DFS and Sites/Subnets

[Ziek]

Does anybody have any knowledge on best ways to design DFS solutions for
branch environments that do not have their own Domain Controllers, but would
like to have local DFS servers?

 

[Jorge_de_Almeida_Pinto]

Does anybody have any knowledge on best ways to design DFS
solutions for
branch environments that do not have their own Domain
Controllers, but would
like to have local DFS servers?

DFS is also a site-aware service

So in your case you could place DFS replica’s in your branch offices.
To sure the local DFS replica’s are used by the local clients you need
to create an AD site for each branch office and assign the local
subnets to it.
Remember that DFS clients still need to locate a DC to find the DFS
root server(s) and after that the DFS link replica’s.
W2K DCs use the DFS object stored in AD to assign the DFS root servers
and DFS links replica’s and W2K3 DCs used the site structure in AD to
find the DFS root servers and DFS link replica’s.

For more info check "How DFS Works"
(http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pr...Ref/a9096e88-1634-4da6-b820-537341d34906.mspx)

Remember that are changes in W2K3 SP1 concering DFS. See "Changes to
Functionality in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1"
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...54-8CE3-46E2-B1B6-3659B92B2CDE&displaylang=en)

Hope this helps
Cheers,