Chapter 4: Configuring DFS File Sharing

In enterprise environments, file sharing and storage management are critical tasks. In this chapter, we will use the Distributed File System (DFS) feature to configure namespaces and replication on DC01 and DC02, enabling a highly available file sharing service.

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Install DFS Role (on both DC01 and DC02)

1. Open Server Manager -> Add Roles and Features
   On the Server Roles page, check the following two options:
   • DFS Namespaces
   • DFS Replication

   Click Add Features, then click Next

   

2. Proceed to the Confirmation panel and click Install to begin installation

   

3. After installation completes, click Close to finish the process

   

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Configure DFS Namespace

1. On DC01, open Server Manager -> Tools -> DFS Management
   Right-click on Namespaces on the left and select New Namespace

   

2. In the New Namespace Wizard, select DC01 as the host server and click Next

   

3. Enter a namespace name such as bread-makers DFS
   Click Edit Settings to specify the physical path on the server (default is C:\DFSRoots\Namespace Name)
   Choose share permissions based on your needs:
   • If users need read/write access, select All users have read and write permissions
   • For read-only access, choose All users have read-only permissions

   Click Next after configuration

   

4. Leave the type as default (Stand-Alone Namespace) and click Next

   

5. Review the settings and click Create

   

6. Once created, click Close

✅ Verification Steps:

• Local File Path Verification:
  Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\DFSRoots\bread-makers DFS to see the physical folder associated with the namespace.

  

• Network Access Verification:
  In the address bar of File Explorer, type \\bread-makers.nz and press Enter. You should see the newly created DFS shared directory.

  

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Add Second DFS Namespace Server (DC02)

1. In DFS Management on DC01, right-click the previously created namespace and select Add Namespace Server

   

2. Click Browse, enter DC02, and click Check to verify server status
   Click Edit Settings again, and set the same physical path (default is fine) and share permissions
   After configuration, click all OK buttons to complete the addition

   

✅ Verification Steps:

• In the DFS Management window, go into the namespace and switch to the Namespace tab
  You should now see both DC01 and DC02 listed under the namespace servers

  

• In File Explorer, type \\bread-makers.nz in the address bar and press Enter
  Right-click the namespace folder -> Properties -> DFS tab
  Check if information for both servers is displayed

  

🔧 Tip: How to Fix Incorrect Permission Settings:

If a server has incorrect share permissions, you can:

• Go to DFS Management -> Namespace tab
• Right-click the problematic server
• Select Configure
• Click Share Permissions to adjust the settings

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Configure DFS Replication

Currently, we’ve added multiple namespace servers, but their content is not yet synchronized. Next, we will configure DFS Replication to ensure that the namespace contents on DC01 and DC02 remain consistent.

1. Open DFS Management -> Right-click Replication -> New Replication Group

   

2. Enter a replication group name, such as bread-makers DFS replication, and click Next

   

3. On the Select Replication Group Members page, click Add
   In the pop-up window, enter DC01;DC02, then click Check to confirm server status
   After verification, click Next

   

4. Select the default replication topology (Full Mesh) and click Next

   

5. Keep replication group policies and bandwidth settings as default, click Next

   

6. Set DC01 as the primary member and click Next

   

7. Add the folder path to be synchronized, e.g.:
   C:\DFSRoots\bread-makers DFS
   Click Next

   

8. Set local storage paths for other members:
   • Select DC02
   • Click Edit
   • Enable replication and set the path to C:\DFSRoots\bread-makers DFS
   • Confirm all settings and click Next

   

9. Review the configuration and click Create

   

10. After creation, click Close

    

11. The wizard displays a message:

    “Replication will not start until members of the replication group receive the configuration. This may take time depending on Active Directory Domain Services replication latency and polling intervals.”
    Click OK to continue

    

✅ Verification Steps:

• In DFS Management -> Replication tab, check the status and health of the replication group

  

• Create or modify files in the shared folder, then switch the active DFS server (via the Referrals tab in DFS properties) and verify that the files have been synchronized

  

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Add Sample Files

Open File Explorer and extract or add the following sample files into the folder C:\DFSRoots\bread-makers DFS: bread-makers DFS.zip

These files will be used in the next chapter for further permission settings and usage examples.

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Summary

In this chapter, we completed the following tasks:

• Installed the DFS role on both DC01 and DC02
• Configured a DFS namespace to provide a unified network sharing entry
• Added a second namespace server (DC02)
• Set up DFS replication for cross-server file synchronization

In the next chapter, we will explore how to configure Active Directory users and groups, and use PowerShell for automated user creation, further improving domain environment management efficiency.