Techies - Anyone Familiar With Moving DFS Servers?

[M65]

AS per title really. Got an old server thats getting decommissioned and I need to move all the DFS shares to a new server thats already partly up and running. Whats the easiest way to do it with minimum impact on end users?

Ta

[nikon70]

make the existing shares read only so no new content is added/changed, copy the content across, decommission the old server and make sure the new server has the same static ip and shares mapped
(do this out of hours and no one should notice)
hope that helps

[Spank86]

AS per title really. Got an old server thats getting decommissioned and I need to move all the DFS shares to a new server thats already partly up and running. Whats the easiest way to do it with minimum impact on end users?

Ta
Lift with your knees not your back.

[M65]

make the existing shares read only so no new content is added/changed, copy the content across, decommission the old server and make sure the new server has the same static ip and shares mapped
(do this out of hours and no one should notice)
hope that helps

What if I need to leave the old server online for a while to do a few other roles? Both servers are currently running now anyway although the new one is not much more than an expensive print and fax server at the moment! Could I copy all the data across to the new server, close the shares on the old one and then somehow alter the share path in DFS management?

[nikon70]

depends how the shares are accessed, if the unc path refers to the server name that wont work...

you could (a bit of a hack).... map the shared drives on the existing machine to the new machine...

so user A goes to existing DFS .... which then looks for the data in the new DFS.... (ugly but it will work)

it all depends on what your DFS network structure is configured/how many users/ more read or write access... etc

or depending how techincal you are, create a logon script to change the mapped shares to the new location

[jambo]

I must confess, DFS was something I looked at a while ago, but not since.

Is it not possible to have the storage mirrored across 2 servers? If so you could just change the active one?

If you have to do something ugly like change everyone's network shares if they're tied into the server name / IP, do yourself a favour and make up a CNAME record in your DNS and point the file shares to that, then next time you need to re-point it just update the CNAME record. Do a different CNAME entry for every volume you might one day have to move to another server ;)

Jambo

[Bibio]

if it's your job then you should know how to do it. if you don't know then i would suggest you get someone in that does as one mistake and it's headache central.

i know that's of no help but that's the reality of it. better your business pays someone than having someone scratching their head for days.

if you do decide to do it then good luck and i hope it all goes smooth.

[fizzwheel]

Mark - how are users access the data currently

Via a DFS target or via the servers name / IP ?

If its DFS why do you need to change the file path..

if you have


\\domainname\dfs\share name pointed at \\server1\data

Then all you need to do is replicate your data to \\server2\data and set the shares up

Once done, go into dfs management and change the dfs from pointing at server1 to server 2

You should also just be able setup DFS repilcation, let the data replicate to the new server and then remove the DFS Target on the old box just leaving the new one in place. Which saves doing the copying about...

If you are using IP or server hostname then you're in for some fun and games...

I've got some xcopy scripts that will preserve folder structure and NTFS permission and you can write a vb script to re-create the shares on the new server.

This might help you, but apologies in advance if teaching you to suck eggs...

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb727150.aspx

If were you I'd setup a lab environment where you can have a play around an then you can work out what you need to do before going near your live setup.

Jambo's idea about a DNS CName is a good one.

[Mauler]

I must confess, DFS was something I looked at a while ago, but not since.

Is it not possible to have the storage mirrored across 2 servers? If so you could just change the active one?

If you have to do something ugly like change everyone's network shares if they're tied into the server name / IP, do yourself a favour and make up a CNAME record in your DNS and point the file shares to that, then next time you need to re-point it just update the CNAME record. Do a different CNAME entry for every volume you might one day have to move to another server ;)

Jambo



Something like this, IMO.


This may help? http://www.ericbrodeur.com/blog/2007/11/08/moving-dfs-from-one-windows-server-to-another/

[M65]

if it's your job then you should know how to do it. if you don't know then i would suggest you get someone in that does as one mistake and it's headache central.

i know that's of no help but that's the reality of it. better your business pays someone than having someone scratching their head for days.

if you do decide to do it then good luck and i hope it all goes smooth.

I get were you are coming from but my role is one of those jack of all trades, master of none type scenarios. We are expected to do everything and make all things work without any training at all. Ive been asking for some for 3 years now and the most I have had is a "Dummies" book bought for me - 2nd hand at that! Its the age old problem of "Oh, its only IT...", but then you watch the **** hit the fan when it all breaks. Anyway, rant over.....