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This manual describes how to configure DFS information replication in the Active Directory domain on servers running Windows Server 2016.

There are two types of Distributed File System (DFS):

1. Namespace DFS — DFS allows you to create virtual directory trees that unite shared folders across the corporate network. It is possible to configure multiple DFS namespaces. It uses simplified user access to geographically distributed files;
2. Replication DFS — creates a replicated shared binder and tracks changes in files.

Installing DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication Roles on Windows Server 2016

Permit's install the DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication roles on the two servers running Windows Server 2016 between which the replication will exist configured.

Utilize the DFS Management console (dfsmgmt.msc) to create a new DFS namespace.
You can create a domain-based namespace or stand-alone namespace.

• Domain-based namespace — namespace integrated into the AD. Allows you to hide the DFS namespace server name from the users, simplifies the replacement of the namespace server as well every bit transfer the namespace to some other server;
• Stand up-alone namespace — allows y'all to create DFS structures without using Agile Directory Domain Services (Advertising DS) even in a workgroup. The high availability of the namespace can be achieved using a failover cluster.

Create a new folder in the new namespace. Make certain that the new directory is accessible over the network past the UNC path dfs\namespacename\foldername (in our instance it is contoso.com\public\shareddocs).

Configuring DFS Replication Betwixt 2 Servers Running Windows Server 2016

Now you tin configure DFS replication. DFS Replication allows y'all to synchronize directories with files (replicated folders) betwixt servers that are office of a DFS replication group. The servers within the DFS replication group are continued to each other using DFS connections.

Changes are replicated using the Remote Differential Compression Algorithm (RDC). Only the changed parts of the files are replicated. DFS replication is performed asynchronously, i.eastward. at a specific point in time, sources may not be consequent.

It is necessary to distinguish betwixt simple FRS replication (File Replication Service) and DFSR (Distributed File System Replication). DFSR appeared in Windows Server 2008, and it became possible to utilise differential compression when performing some changes in the file, just not the entire file, is transferred over the network. In FRS replication, the entire file is copied.

Note. You tin can migrate Agile Directory replication from FRT to DFS.

DFS replication is advantageous to use folders between remote branches over slow WAN links for replicating.

When communication between replication partners is lost, replication stops. Afterwards the network is restored, replication will go on.

A replication group is a gear up of servers (members) that participate in the replication of one or more folders.

DFS replication organization requirements:

• DFS Replication must be installed on all servers in the replication group;
• Servers in the replication group must be in the same AD forest;
• Active Directory forest schema version at to the lowest degree Windows Server 2003 R2, domain functional level — at least Windows Server 2008;
• Replicated directories must be located on volumes with the NTFS file system. ReFS, FAT, and Cluster Shared Volumes are non supported;
• Anti-virus on DFS servers must be uniform with DFS replication engineering, or yous must add replicated directories to the antivirus exceptions.

Before configuring replication, yous need to add together a network shared binder on the 2d DFS server. Open the DFS Management console, select the desired namespace, and select Add Binder Target from the context menu.

Enter the proper name of the shared folder and click OK (in our example it is \\HOST2\DFS\ShareDocs).

You volition be prompted to create a new replication group. Click Yes.

Tip. If yous clicked No, then in the DFS management panel right-click on the Replication section and select the New Replication Group to create a new replication group.

In the DFS Replication Configuration Magician, you need to verify the name of the replication grouping and the directory you want to replicate.

Check the paths to the shared folders on the servers.

Select the master member node on which the initial information is stored and from which initial replication will be performed.

As a rule, Full mesh is selected as the replication topology. In this topology, all changes on one node are immediately replicated to all the others.

It remains to adjust the schedule and bandwidth that can be used to replicate data. Check the settings and click Create.

A bulletin should appear subsequently the successful creation of a new replication group.

This completes the configuration of the DFS distributed file organization and information replication in it.

Effort creating a new file in the shared folder on one of the member servers. If the file size is very large, its replication can have several hours or even days, depending on the bandwidth of the communication channel betwixt DFS servers and the DFS replication settings.

If 2 users simultaneously edit (or create) the same file, then DFS replicates the version of the file that was changed (created) last. An earlier version of the file is stored in DfsrPrivate\ConflictandDeleted directory on the server that resolves the DFS replication conflict. In this case, an entry about the disharmonize that has occurred appears in the ConflictandDeletedManifest.xml file.

Tweaking DFS Replication

Later on creating a DFS replication group, you tin change various settings to provide improve performance.

In the DFS Management panel, expand the Replication section, which contains all the replication groups.

Select the replication group yous created. In the right window y'all will see 4 tabs:

• Membership — this is a list of network folders between which data is replicated;
• Connections — describes the topology of relationships betwixt DFS replication partners;
• Replicated Folders — DFS folder settings;
• Delegation — replication group permissions.

On the Membership tab, note the Staging Quota value—4 GB. What it is? When replicating, the DFS service uses intermediate subconscious folders that store modified files which are need to be transferred to replication partners. These files are stored in a local folder DfsrPrivate\Staging on each server.

On the Membership tab, open the properties of whatever folder and go to the Staging tab. Equally you can encounter, hither you specify the path to the Staging folder and its maximum size (Quota). The default is 4 GB. In large infrastructures, it is desirable to increment the quota size to increment the performance of the DFS file replication service.

Microsoft recommends this quota should exist non less than the full size of the 32 largest files in the replication directory. The total size of the 32 largest files in the directory tin can be obtained using the following PowerShell command:

Become-ChildItem C:\SharedDOCS -recurse –forcefulness | Sort-Object length -descending | select-object -first 32 | mensurate-object -property length -sum).sum /1gb

If the staging quota for the DFS server is insufficient, events with EventID 4208 volition often be recorded in the effect log. In this case, it is recommended to increase the staging quota size by 20%.

Tip. Some admins believe that a file that is larger than the quota on the Staging folder cannot be replicated via DFS. This is non true. Such file can also exist replicated commonly, but the replication process will take place in several stages (the file volition be cutting into several parts and transferred in parts), which will somewhat slow down the process.

On the Advanced tab, you lot tin specify whether to save the files deleted past users in the ConflictandDeleted binder (it is very convenient to restore) and the quota for this folder (by default, it is also 4 GB).

To switch the DFS directory on a specific server to read-but manner, click the directory and select Brand read-only. Every bit a result, users won't be able to edit or create files in this directory.

On the Connection tab, you tin temporarily suspend replication to one of the servers in the DFS replication grouping (Disable), or get-go forced replication (Replication Now).

On the Replication Folders tab open the properties of any binder. The File filter field contains a listing of file extensions that are not replicated betwixt DFS servers. The default file extensions are .bak, and .tmp. You can add other types of file extensions that don't need to be replicated, for example, video (*.avi, *.mpeg), audio (*.mp3, *.wav), image files (*.iso, *.wim), or other file types.

Y'all can command the bandwidth throttling for DFS replication between remote sites. This is useful when offices are connected by tedious WAN links and you don't want them to exist completely loaded past the DFS replication traffic.

For case, the bandwidth of a WAN channel betwixt two sites is x MB. Y'all want to limit DFS to half-dozen megabits during business hours and to unlimited for the rest of the time.

Click on the Connections tab > right click on the replication connection and select Backdrop > go to the Schedule tab > Select the "Custom Connection Schedule…" > Edit Schedule > Details.

Here you tin can set a limit on the maximum channel usage past DFS replication traffic for different days of the week and daytime:

• Mon – Friday from viii:00 AM to v:00 PM — 6 Mb;
• Dominicus, Sat, and Mo-Fri night — Full bandwidth.

To diagnose DFS replication, yous can apply organization event logs, as well as the electric current (%windir%\debug\DFSR*.log) and archive DFSR replication log (%windir%\debug\DFSR*.log.gz).

Data about DFS replication settings on the server can be obtained using the PowerShell cmdlet Get-DFSRConnection.

Common DFS Replication Errors

Let'south consider the almost common DFS replication errors and their solutions.

DFS Does Non Replicate Some Files

If yous found that DFS Replication is non copying some files, check if they have the Temporary attribute ready (0x120).

You can detect such files and remove the 0x120 attribute using the post-obit PowerShell script:

Become-ChildItem C:\DFS\DOCS -recurse | ForEach-Object -procedure {if (($_.attributes -ring 0x100) -eq 0x100) {$_.attributes = ($_.attributes -band 0xFEFF)}}

DFS Replication Error 4012

If an error code 4012 appears when you trying to commencement DFS replication, this means that the replication has not been performed for also long.

The DFS Replication service stopped replication on the folder with the following local path: C:\path. This server has been disconnected from other partners for seventy days, which is longer than the time allowed by the MaxOfflineTimeInDays parameter (lx). DFS Replication considers the information in this folder to be dried, and this server volition not replicate the folder until this error is corrected.

You lot can increment this flow from 60 days (default) to 120 using PowerShell:

1. Bank check the current value of MaxOfflineTimeInDays:

   Get-WmiObject -Namespace root\microsoftdfs -Class DfsMachineConfig | fl MaxOfflineTimeInDays

2. Increase information technology upward to 120 days:

   Prepare-WmiInstance -Namespace root\microsoftdfs -Class DfsMachineConfig -Arguments @{MaxOfflineTimeInDays=120}

3. Restart DFS Services.

DFS Replication Fault 2104

If replication fails, with the event ID 2104 fault:

The DFS Replication service failed to recover from an internal database mistake on volume D:\. Replication has been stopped for all replicated folders on this volume.

In this case, yous demand to gear up the broken DFS database. Follow these steps:

1. Disable grouping replication (DFS Management > Replication > Replication group > Connections);
2. Create and run the following .bat script with ambassador permissions:

   set DFS_DRIVE=E:  net stop dfsr  %DFS_DRIVE%  icacls "%DFS_DRIVE%\System Book Information" /grant "Domain Admins":F  cd "%DFS_DRIVE%\System Volume Information"  motility DFSR %DFS_DRIVE%\DFSR_backup  cd ..  icacls "%DFS_DRIVE%\System Volume Data" /remove:g "Domain Admins"  cyberspace showtime dfsr  dfsrdiag PollAD /Fellow member:%userdomain%\%computername%

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Source: https://theitbros.com/configure-dfs-replication-windows-server-2016/