10 Windows 2019 File Server Best Practices

Windows 2019 File Server is a powerful tool for managing and sharing files in an organization. It provides a secure and reliable platform for storing and sharing data. However, it is important to follow best practices when setting up and managing a Windows 2019 File Server.

This article will discuss 10 best practices for setting up and managing a Windows 2019 File Server. These best practices will help ensure that your file server is secure, reliable, and efficient.

1. Use ReFS for Hyper-V VMs

ReFS (Resilient File System) is a new file system that was introduced in Windows Server 2012 and has been improved upon since then. It offers several advantages over NTFS, such as better scalability, faster performance, and more robust data protection.

ReFS also provides built-in support for Hyper-V VMs, which means it can detect corruption within the VM files and automatically repair them without any user intervention. This makes ReFS an ideal choice for hosting virtual machines on your Windows 2019 file server.

2. Enable BranchCache on your File Servers

BranchCache is a feature that allows clients to cache files from the file server locally, so they don’t have to download them over the network every time. This can significantly reduce bandwidth usage and improve performance for remote users who access the same files frequently.

To enable BranchCache on your Windows 2019 File Server, open the Server Manager console and navigate to Local Server > Properties. Under the “BranchCache” section, select “Enable BranchCache” and click “Apply”. Once enabled, you can configure additional settings such as caching mode (hosted or distributed) and data encryption.

3. Disable SMB 1.0 and use SMB 3.1.1 instead

SMB 1.0 is an outdated protocol that has been known to be vulnerable to security threats, such as the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017. SMB 3.1.1 is a much more secure version of the protocol and should be used instead. It also offers improved performance over SMB 1.0, making it ideal for file servers.

To disable SMB 1.0 on Windows 2019, open the Server Manager console and navigate to Local Server > Properties. From there, uncheck the box next to “Enable insecure guest logons” and click OK. This will disable SMB 1.0 and enable SMB 3.1.1.

4. Use Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) to build a Scale-Out File Server

S2D is a feature of Windows Server 2019 that allows you to create a highly available, fault-tolerant file server using local storage. It provides the ability to scale out your file server by adding additional nodes and disks as needed. This makes it ideal for organizations with large amounts of data or those who need to quickly expand their storage capacity.

Additionally, S2D can be used in conjunction with other features such as Storage Replica and Data Deduplication to further improve performance and reduce costs. With these features, you can ensure that your data is always safe and secure while also reducing the amount of disk space required to store it.

5. Don’t host User Profile Disks on the same server as the RD Session Hosts

User Profile Disks are used to store user profiles and settings, which can be quite large. If these disks are stored on the same server as the RD Session Hosts, it can cause performance issues due to disk contention. This is because both the User Profile Disk and the RD Session Hosts will be competing for resources from the same physical disk.

To avoid this issue, it’s best practice to host the User Profile Disks on a separate file server or storage device. This way, the RD Session Hosts have exclusive access to their own dedicated disk, ensuring optimal performance.

6. Create multiple file shares per volume

When you create multiple file shares per volume, it allows for better performance and scalability. This is because each share can be configured with its own security settings, quotas, and other features. It also makes it easier to manage the server since each share can be managed separately. Additionally, if one of the shares becomes corrupted or needs to be restored, only that particular share will need to be recovered instead of the entire volume.

7. Use BitLocker Drive Encryption

BitLocker is a built-in encryption feature that helps protect data stored on the server from unauthorized access. It encrypts all of the files and folders stored on the drive, making it much more difficult for hackers to gain access to sensitive information.

BitLocker also provides additional security benefits such as preventing malicious software from running on the system, protecting against physical theft of the hard drive, and providing an audit trail of who accessed what files. All in all, BitLocker is an essential tool for keeping your Windows 2019 file servers secure.

8. Configure Deduplication

Deduplication is a process that reduces the amount of storage space needed to store data by eliminating redundant copies of files. This means that if you have multiple copies of the same file, deduplication will only keep one copy and delete the rest.

This can be especially useful for large organizations with lots of users who are all storing similar files on their servers. By configuring deduplication, you can save a lot of disk space and reduce your overall storage costs. To configure deduplication in Windows 2019, open Server Manager, select File and Storage Services, then click on Data Deduplication. From there, you can enable deduplication and set up schedules for when it should run.

9. Configure Volume Shadow Copy Service

Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) is a Windows service that allows you to create point-in-time copies of files and folders. This can be used for backup purposes, or to restore data in the event of accidental deletion or corruption.

To configure VSS on your file server, open the Services console and locate Volume Shadow Copy. Right-click it and select Properties. On the General tab, set the Startup type to Automatic and click Start. Then, go to the Settings tab and make sure the Maximum shadow copy storage space setting is set to an appropriate value. Finally, click OK to save your changes.

10. Implement Distributed File System Namespaces

Distributed File System Namespaces (DFSN) is a feature of Windows Server 2019 that allows you to create multiple file shares on different servers and then combine them into one unified namespace. This makes it easier for users to access files from any server in the network, as they only need to remember one path instead of multiple paths. It also helps with scalability, as you can add more servers to the DFSN without having to reconfigure user permissions or change the way users access their data. Finally, it provides redundancy, as if one server goes down, users will still be able to access their data from another server in the DFSN.