incorporates functionality that was previously only available through command line interface (CLI). The DFS Management Console applies features from Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0, including built-in HTML reports and diagnostics.
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