DFS Step-by-Step Guide for Windows Server 2008

Updated: March 10, 2008

The Distributed File System (DFS) technologies offer wide area network (WAN)-friendly replication as
well as simplified, highly available access to geographically dispersed files. In Windows Server® 2008,
DFS is implemented as a role service of the File Services role. The Distributed File System role service
consists of two child role services:

 DFS Namespaces

 DFS Replication

If you are not familiar with DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication in Windows Server 2008, we
recommend that you read the document titled "Overview of the Distributed File System Solution in
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2" on the Microsoft® Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?
LinkId=46801). The overview describes the benefits of DFS Replication and the improvements it offers
over File Replication service (FRS). For information about the enhancements of DFS introduced in
Windows Server 2008, see "Distributed File System" on the Microsoft Web site
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=108012).

About This Guide

This step-by-step guide provides system requirements, installation instructions, and step-by-step
walkthroughs for deploying DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication features in Windows Server 2008 in
a lab environment.

Lab Requirements

Two step-by-step sections are provided in this guide. The following bulleted lists outline the
requirements for completing each of the two step-by-step guides.

Lab Requirements for Completing the Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying a Namespace

To complete all of the tasks in this section, you need a minimum of two servers configured in the test
lab as follows:

 One server must run Windows Server 2008. This is the server on which you will install the DFS
Management snap-in to perform the tasks in this guide.
 The second server must run Windows® Server 2003 SP1 or Windows Server 2003 R2 or
Windows Server 2008.
 To create domain-based namespaces in these tasks, you must have Active Directory® Domain
Services (AD DS) deployed in the test lab. You must also be a member of the Domain Admins
group or have been delegated the ability to create domain-based namespaces. For more
information about delegation, see "Delegate Management Permissions for DFS Namespaces"
in the DFS Management snap-in Help.
 To deploy DFS Replication in the namespace, you must have extended the schema to include
the new DFS Replication objects in AD DS. For specific configuration requirements, see the
section "Installing Windows Server 2008 and Distributed File System" later in this guide.

You can complete a subset of tasks if you have a single server or if you do not have AD DS deployed in
the test lab.

Lab Requirements for Completing the Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying DFS Replication
To complete all of the tasks in this section, you need to configure the test lab as follows:
  You need a minimum of three file servers. All three servers must have
Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2008 and the DFS Replication service installed.
One of the servers must have the DFS Management snap-in installed. Follow the procedures
in "Installing Windows Server 2008 and Distributed File System" later in this guide to install
the service and snap-in.
 The test lab must have AD DS installed. Depending on the version of your schema, you might
need to extend the schema using the instructions described in "Updating the AD DS schema"
later in this guide.

Before beginning either step-by-step section, it is important to review the following requirements and
limitations of DFS Replication.

 Servers in a replication group must be in the same forest. You cannot enable replication
across servers in different forests.
 Replicated folders must be stored on NTFS volumes.
 Antivirus software must be compatible with DFS Replication. Contact your antivirus software
vendor to check for compatibility.
 DFS Replication might not work across firewalls when replicating between branch offices
without a virtual private network (VPN) connection because it uses the remote procedure call
(RPC) dynamic endpoint mapper. Additionally, configuring DFS Replication using the DFS
Management snap-in does not work when a firewall is enabled. To enable DFS Replication to
work through a firewall, you can define a static port using the Dfsrdiag.exe command-line
tool. For more information about using DFS Replication across a firewall, see the "Limitation
and Requirements" section in "Distributed File System Replication: Frequently Asked
Questions" on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=93056).

Getting Started

The following sections provide instructions for installing Windows Server 2008 and the DFS
Management snap-in.

Updating the AD DS schema

If you plan to use DFS Replication, the AD DS schema must be updated to the
version for Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2008 so that it includes the
AD DS classes and attributes used by DFS Replication.

Note

If you have already extended the schema to the version for Windows Server 2003 R2, you can
deploy servers for DFS Replication. You do not need to further extend the schema to the Windows
Server 2008 version to use DFS replication.
For instructions on how to update the AD DS schema, see "Extending the Schema" at the Microsoft
Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=64262).

After the schema is updated as necessary, you can install the DFS components by using the following
procedures.

Installing Windows Server 2008 and DFS

During Setup, follow the on-screen prompts to install Windows Server 2008. Refer to the section "Lab
Requirements" earlier in this guide for details about which servers must run Windows Server 2008 and
which servers can run Windows Server 2003 R2 or Windows Server 2003 SP1.
After Windows Server 2008 is installed, you can install the DFS components and
open the DFS Management snap-in by using the following procedures.

Note

The method below using the Server Manager tool enables you to install DFS as a part of the file
server role. This method also installs other file server tools, such as File Server Resource Manager
and File Server Management.
To install DFS as part of the file server role
1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server
Manager.

2. In the console tree of Server Manager, right-click the Roles node, and then click Add Roles.

3. Follow the steps in the Add Roles Wizard, and supply the information described in the
following table.

Add Roles Wizard

page What to enter

Before You Begin Click Next after you verify that the requirements listed on the page have
been met.

Select Server Select the File Services check box.

Roles

File Services Click Next.

Select Roles Select the Distributed File System check box to install both DFS
Services Namespaces and DFS Replication.

To install DFS Namespaces or DFS Replication individually, select the check

box that corresponds to the part of DFS that you want to install.

Create a DFS Select the Create a namespace later using the DFS Management
Namespace snap-in in Server Manager check box.

Confirmation Click Install to install the file server role and DFS.

Installation This page is automatically replaced by the Installation Results page

Progress when installation is completed.

Installation Note any errors, and then click Close to close the wizard.
Results

Use the following procedure if the file server role has already been added.

To install DFS if the file server role has already been added
1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server
Manager.

2. In the console tree of Server Manager, right-click the Files Services node, and then click
Add Role Services.

3. Follow the steps in the Add Roles Services Wizard, and supply the information described in
the following table.
Add Role Services
Wizard page What to enter

Select Role Services Select the Distributed File System check box to install both DFS
Namespaces and DFS Replication.

To install DFS Namespaces or DFS Replication individually, select the

check box that corresponds to the part of DFS that you want to install.

Create a DFS Click Create a namespace later using the DFS Management snap-
Namespace in in Server Manager check box.

Confirmation Click Install to install the file server role and DFS.

Installation Progress This page is automatically replaced by the Installation Results page
when installation is completed.

Installation Results Note any errors, and then click Close to close the wizard.

Note

Installing DFS Management also installs Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, which is required to run
the DFS Management snap-in.
To open the DFS Management snap-in
 Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click DFS
Management.

You can also use the DFS Management snap-in hosted by Server Manager to manage DFS Namespaces
and DFS Replication.

Overview of the DFS Management Snap-in

The DFS Management snap-in is the graphical user interface (GUI) tool for managing DFS Namespaces
and DFS Replication. This snap-in is new and differs from the Distributed File System snap-in in
Windows Server 2003. Therefore, before you begin using DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication, you
might want to review the components of this snap-in, which are shown in the following figure and
described in the sections that follow.
Console Tree
The console tree has two nodes, Namespaces and Replication, from which you can manage
namespaces and DFS Replication.

Namespaces node
The following figure shows the elements under the Namespaces node in the console tree.

As the figure shows, the Namespaces node contains the namespaces you create as well as any
existing namespaces you add to the console display. In the previous figure, one namespace is shown,
\\Contoso.com\Public. Under each namespace is a hierarchical view of folders. Folders
that have targets use a special icon to differentiate them from folders that do not have
targets.

Note

If you are not familiar with namespace terminology, see the section "Introduction to Namespaces"
later in this guide.
Replication node
The following figure shows the elements under the Replication node in the console tree.

As the figure shows, the Replication node contains the replication groups you create as well as any
existing replication groups that you add to the console display. A replication group represents a group
of servers that participates in the replication of data. For more information about replication groups,
see "Introduction to DFS Replication" later in this guide.

Details Pane
The contents of the details pane change according to what you have selected in the console tree. For
example, if you select a namespace in the console tree, you see tabs named Namespace,
Namespace Servers, Delegation, and Search in the details pane. If you select a replication group,
you see tabs named Memberships, Connections, Replicated Folders, and Delegation. You can
double-click objects in the details pane to view their properties.

Action Pane
The Action pane shows two types of tasks: common tasks and tasks that apply to the selected object.
If the Action pane is not visible, you can open it using the following steps: click the View menu, click
Customize, and then click the Action pane option in the Customize View dialog box.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying a Namespace

The following sections introduce namespaces and walk you step-by-step through the process of
deploying a namespace in a test lab. The tasks in these sections are designed for administrators who
are new to DFS Namespaces as well as administrators who have experience using DFS in
Windows Server 2003 and Windows® 2000 Server. These tasks walk you through deployment steps
and point out aspects of the DFS Management snap-in that are new or significantly different from
previous DFS management tools.

If you have not used DFS in Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000 Server, we recommend that you
read the introduction section that follows to learn more about namespaces before you begin the tasks.

Introduction to Namespaces
DFS Namespaces enables you to group shared folders located on different servers by transparently
connecting them to one or more namespaces. A namespace is a virtual view of shared folders in an
organization. When you create a namespace, you select which shared folders to add to the
namespace, design the hierarchy in which those folders appear, and determine the names that the
shared folders show in the namespace. When a user views the namespace, the folders appear to
reside on a single, high-capacity hard disk. Users can navigate the namespace without needing to
know the server names or shared folders hosting the data.

The path to a namespace is similar to a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of a shared folder,
such as \\Server1\Public\Software\Tools. If you are familiar with UNC paths, you know that in this
example the shared folder, Public, and its subfolders, Software and Tools, are all hosted on Server1.
Now, assume you want to give users a single place to locate data, but you want to host data on
different servers for availability and performance purposes. To do this, you can deploy a namespace
similar to the one shown in the following figure. The elements of this namespace are described after
the figure.

 Namespace server. A namespace server hosts a namespace. The namespace server can be
a member server or a domain controller.
 Namespace root. The root is the starting point of the namespace. In the previous figure, the
name of the root is Public, and the namespace path is \\Contoso\Public. This type of
namespace is known as a domain-based namespace, because it begins with a domain name
(for example, Contoso) and its metadata is stored in AD DS. Although a single namespace
server is shown in the previous figure, a domain-based namespace can be hosted on multiple
namespace servers.
 Folder. Folders help build the namespace hierarchy. Folders can optionally have folder
targets. When users browse a folder with targets in the namespace, the client computer
receives a referral that directs the client computer to one of the folder targets.
 Folder targets. A folder target is a UNC path of a shared folder or another namespace that is
associated with a folder in a namespace. In the previous figure, the folder named Tools has
two folder targets, one in London and one in New York, and the folder named Training
Guides has a single folder target in New York. A user who browses to \\Contoso\Public\
Software\Tools is transparently redirected to the shared folder \\LDN-SVR-01\Tools or \\NYC-
SVR-01\Tools, depending on which site the user is in.
To view an online demo that describes the purpose and benefits of DFS in Windows Server 2003, click
the link "Demo: Distributed File System" on the Distributed File System Technology Center page on the
Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=39468).

Namespace Types and Modes

When creating a namespace, you must choose one of the following namespace types:

 A stand-alone namespace

 A domain-based namespace

Choose a stand-alone namespace if any of the following conditions apply to your environment:

 Your organization does not use Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).

 You need to create a single namespace with more than 5,000 DFS folders in a domain that
does not meet the requirements for a domain-based namespace (Windows Server 2008
mode).
 You want to increase the availability of the namespace by using a failover
cluster.

Note

To check the size of a namespace, right-click the namespace in the DFS Management console
tree, click Properties, and then view the namespace size in the Namespace Properties dialog
box. For more information about DFS Namespace scalability, see the Microsoft Web site
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=92838).
Choose a domain-based namespace if any of the following conditions apply to your environment:

 You want to ensure the availability of the namespace by using multiple namespace servers.

 You want to hide the name of the namespace server from users. Choosing a domain-based
namespace makes it easier to replace the namespace server or migrate the namespace to
another server.

In addition, if you choose a domain-based namespace, you must choose one of the following
namespace modes:

 Windows 2000 Server mode

 Windows Server 2008 mode.

The Windows Server 2008 mode includes support for access-based enumeration and increased
scalability. The domain-based namespace introduced in Windows 2000 Server is now referred to as
"domain-based namespace (Windows 2000 Server mode)."

To use the Windows Server 2008 mode, the domain and namespace must meet the following minimum
requirements:

 The domain uses the Windows Server 2008 domain functional level.

 All namespace servers are running Windows Server 2008.

If your environment supports it, choose the Windows Server 2008 mode when you create new domain-
based namespaces. This mode provides additional features and scalability, and also eliminates the
possible need to migrate a namespace from the Windows 2000 Server mode.
If your environment does not support domain-based namespaces in Windows Server 2008 mode, use
the existing Windows 2000 Server mode for the namespace.

The characteristics of each namespace type and mode are described in the following table.

Domain-based Domain-based
Characteristi Stand-Alone Namespace (Windows Namespace (Windows
c Namespace 2000 Server Mode) Server 2008 Mode)

Path to \\ServerName\ \\NetBIOSDomainName\ \\NetBIOSDomainName\

namespace RootName RootName RootName

\\DNSDomainName\ \\DNSDomainName\
RootName RootName

Namespace In the registry and in In AD DS and in a memory In AD DS and in a memory

information a memory cache on cache on each namespace cache on each namespace
storage the namespace server server
location server

Namespace The namespace can The size of the namespace The namespace can contain
size contain more than object in AD DS should be more than 5,000 folders
recommendat 5,000 folders with less than 5 megabytes (MB) with targets
ions targets to maintain compatibility
with domain controllers that
are not running Windows
Server 2008. This means no
more than approximately
5,000 folders with targets.

Minimum AD DS not required Windows 2000 mixed Windows Server 2008

AD DS
domain-
functional
level

Minimum Windows Windows 2000 Server Windows Server 2008

supported 2000 Server
namespace
servers

Support for Yes, requires No Yes

access-b ased Windows
enumeration Server 2008
(if enabled) namespace server

Supported Create a stand- Use multiple namespace Use multiple namespace

methods to alone namespace on servers to host the servers to host the
ensure a failover cluster. namespace. (The namespace. (The
namespace namespace servers must be namespace servers must be
availability in the same domain.) in the same domain.)

Support for Supported when Supported Supported

using DFS joined to AD DS
Replication to domain
replicate
folder targets

Deploying a Namespace
The tasks in this section walk you through the process of deploying a namespace that looks similar to
the namespace shown in the figure that appears in "Introduction to Namespaces" earlier in this guide.

Task 1: Create a Namespace

In this task, you create a new namespace using the DFS Management snap-in.

To create a namespace
1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Namespaces node, and
then click New Namespace.

2. Follow the steps in the New Namespace Wizard and supply the information described in the
following table.

New Namespace
Wizard page What to enter

Namespace Enter the name of the server to host the namespace. The server can be a
Server domain controller or a member server.

Namespace In Name, type Public.

Name and
Settings

Namespace Type If AD DS is deployed in your test lab and you are a member of the Domain
Admins group or have been delegated permission to create domain-based
namespaces, choose Domain-based namespace. Otherwise, choose
Stand-alone namespace. For more information about namespace types,
see "Namespace types and modes" earlier in this guide.

To learn how a member of the Domain Admins group can delegate

permission to create domain-based namespaces, see "Delegate
Management Permissions for DFS Namespaces" in DFS Management Help.

Review Settings Click Create to create the namespace.

and Create
Namespace

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

When the wizard finishes, your new namespace will be added to the console tree. Double-click the
Namespaces node, if necessary, to view your namespace, which should be similar to the following
figure.

To browse the new namespace, type the following command in the Run dialog box, substituting either
the server name (if you created a stand-alone namespace) or the domain name (if you created a
domain-based namespace) as appropriate:

\\server_or_domain\Public

For information about how to migrate an existing namespace to Windows Server 2008 mode, see
Migrate a Domain-based Namespace to Windows Server 2008 Mode.

Task 2: Add a Namespace Server

If you created a domain-based namespace, perform this task to specify an additional server to host the
namespace. Doing so increases the availability of the namespace and enables you to place namespace
servers in the same sites as users. If you created a stand-alone namespace, you must skip this task
because stand-alone namespaces only support a single namespace server.
To add a namespace server
1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click \\domain\Public, and then
click Add Namespace Server.

2. In Namespace server, type the name of another server to host the namespace, and then
click OK.

After you finish this procedure, click the \\domain\Public namespace in the console tree and review
the contents of the Namespace Servers tab in the details pane, which should look similar to the
following figure. Notice that two UNC paths are listed. The site of each namespace server is also
displayed.

Task 3: Delegate Management Permissions

You can delegate management permissions so that users who are not members of the Domain Admins
group can create domain-based namespaces, and you can delegate management permissions so that
users or groups can manage existing namespaces. In this section, you will delegate permissions to
manage the namespace you created in the previous task.

To delegate permission to manage an existing namespace

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click \\server_or_domain\Public,
and then click Delegate Management Permissions.

2. Type the name of a user or group that you want to manage the namespace, and then click
OK.

After you finish this procedure, review the contents of the Delegation tab in the details pane. It
should look similar to the following figure.

Notice that the user or group you added shows "Explicit" in the How Permission Is Granted column.
"Explicit" means that you can remove the user or group from the delegation list by right-clicking the
user or group, and then clicking Remove. Any users or groups that show "Inherited" have
inherited management permissions from AD DS, and you cannot remove them from
the delegation list using the DFS Management snap-in.

Note

To delegate the ability to create domain-based namespaces, see "Delegate Management

 Permissions for DFS Namespaces" in DFS Management Help.
Task 4: Add Folders to the Namespace
In this task, you add three folders to the namespace. Two of the folders will have folder targets. The
hierarchy of the folders you will add is shown in the "Elements of a Namespace" figure earlier in this
guide.

To create a folder named Software in the namespace

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click \\server_or_domain\Public,
and then click New Folder.

2. In Name, type Software, and then click OK.

Note that the previous procedure creates a new folder in the namespace to build depth in the
namespace hierarchy. You are not specifying the name of an existing folder, nor will you store data in
this folder. This folder will not have folder targets that direct clients to other servers.

After you finish this procedure, the Software folder is added to the console tree as shown in the
following figure. (You might need to double-click the \\server_or_domain\Public root to display the
Software folder.

Next, you add two folders with targets to the namespace. You create one folder named Tools within
the Software folder, and you create another folder named Training Guides directly under the root
named Public.

To create a folder named Tools in the namespace

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Software folder, and then
click New Folder.

2. In Name, type Tools.

3. Click Add to add a folder target.

4. Click Browse to open the Browse for Shared Folders dialog box.

5. In Server, enter the name of the server that will host the Tools shared folder.

6. Click New Shared Folder.

7. In the Create Share dialog box, in the Share name box, type Tools, and then enter the
local path where you want the shared folder to be created. If the folder does not exist, you are
prompted to create it. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

After you finish this procedure, the Tools folder is added to the console tree as shown in the following
figure. (You might need to double-click the Software folder to display the Tools folder.) Notice the icon
next to the Tools folder and how it differs from the Software folder’s icon. This icon appears next to all
folders that have targets to differentiate them from folders that do not have targets.
Now, select the Tools folder and review the contents of the Folder Targets tab in the details pane.
Notice there is a single path shown. This means that only one server hosts the folder target that
corresponds to the Tools folder. If that server becomes unavailable, the shared folder is also
unavailable.

To increase the availability of the Tools folder, you can add a second folder target.

To add a second folder target to the Tools folder

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Tools folder, and then
click Add Folder Target.

2. Click Browse to open the Browse for Shared Folders dialog box.

3. In Server, enter the name of another server that will host the Tools shared folder. Be sure to
enter a different server from the one you specified in the previous procedure.

4. Click New Shared Folder.

5. In the Create Share dialog box, in the Share name box, type Tools, and then enter the
local path where you want the shared folder to be created. If the folder does not exist, you are
prompted to create it. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

6. You are prompted to choose whether to create a replication group for these folder targets.
For now, click No. You will enable DFS Replication on this folder in a later task.

To create a folder named Training Guides in the namespace

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click \\server_or_domain\Public,
and then click New Folder.

2. In Name, type Training Guides.

3. Click Add to add a folder target.

4. Click Browse to open the Browse for Shared Folders dialog box.

5. In Server, enter the name of the server that will host the Training Guides shared folder.

6. Click New Shared Folder.

7. In the Create Share dialog box, in the Share name box, type Training Guides, and then
enter the local path where you want the shared folder to be created. If the folder does not exist,
you are prompted to create it. Click OK to close all dialog boxes.

When you finish these procedures, your namespace will look like the following figure.
Task 5: Rename and Move a Folder
You can use the DFS Management snap-in to rename folders or move folders to another location in the
namespace. This is useful if you need to change a folder name or restructure the namespace.

In this task, you rename the Training Guides folder to Training Demos and move it to the Software
folder. Currently, your namespace should look similar to the following figure.

To rename the Training Guides folder

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Training Guides folder,
and then click Rename Folder.

2. In the Rename Folder dialog box, in New name, type Training Demos.

To move the Training Demos folder

 In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, click the Training Demos folder, and
then drag it to the Software folder.

After you finish these procedures, your namespace should look like this:

Task 6: Replicate a Folder in the Namespace Using DFS Replication

In this task, you enable DFS Replication on the Tools folder. If you recall from "Task 4: Add Folders to
the Namespace," you created two folder targets for the Tools folder. Because users can be directed to
either one of the folder targets, you need to ensure that the contents of the folders are kept
synchronized.

If you are familiar with File Replication service (FRS) in Windows Server 2003, you
know that FRS is only supported in domain-based namespaces. In Windows
Server 2008, you can use DFS Replication in both stand-alone and domain-based
namespaces. Therefore, you can complete this task regardless of the type of
namespace you created in "Task 1: Create a Namespace."

Important

To perform this task, you need to have AD DS deployed in your test lab environment, and you
must be a member of the Domain Admins group or have been delegated the ability to create
replication groups to perform this task.

Important

After you complete this task, replication does not begin immediately. The topology and DFS
Replication settings must be replicated to all domain controllers, and each member in the
replication group must poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. The amount of
 time this takes depends on AD DS replication latency and the long polling interval (60 minutes) on
each member.
To enable DFS Replication on the Tools folder
1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Tools folder, and then
click Replicate Folder.

2. Follow the steps in the Replicate Folder Wizard and supply the information in the following
table.

Replicate Folder Wizard

page What to enter

Replication Group and Accept the defaults.

Replicated Folder Name

Replication Eligibility Accept the defaults.

Primary Member If the folder targets are empty, choose either member. If both
folder targets contain content, choose the member that has the
most up-to-date content.

Topology Selection Select Full mesh.

Replication Group Select Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth.

Schedule and Bandwidth

Review Settings and Click Create to create the replication group.

Create Replication Group

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

Replication Delay Click OK to close the dialog box that warns you about the delay in
initial replication.

After you finish the previous procedure, navigate to the Replication node in the console tree. Notice
that a new replication group has been created, as shown in the following figure.

If you are not familiar with DFS Replication terminology, a replication group is a set of servers, known
as members, that participates in the replication of one or more replicated folders. A replicated folder is
a folder that is kept synchronized on each member. When you enable DFS Replication on a folder with
targets, the servers that host the folder targets become members of the replication group, and the
folder targets are associated with the replicated folder. The name of the replication group matches the
namespace path (Contoso.com\Public\Software\Tools), and the name of the replicated folder matches
the folder name (Tools).

From the Replication node, you can manage aspects of DFS Replication, such as the schedule and
bandwidth usage, file and subfolder filters, and the topology (a framework of replication paths
between members). On the Replicated Folders tab in the details pane, you can also view the
namespace path that corresponds to the replicated folder, as shown in the following figure.

If you navigate back to the Tools folder in the Namespaces node, notice that the Replication tab in
the details pane shows that the Tools folder is being replicated using DFS Replication.

If one of the folders targets contained data when you enabled DFS Replication, you can verify that
replication has completed by clicking the Folder Targets tab, right-clicking the folder target that
initially held no data, and then clicking Open in Explorer. After the initial replication delay, the files in
this folder target should match the files in the target that initially held the data.

Another way to view the status of replication is to create a diagnostic report. You will do this in the
following task.

Task 7: Create a Diagnostic Report

In this task, you create a diagnostic report to check the status of replication. The type of diagnostic
report you create in this task is a health report. The health report is an .html file that shows the health
of replication and replication efficiency. This report includes error and warning events, replication
statistics, backlogged files, and other information for each member of the replication group.

To create a diagnostic report

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, under the Replication node, right-click
the \\domain\Public\Software\Tools replication group, and then click Create Diagnostic Report.

2. Follow the steps in the Diagnostic Report Wizard and supply the information in the following
table.

Diagnostic Report
Wizard page What to enter

Type of Accept the defaults.

Diagnostic Report
or Test

Path and Name Accept the defaults.

Members to Accept the defaults.

Include

Options Ensure that Yes, count backlogged files in this report is selected,
select the server that has the most up-to-date files from Reference
Member, and then select the Count the replicated files and their
sizes on each member check box.

Review Settings Click Create to create the diagnostic report.

and Create Report

Confirmation The wizard closes automatically, and the diagnostic report appears.

Review the health report created for the Tools replication group. In particular, take a look at the
following sections:

 Note the DFS Replication bandwidth savings. This savings will change over time as files are
added and changed.
 Review any errors or warnings, if any, for the members. These are typically event log errors
that appear in the member's respective DFS Replication event log.
 In the informational section for each member, review the replicated folder status (the status
will be "Normal" after initial replication is complete) and other information. Notice that the
primary member will show different statistics from the non-primary member; this is because
data originated from the primary member and replicated to the non-primary member during
initial replication.

The Diagnostic Report Wizard creates the health report by default. Note that you can set the wizard to
perform the following operations as well:

 Run a propagation test.

 Create a propagation report.

A propagation test measures replication progress by creating a test file in a replicated folder. A
propagation report provides information about the replication progress for the test file created during
a propagation test.

Task 8: Change How Targets Are Ordered in Referrals

In this task, you change settings that optimize how targets are ordered in referrals. If you are not
familiar with referrals, a referral is a list of targets that a client computer receives from a domain
controller or namespace server when the user accesses a namespace root or folder with targets in the
namespace. The referral tells the client which servers host the associated root target or folder target.
So, for example, when a client navigates to \\server_or_domain\Public, the client receives a root
referral that contains a list of root targets on the namespace servers. When the client then navigates
to the Tools folder, which has folder targets, the client receives a folder referral that contains a list of
folder targets that correspond to the Tools folder.

When a client requests a referral, the DFS service takes into account the site of the client and the site
of the target and provides a referral with targets that are ordered according to the current referral
ordering method. By default, targets in a client’s site are listed first in a referral in random order,
followed by a list of targets outside of the client’s site, sorted by lowest cost.

To fine-tune how targets outside of a client’s site are ordered, you can change the ordering method for
an entire namespace or for individual folders with targets. Changing the ordering method is an
important consideration in namespaces whose targets span sites. For example, there might be
situations in which you want to prevent the client from accessing targets outside of its own site. If so,
you can configure the namespace root or folder with targets so that clients receive referrals only for
targets within their own site.

To further optimize how targets are listed in referrals, you can set target priority, which overrides the
ordering method. For example, you can specify that a target is always first or last in a referral,
regardless of the client’s site, or you can specify that a target is always first or last among the targets
that have the same connection cost. One common scenario for using target priority is when you have a
"hot standby" server that is considered the server of last resort. In this scenario, you can specify that
the standby server always appears last in referrals, and clients will fail over to this server only if all the
other servers fail or become unavailable due to network outages.

In the following procedures, you verify the referral ordering method for the namespace and choose
target priority of a folder target.

To verify the referral ordering method for a namespace

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click \\server_or_domain\Public,
and then click Properties.

2. On the Referrals tab, in Ordering method, verify that Lowest cost is selected.

In the lowest cost ordering method, also called least expensive target selection or site costing in
previous documentation, targets in a referral are ordered as follows:

1. Targets in the same site as the client are listed in random order at the top of the referral.
2. Targets outside of the client’s site are listed in order of lowest cost to highest cost. Referrals
with the same cost are grouped together and within each group the targets are listed in random
order.

This method ensures that clients do not traverse expensive wide area network (WAN)
links to access targets when lower-cost targets are available. This ordering method
works in both stand-alone and domain-based namespaces, as long as all namespace
servers and all domain controllers are running Windows Server 2003 or Windows
Server 2008.

Note

If you do not want clients to access folder targets outside of their site, you can override the
ordering method for individual folders. To do this, right-click a folder with targets in the console
tree, click Properties, click the Referrals tab, and then click Exclude targets outside of the
client’s site. Note that if no same-site targets are available, the client fails to access the folder
because no folder targets are returned in the referral.
In the next procedure, you change the priority of one of the folder targets of the Tools folder.

To change the priority of a folder target

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, click the Tools folder.

2. In the details pane, on the Folder Targets tab, right-click one of the folder targets, and then
click Properties.

3. On the Advanced tab, click Override referral ordering, and then click Last among all
targets.

Task 9: Browse the Namespace

In this task, you browse the namespace you created and view the referrals in the client’s referral
cache as you browse portions of the namespace. Viewing referrals cached on the client is useful in
troubleshooting scenarios. The following procedures assume you are performing these tasks from a
client computer running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.

To browse to the namespace root and view the root referral

1. Click Start, click Run, type \\server_or_domain\Public, and then click OK.

Windows Explorer opens and your view of the namespace looks similar to the following figure:

2. In Windows Explorer, click the Folders button to display the Public root in the folder tree.

3. In the folder tree, right-click Public, and then click Properties to open the Properties dialog
box.

4. On the DFS tab, review the paths listed under Referral list. These are the root targets in the
root referral that the client received when it accessed \\server_or_domain\Public. These should
match the root targets you created earlier in this guide. The target marked Active is the target
currently connected to your client computer.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box.

To browse to the Tools and Training Demos folders and view their folder referrals
1. In Windows Explorer, double-click the Software folder. You should see two folders, Tools and
Training Demos.

2. Double-click the Tools folder to open it.

3. In the folder tree, right-click the Tools folder, and then click Properties.

4. On the DFS tab, review the paths listed under Referral list. These are the folder targets in
the folder referral that the client received when it accessed \\server_or_domain\Public\Software\
Tools. These should match the folder targets you created earlier in this guide. The target marked
Active is the target currently connected to your client computer, which should be a different
target from the one you marked as Last among all targets when you set the target priority.

5. Click OK to close the dialog box.

6. Click the Training Demos folder in the folder tree to open it.

7. Right-click the Training Demos folder in the folder tree, click Properties, and then click the
DFS tab. Notice that only one folder target is listed in the referral list. Your client computer is
currently connected to this folder target.

Task 10: Test Failover

In this task, disable the network card or turn off the server that hosts one of the root targets for the \\
domain\Public namespace. Do the same for a server that hosts one of the folder targets for the Tools
folder. After the network cards are disabled or the servers are turned off, repeat the procedures in
"Task 9: Browse the Namespace." The procedures should work because another server continues to
host the \\domain\Public namespace and the Tools folder.

Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying DFS Replication

This section walks you through the process of deploying DFS Replication in a test lab. Although it is not
necessary to have completed the tasks in "Step-by-Step Guide to Deploying a Namespace," it is helpful
to complete the previous section first so that you have an existing namespace in which to publish a
replicated folder.

Introduction to DFS Replication

DFS Replication is the state-based, multimaster replication engine in Windows Server 2008. Although
some DFS Replication concepts and processes are similar to the concepts and processes in File
Replication service (FRS), there are several important differences that you should be aware of before
you deploy DFS Replication.

DFS Replication Concepts

First, let’s review the basic concepts of DFS Replication. These concepts—replication groups,
connections, members, and replicated folders—are illustrated in the following figure.

As this figure shows, a replication group is a set of servers, known as members, that participates in the
replication of one or more replicated folders. A replicated folder is a folder that is kept synchronized on
each member. In the previous figure, there are two replicated folders, Projects and Proposals. As data
changes in each replicated folder, the changes are replicated across connections between the
members. The connections between all members form the replication topology.

Creating multiple replicated folders in a single replication group simplifies the process of deploying
replicated folders, because the topology, schedule, and bandwidth throttling for the replication group
are applied to each replicated folder. To deploy additional replicated folders, you can use a short
wizard to define the local path and permissions for the new replicated folder. Each replicated folder
also has its own settings, such as file and subfolder filters, so that you can filter out different files and
subfolders for each replicated folder.

The replicated folders stored on each member can be located on different volumes in the member, and
the replicated folders do not need to be shared folders or part of a namespace, though the DFS
Management snap-in makes it easy to share replicated folders and optionally publish them in an
existing namespace. You will do both in one of the tasks later in this guide.

For more information about DFS Replication, see "Distributed File System Replication: Frequently
Asked Questions" on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=93056). This FAQ
focuses on questions related to DFS Replication in Windows Server 2003 R2, but most of the
information in the FAQ also applies to Windows Server 2008.
What to Expect During Initial Replication
When you first set up replication, you must choose a primary member. Choose the member that has
the most up-to-date files that you want replicated to all other members of the replication group,
because the primary member's content is considered "authoritative." This means that during initial
replication, the primary member's files will always win the conflict resolution that occurs when the
receiving members have files that are older or newer than the same files on the primary member.

The following explanations will help you better understand the initial replication process:

 Initial replication does not begin immediately. The topology and DFS Replication settings
must be replicated to all domain controllers, and each member in the replication group must
poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. The amount of time this takes
depends on AD DS replication latency and the long polling interval (60 minutes) on each
member.
 Initial replication always occurs between the primary member and the receiving replication
partners of the primary member. After a member has received all files from the primary
member, then that member will replicate files to its receiving partners as well. In this way,
replication for a new replicated folder starts from the primary member and then progresses
out to the other members of the replication group.
 When receiving files from the primary member during initial replication, the receiving
members that contain files that are not present on the primary member move those files to
their respective DfsrPrivate\PreExisting folder. If a file is identical to a file on the primary
member, the file is not replicated. If the version of a file on the receiving member is different
from the primary member’s version, the receiving member's version is moved to the Conflict
and Deleted folder and remote differential compression (RDC) can be used to download only
the changed blocks.
 To determine whether files are identical on the primary member and receiving member, DFS
Replication compares the files using a hash algorithm. If the files are identical, only minimal
metadata is transferred.
 After the initialization of the replicated folder, the "primary member" designation is removed.
Initialization takes place after all files that exist before DFS Replication picks up the
configuration are added to the DFS Replication database. The member that was previously
the primary member is then treated like any other member and its files are no longer
considered authoritative over those of other members that have completed initial replication.
Any member that has completed initial replication is considered authoritative over members
that have not completed initial replication.

Deploying DFS Replication

The tasks in this section walk you through the process of deploying DFS Replication, adding a member
to a replication group, publishing a replicated folder in a namespace, and creating a diagnostic report.

Task 1: Create a Multipurpose Replication Group and Two Replicated Folders

To enable DFS Replication, you use the New Replication Group Wizard to specify the members,
topology, and default schedule and bandwidth for the replication group. In this task,
you create a replication group named Data Distribution and two replicated folders
named Antivirus Signatures and LOB Data.

Important

When you create a new replication group, replication does not begin immediately. The topology
and DFS Replication settings must be replicated to all domain controllers, and each member in
the replication group must poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. The amount
 of time this takes depends on AD DS replication latency and each member's long polling interval
(60 minutes).
Before you enable replication, you will create two folders on one of the servers to be added to the
replication group. You will then add files to the folders.

Create folders named Antivirus Signatures and LOB Data

1. On one server, create two separate (non-overlapping) folders named Antivirus Signatures and
LOB Data.

2. Add some files to each folder, but do not exceed the recommended limits described in the
"DFS Replication scalability guidelines" topic on the Microsoft Web site
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=75043).

3. Optionally, create the same folders on the second server. You can add the same files or
different files from the primary member. If you add the same files, the files will be used for
prestaging and will not be re-replicated. If you add files that don’t exist on the primary member,
those files will be moved to the PreExisting folder on the second member. (This folder is in the
DfsrPrivate folder under the replicated folder’s local path.) If you want to observe how the primary
member's content becomes authoritative during initial replication, use updated versions of the files
you added to the primary member. These updated files will be moved to the Conflict and Deleted
folder on the non-primary members.

Next, create a replication group to replicate files between the two servers.

To create a replication group and two replicated folders

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Replication node, and
then click New Replication Group.

2. Follow the steps in the New Replication Group Wizard and supply the information in the
following table.

New Replication
Group Wizard page What to enter

Replication Group Select Multipurpose replication group.

Type

Name and Domain In Name of replication group, type Data Distribution.

Replication Group Click Add to select at least two servers that will participate in
Members replication. The servers must have the DFS Replication Service
installed.

Topology Selection Select Full mesh.

Replication Group Select Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth.

Schedule and
Bandwidth

Primary Member Select the member that has the most up-to-date content that you want
to replicate to the other member.

Folders to Replicate Click Add to enter the local path of the LOB Data folder you created
earlier on the first server. Use the name LOB Data for the replicated
folder name. Repeat this procedure and enter the local path of the
 Antivirus Signatures folder.

Local Path of LOB On this page, you specify the location of the LOB Data folder on the
Data on Other other members of the replication group. To specify the path, click Edit,
Members and then in the Edit dialog box, click Enabled, and then type the local
path of the LOB Data folder.

Local Path of On this page, you specify the location of the Antivirus Signatures folder
Antivirus Signatures on the other members of the replication group. To specify the path,
on Other Members click Edit, and then in the Edit dialog box, click Enabled, and then
type the local path of the Antivirus Signatures folder.

Review Settings and Click Create to create the replication group.

Create Replication
Group

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

Replication Delay Click OK to close the dialog box that warns you about the delay in
initial replication.

After you finish the New Replication Group Wizard, click the new replication group named Data
Distribution located under the Replication node in the console tree as shown in the following figure:

Notice the four tabs in the details pane: Memberships, Connections, Replicated Folders, and
Delegation. Each of these tabs displays different details about the selected replication group, its
members, and its replicated folders. Review the following details about each tab.

 On the Memberships tab, notice that entries on the tab are sorted by replicated folder and
that there are two replicated folders listed. For example, the rows under the Replicated
Folder: Antivirus Signatures heading are the members that host the Antivirus Signatures
replicated folder. Double-click a member to view per-member, per-replicated folder properties
on the General, Replicated Folder, Staging, and Advanced tabs. For example, on the
Advanced tab, you can view the location and size of the staging folder and Conflict and
Deleted folder on the selected member.
 On the Connections tab, two connections are listed. Each connection is a one-way
replication path, so replication between two members requires two connections that replicate
data in the opposite direction. Each connection has a schedule and other settings, such as a
check box for enabling or disabling remote differential compression (RDC). Double-click a
connection to view its settings.
 On the Replicated Folders tab, notice that two replicated folders are listed and that they
are not published in a namespace. Double-click a replicated folder to view its properties, such
as file and subfolder filters.
 On the Delegation tab, review the default users and groups granted permissions to manage
the replication group. Any users or groups shown as "Inherited" have inherited management
 permissions from AD DS, and you cannot remove them from the delegation list using the DFS
Management snap-in.

Task 2: Add a New Member to a Replication Group

In this task, you add a third server to the Data Distribution replication group and
specify where one of the two replicated folders, Antivirus Signatures, will be stored
on the new member. You'll use a new feature in DFS Replication to specify that the
LOB Data replicated folder is not replicated to the new member. You also will create
a custom schedule that applies only to the connections to and from the new member.

Important

Replication does not begin immediately on the new member. The DFS Replication settings for the
new member must be replicated to all domain controllers, and each member in the replication
group must poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. The amount of time this
takes depends on AD DS replication latency, the short polling interval (5 minutes) on the new
member, and the long polling interval (60 minutes) on existing members.
To add a new member to the Data Distribution replication group
1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Data Distribution
replication group, and then click New Member.

2. Follow the steps in the New Member Wizard and supply the information in the following
table.

New Member
Wizard page What to enter

New Member Enter the name of the server to add to the replication group. The server must
have the DFS Replication Service installed.

Connections Under Available members, click a member, and then click Add. Repeat this
step to add the second member. The new member will replicate directly with
both existing members.

Replication Select Custom connection schedule, and then click Edit Schedule. In the
Schedule Edit Schedule dialog box, click Details to expand the schedule, and then
select the entry that begins Sunday 12:00 AM and then click Edit. In the
Edit Schedule dialog box, under Bandwidth usage, click 128 Mbps.

Local Path of Select the Antivirus Signatures replicated folder, click Edit, click Enabled,
Replicated and then enter the local path of the replicated folder to be created on the
Folders new member. When you close the Edit Local Path dialog box, notice that
the LOB Data replicated folder shows <Disabled>, which means that this
replicated folder will not be replicated to the new member. Because you want
only the Antivirus Signatures folder to be replicated to the new member, you
can ignore the warning message that appears.

Review Settings Click Create to add the new member to the Data Distribution replication
and Create group.
Member

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

Replication Click OK to close the dialog box that warns you about the delay in initial
Delay replication.
After you finish the wizard, click Data Distribution in the console tree, and then review the contents
of the Connections tab. It should look similar to the following figure:

Notice that in the Schedule Type column, connections to and from the new member show Custom
Connection Schedule instead of Replication Group Schedule. These show Custom Connection
Schedule because you chose a custom schedule when you added the new member. Creating custom
schedules for individual connections enables you to fine-tune the replication interval and bandwidth
used when replicating to specific members. Although it isn’t obvious in the user interface, each
connection marked Custom Connection Schedule is a separate schedule. You can modify one
schedule marked Custom Connection Schedule, but the other custom schedules are not
affected.

Note

To change how the items are grouped, click a column heading. For example, to group the items
by schedule type, click the Schedule Type heading.
Entries marked Replication Group Schedule use the default replication schedule; this schedule is
applied to all connections in the replication group that do not have a custom schedule. To modify the
default replication schedule, right-click the Data Distribution replication group in the console tree,
click Properties, and then click Edit Schedule. To change a connection schedule from a custom
connection schedule to the replication group schedule or vice versa, on the Connections tab in the
details pane, double-click the connection, click the Schedule tab, and then click Replication group
schedule or Custom connection schedule.

Task 3: Share and Publish Replicated Folders in a Namespace

When you created replicated folders in the previous tasks, you specified the local path of a folder on
each member of the replication group. Unless the local path on each server was previously shared,
users cannot access the replicated folders after they are created. To make replicated folders available
to users, you must share them and, optionally, publish them in an existing namespace.

In this task, you publish the LOB Data replicated folder in the \\server_or_domain\Public namespace
that you created in the DFS Namespaces step-by-step section. If you did not complete the previous
step-by-step section or do not have a namespace in your test lab, skip this procedure.
To share the LOB Data replicated folder and publish it in a namespace
1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, under the Replication node, click the
Data Distribution replication group.

2. In the details pane, click the Replicated Folders tab, right-click the LOB Data replicated
folder, and then click Share and Publish in Namespace.

3. Follow the steps in the Share and Publish Replicated Folder Wizard and supply the
information in the following table.

Share and
Publish
Replicated Folder
Wizard page What to enter

Publishing Select Share and publish the replicated folder in a namespace.

Method

Share Replicated For each member that shows [Shared Folder Needed] in the Action
Folders column, select the member, and then click Edit to create the new shared
folder and adjust shared folder permissions if necessary. If the Action
column shows Create shared folder: LOB Data or Existing Shared
Folder, you can click Next.

Namespace Path In Parent folder in namespace, type \\server_or_domain\Public\

Software.

Review Settings Click Share to share the replicated folders and publish the LOB Data
and Share replicated folder in the namespace.
Replicated
Folder

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

After you finish the wizard, review the console tree and the Replicated Folders tab in the details
pane. First, notice in the console tree that an LOB Data folder was added to the namespace and the
folder icon indicates that the folder is replicated, as shown in the following figure.

Next, review the namespace path listed in the Replicated Folders tab, which should look similar to
the following figure.
You can see that the LOB Data replicated folder is published in a namespace but the Antivirus
Signatures replicated folder is not. To access the LOB Data folder in the namespace, in the Run dialog
box, type \\server_or_domain\Public\Software\LOB Data.

Note

If you want to stop publishing the LOB Data replicated folder in the namespace, you can right-
click the replicated folder and then click Remove from Namespace.
Task 4: Create a Replication Group for Collection Purposes
In this task, assume that you have a hub server in a central hub or data center location and a branch
server in a remote office. The branch server contains folders named Projects and Proposals that are
very important to the branch office, but there is a concern that the backups performed at the branch
office are performed incorrectly. You want to back up the Projects and Proposals folders from the data
center to ensure that the backups are successful.

To accomplish this goal, you will set up a replication group for data collection
purposes. This type of replication group consists of two members and one replicated
folder for each folder that you want to back up from the hub server at the data center.
The permissions that are set on the replicated folders on the branch server will be
applied to the replicated folders on the hub server. You specify a single folder on the
hub server under which subfolders for the replicated folders will be created. This
enables you to back up multiple replicated folders from a single location on the hub
server.

Important

When you create a new replication group, replication does not begin immediately. The topology
and DFS Replication settings must be replicated to all domain controllers, and each member in
the replication group must poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. The amount
of time this takes depends on AD DS replication latency and each member's long polling interval
(60 minutes).
To create a replication group to replicate the Projects and Proposals folders from a branch
server to a hub server
1. In Windows Explorer or from the command prompt, create a folder named Projects and a
folder named Proposals on a server that will act as the branch server. The folders should be
separate folders (that is, not nested in one another).

2. Add some files to the Projects and Proposals folders on the branch server.

3. In Windows Explorer or from the command prompt, create a folder named Branch_Backups
on a server that will act as the hub server. Do not put data in this folder.

4. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, right-click the Replication node, and
then click New Replication Group.
5. Follow the steps in the New Replication Group Wizard and supply the information in
following table.

New Replication Group

Wizard page What to enter

Replication Group Type Select Replication group for data collection.

Name and Domain In Name of replication group, type Branch Backups.

Branch Server Type the name of a server that will act as the branch server.

Replicated Folders Click Add. In the Add Folder to Replicate dialog box, type the
local path of the Projects folder you created in Step 1. Repeat this
step for the local path of the Proposals folder.

Hub Server Type the name of a server that will act as the hub server. This is the
server where you can back up the Projects and Proposals folders
using backup software.

Target Folder on Hub In Target folder, type the path of the folder you created in Step 3.
Server

Replication Group Select Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth.

Schedule and
Bandwidth

Review Settings and Click Create to create the replication group.

Create Replication
Group.

Confirmation Click Close to close the wizard.

Replication Delay Click OK to close the dialog box that warns you about the delay in
initial replication.

After you finish the wizard, click the Branch Backups replication group in the console tree and view
the Memberships tab in the details pane. Notice that two replicated folders were created, Projects
and Proposals, as shown in the following figure:

In the previous figure, notice that the path of the Projects and Proposals replicated folders on server
BO-08 (the hub server) are both within the C:\Branch_Backups folder. This enables you to back up both
replicated folders from a single location on the hub.
Task 5: Create a Diagnostic Report
In this task, you create a diagnostic report to check the status of replication. The type of diagnostic
report you create in this task is a health report. The health report is an .html file that shows the health
of replication and replication efficiency. This report includes error and warning events, replication
statistics, backlogged files, and so forth for each member of the replication group.

To create a diagnostic report

1. In the console tree of the DFS Management snap-in, under the Replication node, right-click
the Branch Backups replication group, and then click Create Diagnostic Report.

2. Follow the steps in the Diagnostic Report Wizard and supply the information in the following
table.

Diagnostic Report
Wizard page What to enter

Type of Accept the defaults.

Diagnostic Report
or Test

Path and Name Accept the defaults.

Members to Accept the defaults.

Include

Options Ensure that Yes, count backlogged files in this report is selected,
select the server that has the most up-to-date files from Reference
Member, and then select the Count the replicated files and their
sizes on each member check box.

Review Settings Click Create to create the diagnostic report.

and Create Report

Confirmation The wizard closes automatically, and the diagnostic report appears.

Review the health report created for the Branch Backups replication group. In particular, take a look at
the following sections:

 Note the DFS Replication bandwidth savings. This savings will change over time as files are
added and changed.
 Review any errors or warnings, if any, for the members. These are typically event log errors
that appear in the member's respective DFS Replication event log.
 In the informational section for each member, review the replicated folder status (the status
will be "Normal" after initial replication is complete) and other information. Notice that the
primary member will show different statistics from the non-primary member; this is because
data originated from the primary member and replicated to the non-primary member during
initial replication.

The Diagnostic Report Wizard creates the health report by default. Note that you can also set the
wizard to perform the following operations:

 Run a propagation test.

 Create a propagation report.

A propagation test measures replication progress by creating a test file in a replicated folder. A
propagation report provides information about the replication progress for the test file created during
a propagation test.