Distributed File Services

This technology abstracts the name of a share (e.g. hard drive) from the physical location of that particular share. So you no longer need to worry about which computer contains the "data" folder.

DFS works with Active Directory to locate the right physical location for the data share. With DFS, you can perform computer maintenance easily. If you need to move a drive from computer A to B, you simply inform AD of this change. When users come in the next day, they automatically find the new physical location of the drive.

A particular feature of DFS is that you can point a logical drive to multiple physical locations. The benefit of pointing the DFS to multiple shares is that if one of the physical servers becomes inaccessible for whatever reason - server maintenance, cut communications lines, or a tornado - then DFS automatically routes the computer to the other physical share location. The user isn't aware of the re-routing, they just access the information they need.

Find more DFS information here.

Also, the DFS technical reference site is here.

File Replication Services >