Mirror \\server1\data to \\server2\data

[RobBentley]

We have two servers named \\server1 and \\server2 which are in two seperate building on our site linked via a 1Gbps Ethernet connection.

Server1 is a domain controller and is our primary server used to authenticate all users, print, roaming profiles, dhcp, dns - the works!

Server2 is a domain controller with no file shares etc. We leave it in the other building purely for if the first crashes. We can quickly have a copy of active directory, bang the shares onto this server & have a working network again.

I am looking for a way to mirror the contents of a drive with its folders (etc) to the second server. For example the entire of \\server1\d$ mirror to \\server2\d$ so we don't need to restore from backups - we already have a working copy of everything.

Robert Bentley

SynergyworksHosting.co.uk
"reliable services at realistic prices

 

[mrdenny]

DFS can do this for you. You can also use RoboCopy to copy everything across.

Denny

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

 

[RobBentley]

I remember DFS from Windows 2000. You could only have 1 DFS root which made things hard. Is there anyway to have multiple DFS roots on Windows Server 2003?

Also, how does it determine syncronisation. Is it "when it feels like"... "scheduled"... or "on access".


Robert Bentley

SynergyworksHosting.co.uk
"reliable services at realistic prices

 

[mrdenny]

I'm not to up on DFS, I just know that it's supose to be able to do stuff like this which is why I also mentioned robocopy.

Robocopy can be scheduled to sync the folders up when ever you want via scheduled task. You can google for it, or get it from the resource kit. Theres a bunch of switches one of which is mirror folder so something like that. The basic idea of that switch is take the folder on server1 and copy it to server2. When ever there is a change to either side copy that change to the other side.

Denny

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

 

[mlichstein]

Yes you can have multiple DFS roots in 2003. I'm not sure why you would need different roots, since it is usually easier to have links under a single root, but the capability is there.

Also realize that DFS has nothing to do with replication. FRS is what replicates files. After the initial sync, files are replicated as they change. After a change is committed, FRS waits a few seconds to make sure there aren't going to be any more changes and then it starts the replication process.

Keep in mind that FRS will replicate the entire file when a change is made. So if you have a one gig file and you change the name of that file, the entire one gig will be replicated.