10 DFS Namespace Best Practices

DFS Namespaces is a feature of Windows Server that allows you to group shared folders located on different servers into one or more logically organized namespaces. This allows users to access the files in the namespace as if they were all located on a single server.

DFS Namespaces is a powerful tool that can simplify the management of shared files in a large organization. However, there are some best practices that you should follow when using DFS Namespaces. In this article, we will discuss 10 of those best practices.

1. Use a single namespace for all DFS namespaces

When you use a single namespace for all DFS namespaces, it’s much easier to manage and keep track of your DFS environment. All of your DFS namespaces will be in one place, making it easy to find the information you need and make changes when necessary.

Additionally, using a single namespace makes it easier to replicate your DFS environment. If you have multiple namespaces, you’ll need to set up replication for each namespace separately. This can be time-consuming and difficult to manage.

Finally, using a single namespace can help improve performance. When you have multiple namespaces, each namespace must be queried separately, which can add latency. By using a single namespace, you can avoid this issue.

2. Create multiple folders in the same domain-based namespace

When you create multiple folders in the same domain-based namespace, you increase the availability of the namespace. If one folder becomes unavailable, the other folders can still be accessed. This is because each folder is hosted on a different server.

Additionally, creating multiple folders in the same domain-based namespace also increases performance. This is because clients will be able to connect to the nearest server that hosts a replica of the namespace.

Finally, by creating multiple folders in the same domain-based namespace, you can also improve security. This is because each folder can have its own security settings.

3. Do not use stand-alone DFS namespaces

When you create a stand-alone DFS namespace, it is not replicated. This means that if the server hosting the namespace goes down, the namespace will be unavailable until the server is back up and running.

If you have critical data that needs to be available at all times, you cannot afford to have your namespace go down. For this reason, it is important to use only replicated DFS namespaces.

Replicated DFS namespaces are hosted on multiple servers, so if one server goes down, the namespace will still be available on the other servers. This ensures that your data is always available, even if one of the servers hosting the namespace is down.

4. Use Windows Server 2008 mode for domain-based namespaces

When you use Windows Server 2008 mode, the DFS namespace is hosted on a domain controller. This has several advantages, including:

– The DFS namespace is replicated to all domain controllers in the domain, which provides redundancy and high availability.

– You can use Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) security features to control access to the namespace.

– The DFS namespace is integrated with other AD DS features, such as group policy.

5. Use targets with different priorities to provide fault tolerance and load balancing

If you have a namespace with only one target, and that target goes down for some reason, your namespace will be unavailable until the target comes back up. However, if you have multiple targets with different priorities, then DFS will automatically fail over to the next highest priority target if the first target is unavailable.

This not only provides fault tolerance, but also allows for load balancing between the targets. For example, if Target 1 is at 50% capacity and Target 2 is at 100% capacity, DFS will automatically route new requests to Target 2.

To configure targets with different priorities, simply right-click on the target in the DFS Management console and select Properties. Then, on the General tab, you can set the Priority of the target.

6. Set up redundant servers for each target

If a client attempts to access a target that is unavailable, the DFS namespace will direct the client to another server that has a replica of the target. This ensures that the client can always access the data they need, even if one of the servers is down.

Having redundant servers also allows you to update the targets without taking the namespace offline. For example, you can add or remove targets from a server while the other servers are still online and serving clients.

Finally, setting up redundant servers provides a measure of protection against data loss. If one of the servers goes down, the data is still available on the other servers.

7. Use site awareness to improve performance

When a user accesses a file on a DFS namespace, the DFS client will try to connect to a server in the same site as the user first. If that fails, it will try to connect to a server in another site. By using site awareness, you can ensure that users always connect to a server in their own site first, which will improve performance and reduce network traffic.

To configure site awareness, you need to create a site topology with the Active Directory Sites and Services snap-in. Once you’ve done that, you can add servers to sites and configure the namespace to use those sites.

8. Use referral caching on clients

When a user accesses a DFS namespace, the client will contact a domain controller to resolve the target path. The domain controller will then return a list of referrals, which are IP addresses of servers that host the requested data. The client will then connect to one of these servers and cache the referral for future use.

If referral caching is not used, the client will need to contact the domain controller every time it wants to access data in the namespace, which can lead to significant performance issues. By using referral caching, the client can quickly resolve the target path without needing to contact the domain controller each time.

9. Enable access-based enumeration (ABE)

ABE limits the visibility of files and folders in a namespace to only those users who have permissions to access them. This means that users will only see the files and folders that they have permission to access, and they won’t be able to see anything else.

This is important because it helps to prevent sensitive data from being leaked. If a user does not have permission to access a file or folder, they shouldn’t be able to see it. By enabling ABE, you can help to ensure that only the people who are supposed to see certain files and folders actually do see them.

To enable ABE, you need to edit the properties of the namespace. In the Advanced Settings section, there is an option for Enable access-based enumeration. Simply select this option and click OK.

10. Configure folder targets as read-only if possible

When a user attempts to open a file or folder that is located on a read-only folder target, the DFS namespace server will direct the user to another replica that is configured as read/write. This ensures that the user always has write access to the files and folders they need, while still providing some level of protection for the data.

Configuring folder targets as read-only also helps to prevent accidental deletion or modification of critical data. If a user accidentally deletes a file from a read/write folder target, there is no way to recover the data unless it is stored in another location. However, if the data is stored on a read-only folder target, it can be recovered from the other replicas.

There are some situations where it is not possible to configure a folder target as read-only, such as when the data needs to be updated frequently or when users need to be able to save changes locally. In these cases, it is important to have a robust backup and recovery plan in place to protect the data.