How to set up DFS Share

Distributed File System (DFS) Share is a network file share provided by Microsoft DFS technology. DFS enables organizations to organize distributed file shares into a logical namespace, making it easier for users to access files across multiple servers and locations.

With DFS, administrators can create a hierarchical file system structure that appears as a single directory tree to users. This structure can span multiple servers and locations, providing fault tolerance and load balancing by distributing file access.

How to configure a DFS Share on the network

• Enabling the server
• Configuring DFS Namespaces

Enabling the server

1. Launch the Server Manager, then navigate to Manage > Add Roles and Features. This will open the Add Roles and Features Wizard.
2. Click Next to begin the setup.
3. Choose Role-based or feature-based installation and click Next.

   

4. Choose Select a server from the server pool.
5. In the next section, under File and Storage Services:
   • Ensure that DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication are both checked on the primary server.
   • When checking DFS Namespaces, a pop-up will appear asking if you want to add features.
   • Click Add Features.

   

6. Click Next twice and click Install.

To configure site two, follow all the steps for site one, except for step five under Server Roles. In step five, only select DFS Replication and click Add Features. There is no need to choose DFS Namespaces.

Configuring DFS Namespaces

The next step in setting up DFS on Windows Server is to create your namespaces. Namespaces are the names we give to the shared folders that we are replicating. Here is how to set them up:

1. Navigate to Tools > DFS Management.

   

2. In the left panel, right-click Namespaces and click New Namespace.

   

3. Enter the server name and click Next.

   

4. Enter the name of the server that will host the namespace.
5. You can choose to edit the local path of the shared folder.

   

6. Select either Domain-based namespace or Stand-alone namespace, and click Next.

   

7. Finally, a summary will appear. Click Create to complete the configuration of your new namespace.

Steps to configure DFS Namespaces in ADManager Plus

In ADManager Plus, you can effortlessly configure and manage DFS Namespaces from a single console.

1. Log in to ADManager Plus and navigate to the Management tab.
2. In the left pane, click File Server Management.
3. Under Configuration, click Manage DFS Namespaces.
4. On the page that opens, click Add DFS Namespaces. A pop-up will then display the namespaces in your domain.
5. Select the namespaces that you would like to manage using ADManager Plus and click OK.

In addition to efficiently managing DFS file server permissions, ADManager Plus also facilitates the management of NTFS and Share permissions. It also offers predefined reports for viewing, analyzing, and modifying file and folder permissions as needed.