DFS Replication overview

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Applies to: Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008

DFS Replication is a role service in Windows Server that enables you to efficiently replicate folders (including those referred to by a DFS namespace path) beyond multiple servers and sites. DFS Replication is an efficient, multiple-primary replication engine that you lot can use to proceed folders synchronized between servers across limited bandwidth network connections. Information technology replaces the File Replication Service (FRS) equally the replication engine for DFS Namespaces.

Tip

Consider using Azure File Sync to reduce your on-premises storage footprint. Azure File Sync can keep multiple Windows file servers in sync and each 1 only needs to keep a cache on-premises while the full copy of the data is in the cloud. Azure File Sync also has the additional benefit of cloud backup with integrated snapshots. For more information, see Planning for an Azure File Sync deployment.

Active Directory Domain Services (Advertisement DS) uses DFS Replication for replicating the SYSVOL folder in domains that employ the Windows Server 2008 or later domain functional level. For more than data about replicating SYSVOL using DFS Replication, see Migrate the SYSVOL replication to DFS Replication.

DFS Replication uses a pinch algorithm known every bit remote differential compression (RDC). RDC detects changes to the data in a file and enables DFS Replication to replicate only the changed file blocks instead of the entire file.

To use DFS Replication, you must create replication groups and add replicated folders to the groups. Replication groups, replicated folders, and members are illustrated in the following figure.

A replication group containing a connection between two members, each having a couple replicated folders

This figure shows that a replication group is a set of servers, known as members, which participate in the replication of i or more replicated folders. A replicated folder is a folder that stays synchronized on each member. In the figure, in that location are two replicated folders: Projects and Proposals. Equally the data changes in each replicated folder, the changes are replicated across connections between the members of the replication grouping. The connections between all members course the replication topology. Creating multiple replicated folders in a single replication grouping simplifies the process of deploying replicated folders because the topology, schedule, and bandwidth throttling for the replication group are practical to each replicated binder. To deploy additional replicated folders, you can employ Dfsradmin.exe or a follow the instructions in a wizard to define the local path and permissions for the new replicated folder.

Each replicated folder has unique settings, such as file and subfolder filters, so that yous tin can filter out different files and subfolders for each replicated folder.

The replicated folders stored on each member can exist located on different volumes in the member, and the replicated folders do not need to exist shared folders or part of a namespace. However, the DFS Management snap-in makes information technology easy to share replicated folders and optionally publish them in an existing namespace.

You can administer DFS Replication by using DFS Management, the DfsrAdmin and Dfsrdiag commands, or scripts that telephone call WMI.

Requirements

Before y'all tin can deploy DFS Replication, yous must configure your servers as follows:

  • Update the Agile Directory Domain Services (Advertisement DS) schema to include Windows Server 2003 R2 or later schema additions. You cannot use read-only replicated folders with the Windows Server 2003 R2 or older schema additions.
  • Ensure that all servers in a replication grouping are located in the same forest. You cannot enable replication across servers in different forests.
  • Install DFS Replication on all servers that volition act every bit members of a replication group.
  • Contact your antivirus software vendor to check that your antivirus software is compatible with DFS Replication.
  • Locate whatever folders that you want to replicate on volumes formatted with the NTFS file organisation. DFS Replication does not support the Resilient File System (ReFS) or the FAT file system. DFS Replication also does not support replicating content stored on Cluster Shared Volumes.

Interoperability with Azure virtual machines

Using DFS Replication on a virtual motorcar in Azure has been tested with Windows Server; however, there are some limitations and requirements that you must follow.

  • Using snapshots or saved states to restore a server running DFS Replication for replication of annihilation other than the SYSVOL folder causes DFS Replication to fail, which requires special database recovery steps. Similarly, don't export, clone, or copy the virtual machines. For more information, meet commodity 2517913 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base of operations, and Safely Virtualizing DFSR.
  • When bankroll up data in a replicated folder housed in a virtual auto, you must employ fill-in software from within the guest virtual auto.
  • DFS Replication requires admission to physical or virtualized domain controllers – it can't communicate direct with Azure AD.
  • DFS Replication requires a VPN connection betwixt your on premises replication group members and any members hosted in Azure VMs. You also need to configure the on premises router (such as Forefront Threat Management Gateway) to allow the RPC Endpoint Mapper (port 135) and a randomly assigned port between 49152 and 65535 to pass over the VPN connectedness. You can use the Set-DfsrMachineConfiguration cmdlet or the Dfsrdiag control-line tool to specify a static port instead of the random port. For more information nearly how to specify a static port for DFS Replication, run into Set up-DfsrServiceConfiguration. For data virtually related ports to open for managing Windows Server, see article 832017 in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

To larn near how to become started with Azure virtual machines, visit the Microsoft Azure spider web site.

Installing DFS Replication

DFS Replication is a part of the File and Storage Services role. The management tools for DFS (DFS Management, the DFS Replication module for Windows PowerShell, and command-line tools) are installed separately as part of the Remote Server Administration Tools.

Install DFS Replication past using Windows Admin Center, Server Managing director, or PowerShell, as described in the next sections.

To install DFS by using Server Managing director

  1. Open Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Add together Roles and Features. The Add Roles and Features Sorcerer appears.

  2. On the Server Option folio, select the server or virtual difficult disk (VHD) of an offline virtual auto on which you desire to install DFS.

  3. Select the part services and features that you want to install.

    • To install the DFS Replication service, on the Server Roles folio, select DFS Replication.

    • To install only the DFS Management Tools, on the Features folio, expand Remote Server Assistants Tools, Role Administration Tools, aggrandize File Services Tools, and and then select DFS Management Tools.

      DFS Management Tools installs the DFS Management snap-in, the DFS Replication and DFS Namespaces modules for Windows PowerShell, and control-line tools, simply it does non install whatever DFS services on the server.

To install DFS Replication by using Windows PowerShell

Open up a Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights, and and so type the following command, where <proper name\> is the role service or characteristic that you want to install (run into the following tabular array for a listing of relevant role service or feature names):

              Install-WindowsFeature <name>
Role service or feature Name
DFS Replication FS-DFS-Replication
DFS Management Tools RSAT-DFS-Mgmt-Con

For example, to install the Distributed File Organisation Tools portion of the Remote Server Administration Tools feature, type:

              Install-WindowsFeature "RSAT-DFS-Mgmt-Con"

To install the DFS Replication, and the Distributed File System Tools portions of the Remote Server Assistants Tools feature, type:

              Install-WindowsFeature "FS-DFS-Replication", "RSAT-DFS-Mgmt-Con"

Boosted References

  • DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication overview
  • Checklist: Deploy DFS Replication
  • Checklist: Manage DFS Replication
  • Deploying DFS Replication
  • Managing DFS Replication
  • Troubleshooting DFS Replication