File Replication

[narineh]

Our network consists of two sites. Server1 is in Site1.
Server2 is in site2. I would like to have all files on
Server1 D drive to be replicated over to Server2 D drive.
Is there a way to do this? Keep in mind all replication
is working in these sites, they can communicate, and
active directory is being replicated.

Thank you for your help.
Narine

 

[SelbyGlenn]

There's several ways but which type you use depends on several things. Does the data have to be identical and in sync on both servers at all times. Are users likely to open the same files on different sites at the same time? Or can the data be replicated once every night?

Glenn
BEng A+ MCSE CCA

 

[narineh]

Thank you for your reply

Does the data have to be identical and in sync on both servers at all times? Yes

Are users likely to open the same files on different sites at the same time? Yes

Or can the data be replicated once every night? No

Looking forward to hearing from you

 

[SelbyGlenn]

Well that makes life a bit more complicated and the solution a lot more expensive!

I don't know if you can use cluster servers across a WAN as I know very litte about clustering. Are there a lot of users accessing the data on both sites or more on one. I have an application at head office which is accessed by several smaller sites using Citrix. It can be expensive but it's very reliable. It works over a very small bandwidth and you don't need to worry about replication. All the data remains central which also makes backing up easier. Have you looked at a Citrix solution? Glenn
BEng A+ MCSE CCA

 

[SgtB]

How fast is your WAN link? If its fast enough to be replicating these files in real time, then it should be fast enough just to share one of the drives (or whatever you need to share). People from server2 would just access server1 when they need to access a file. If file is in use then it'll tell them. That way no replication conflicts.

Setting up a cluster over a WAN link sounds like a bad idea to me, but I'm no expert on clutering either.

Just an idea.

 

[beezee28]

What about setting up a VPN connection and use Terminal services. That would be better and more secure.

Just a thought.

 

[brontosaurus]

You can take the whole notion of clustering over a WAN right off the table....
If I may add another suggestion, how about DFS?

 

[narineh]

Thanks for the reply friends,

Actually both your ideas are great and the traditional way of which most folks use. The users are currently using a DSL connection to get to us, and using Terminal Services. What we want to do which is the non-traditional way, is make and exact duplicate of the D drive of Server1 and put it on Server2. Then sync them and have them replicate whenever something changes in either office. Now if we don't have to make a exact duplicate and we can figure a way out to have Drive D on Server1 replicate itself to Drive D on Server2 then it would be great. They should be identical and sync with each other since it was duplicated by the Replication System.

 

[narineh]

DFS was one of the strategies we thought about. But no one really answered my previous post regarding it, perhaps I was asking the wrong questions, as I have limited knowledge on DFS.

But BrontoSaurus,

How can I utilize DFS to do this for me?

 

[narineh]

Currently our setup is a VPN connection from one site to the other. We are using a Linksys BEFVP41 Router. and they are using Terminal Services, but we want to eliminate that, as its extremely slow for them.

 

[brontosaurus]

go here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/default.asp

go to Products and Technologies\Windows 2000 Server\How-To Resources\Step By Step Guide to Distributed File System

 

[gwinn7]

DFS will not work for this situation. Narineh is asking how to replicate server data across a WAN link.

DFS only replicates its directory share structure to other servers across the WAN.

Oversimplified Example:

Shares
\\Server1\Share1 (chicago server)
\\Server2\Share2 (san francisco server)

\\DFS\Share (contains...)
\Share1
\Share2

DFS is only a virtual folder list pointing to other shares located at various locations.

What Narineh is looking for is data replication. This means...

\\Server1\MyFolder\File1.txt

will be identical to...

\\Server2\MyFolder\File1.txt

I know there are third party tools that do this, but can Windows do this natively? If so, please explain in some detail.

Gary
gwinn7
A+, Network+

 

[GlenJohnson]

That's one of the things I like about this Forum, you find great challenges. Aren't you afraid of network speed? DSL is nice, but if your wanting EVERYTHING to be identical at all times, your traffic is going to be ungodly. If I may be nosy, how many users, and why the need for exact info at all times. Sometimes, solutions just aren't there. Glen A. Johnson
Microsoft Certified Professional
glen@nellsgiftbox.com


"What really happens is trivial in comparison to what could occur."
Robert von Musil (1880-1942); Austrian author.

 

[brontosaurus]

Actually, DFS can be set to replicate the contents of a Root Share to any child share. You just have to make a few extra config changes in the DFS manager. I've done it on my networks, so this is actual experience talking, not a book. Although, the replication only occurs every 15 minutes by default, and I've yet to figure out how to change this...so if you need "real time" replication narineh, this may not be your solution. I'm only offering it up as an alternative...

 

[gwinn7]

So, DFS can replicate data. Great! What special configurations need to be made then?

Gary
gwinn7
A+, Network+

 

[narineh]

Thanks for all the replies

Bronto,

Can you elaborate on the DFS replication. I have setup DFS and have not gotten the success your mentioning. I created a DFS Root which was hosted on Server1. It is the D:\Data Share on Server1. After that I really don't know what to do. I know the DFS Root Replicates to all the Domain Controllers which it did. But I need it to replicate specifically to Server2 the Data Folder Files. Therefore, making the access to the files local in Site2 for Server2 and speeding up the data access.

Thanks for all the help so far, looking forward to your posts Friends.

 

[brontosaurus]

I don't have the steps written down, but the basics are:

1) Create Domain DFS Root
2) Create a New Root Replica (right click on the Domain Root)
3) Edit Replication Policy (again, right click on the Domain Root)
4) ENABLE Replication on both the Domain Root and Replica

Existing Files will not replicate, but any new files will. So, you may want to create a whole new share for the Domain Root, and then copy all your data to it in order to activate replication for existing files....

 

[SelbyGlenn]

Check out Microsofts article Q273594. This tells you how to setup NTFRS using DFS. It's using a RIS server image as an example.

Have fun! Glenn
BEng A+ MCSE CCA

 

[brontosaurus]

excellent Glenn, I knew there had to be a way to adjust the schedule. Thanks for the pick-me-up!

 

[narineh]

Now let me ask you some newbie questions hehe.

When creating the DFS Root, do it on Server1? This is the server with the files to be replicated to Server2.

When creating the DFS Root Replica, should I do this on Server2? This is the server that I want everything replicated too.

Also do I copy whatever I want replicated over to Server2, or the replication process will copy all the files over the network? I am gonna let it run over the weekend.

Thanks for all your help so far friends.
Narine
MCSE, MCP, Network +