Introduction
DFS-R (Distributed File System - Replication) is a Windows role service that can be configured to share files between multiple web servers. We use this to ensure that the following folders are synced (bi-directionally) within a Load Balanced Environment:
Application
Data
If you'd like to learn more about DFS-R, refer to this Microsoft Knowledge Base article.
Requirements for configuration
As this Windows service requires Domain Administrator-level permissions to configure, which may not always be available to Claromentis employees, the following information will explain how DFS-R needs to be configured to correctly sync the required Claromentis files between each web server.
Install DFS
DFS-R will need to be installed on each of the web servers.
- Open Server Manager, on the Dashboard, click Add Roles and Features.
- In the 'Before you begin...' dialogue, click [Next]
- On the Select installation type page, click 'Next' to proceed (make sure Role-based or feature-based installation is selected)
- On the Select destination server page, click [Next]
- On the Select server roles page, expand [File and Storage Services], expand [File and iSCSI Services], and then select the [DFS Namespaces] and [DFS Replication] check boxes. Click [Next] once selected.
- On the features page, click 'Next' 8. On the Confirm installation selections box, click [Install]
- Wait for a few minutes for the installation to complete, and when the installation completes, click close…*
- Repeat steps on the second web server.
Namespace Creation
On the master server (for example, web 1), set up the namespace configuration as follows:
- Open DFS Management from Server Manager or from the Start menu.
- Expand [Namespace] and select [New Namespace]
- Within the Select Computer Wizard, enter the name of the web1 (master) server, and click [Check Names]
- If the name isn't recognised, browse for the server within this search box.
- Once the server has been selected, click [Ok] and then [Next] to continue the wizard
- Name the namespace Claromentis. Select [Next] when finished
- Select [Domain-based namespace] for Namespace Type (this requires Domain Admin privileges). Select [Next]
- Select [Create] on 'Review Settings and Create Namespace'
- Click [Close]
Replication Creation
Application directory:
- In DFS Management, expand [Replication]
- When prompted, select [Multi-purpose replication group]. Select [Next]
- Name the replication group as [claromentis-application]. Select [Next]
- Under [Replcation Group Members], select [Add]
- Enter the names of both web1 and web2 servers, click [Ok], and select [Next]
- In the [Topology] selection, select [Full Mesh] and select [Next]
- Under [Replication Group Schedule...], select [Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth]. Select [Full] for Bandwidth.
- Under the [Primary Member] section, select Web1 in the [Primary Member] dropdown menu and select [Next]
- Under [Folders to Replicate], select [Browse] and browse to [C:/Claromentis/application] directory. Select [OK] when finished. NOTE: The drive letter will vary depending on your installation; change accordingly.
- Leave other settings and permissions at their defaults. Select [OK] and then select [Next]
- By default, the second/subsequent members (Web2) local path is NOT enabled. Select [Edit]
- Select [Enabled] and [Browse]
- On Web2, browse to the [C:/Claromentis/application] directory and select [OK]
- Review settings for Web2 and select [OK], and select [Next]
- The next screen will give you a summary of the settings. Select [Create] when ready.
- Once complete, you can click [Close], and the replication has been configured
Repeat the above steps for the Data directory, naming the replication [claromentis-data]
The data directory is located at C:/Claromentis/data (The drive letter will vary depending on your installation; change accordingly.)
Confirm DFS is working
Open Event Viewer. Expand [Application and Services Logs] and navigate to [DFS Replication]. Ensure that the communication between the servers is successful.
