Moving a file server share

[pgaliardo]

We need to move our main file server share and I am looking for the most painless way to do this. We currently have our main shares on a single Windows 2003 Server. We are not using DFS, which I regret now because I think it would have simplified this.

Anyway on the file server which is FS1, we have our main share which is simply called "E". There are several subfolders under this including user folders and folders necessary to run certain applications.

I am moving this share to a file share created on a cluster. I already followed Microsoft's directions on creating a file share on a cluster. I have created a test folder on the cluster and I am able to access it via \\share1\e. Share1 is the Network Name Resource. My plan is:

Use Robocopy to move all folders and files from \\fs1\e to \\share1\e.
Rename FS1 after all files are copied
Change the IP address of FS1
Rename share1 to fs1 on the cluster.
Give the Network Address resource on the cluster share the IP Address of the old FS1 server.
I want to do this so that we don't have to change any GPO's or custom programs that reference the old FS1 or the old IP address.
Can anyone point out some "gotchas" or potential problems they see with this scenario.

Thanks.

 

[58sniper]

Robocopy should do a fair job of copying the data along with NTFS rights. I'd create the share ahead of time, with the correct name.

As for the cluster aspect of it, I'll have to defer to the cluster guys here.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
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[kevadept4]

Hi,

The plan in its self is a fairly good one. There is a question that needs asnwering for me on the cluster side. 1, how do you clients connect to the existing share? Is it UNC \\servername\sharename\ or is it UNC \\ipaddress\sharename? If it is the 1st one you will need to rename the FS1 server name and change the cluster virtual server name to the old server name. You may have to remove the original from you AD computers section as this could cause a computer name resource conflict.

When this is done with the rest of the system changes you made (if you do what I said above you shouldn't have to change the virtual IP address in the cluster) this should then work with the new cluster. Some of my information may need to be checked as I have built 4 clusters in the past but not in an AD environment.

Hope this helps.

Kev (Adept4)

 

[pgaliardo]

Thanks Kev. We do connect via \\servername\sharename. I'll take your advice into consideration and let you know how it goes.

Thanks.

 

[kevadept4]

You are welcome. Good Luck

Kev (Adept4)