DFS replication objects

[Graham Turner]

can anyone confirm that the connection objects as displayed by AD
replication monitor as those established strictly for AD replication only
and not DFS content replication.

i assume this is the case, but it does then beg the question as to what
replication topology is generated by the FRS for DFS content (and sysvol)
replication between servers (which i suppose don't strictly have to be DC's)

what tools are available for viewing / manipulating the FRS replication
topology ??

GT

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

As a matter of symantics, I just want to point out that it is FRS that is
doing the replication. DFS is nothing more than a very smart redirection
system.

Keep my last post in mind. I said:

Remember, the DFS can be hosted by non-DC's, and they have no representation
in the config container from a replication perspective

Keeping that in mind, no replmon has no ability to see FRS replication
between non-DC's. Strictly speaking, replmon has no ability to look at FRS
replication more generally. It is an AD replication troubleshooting tool,
and through a degree of separation can be used to understand your SYSVOL
replication topology. Strictly speaking, it should only be used to
troubleshoot AD replication.

Things like FRS replication should be monitored with SONAR, also available
on the microsoft website.

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

Again, they are not in the config container, so my answer would be no.

Check out the tool I references in my last post and also check out sonar.
Let me know if it doesn't answer any of your other questions.

~Eric



--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Eric, thanks for the reply.

am i right to say the connection objects that are used to replicate DFS
content are not displayed by replmon ?

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

also with AD replication we can force immediate replication between servers
in different sites again using replmon or otherwise

what quick win ways do we have of getting immediate DFS content replication.
??

Thanks

GT

Graham,

When it comes to SYSVOL replication, that will typically follow your
standard AD replication map.
In the context of a DFS that you create, however, that will not use the same
topology. By default it will create a fully-meshed topology between all
machines hosting the content. Remember, the DFS can be hosted by non-DC's,
and they have no representation in the config container from a replication
perspective (the only info they can gather from the config container is what
site they are in based upon their subnet).
The easiest way, I think, to manipulate this topology is with the Server
2003 DFS tools. Here's some more information about that:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/proddocs/data

center/sag_DFprocsFRSTopo.asp

I hope this helps! Please post back if you have further questions.
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

can anyone confirm that the connection objects as displayed by AD
replication monitor as those established strictly for AD replication only
and not DFS content replication.

i assume this is the case, but it does then beg the question as to what
replication topology is generated by the FRS for DFS content (and sysvol)
replication between servers (which i suppose don't strictly have to be DC's)

what tools are available for viewing / manipulating the FRS replication
topology ??

GT

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

Oh, I should have mentioned that there is a tool coming after sonar which
will also enhance your ability to monitor and controls FRS even further.
It's on the way soon I'm told.

SOrry, forgot to mention that.

~Eric

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

As a matter of symantics, I just want to point out that it is FRS that is
doing the replication. DFS is nothing more than a very smart redirection
system.

Keep my last post in mind. I said:

Remember, the DFS can be hosted by non-DC's, and they have no representation
in the config container from a replication perspective

Keeping that in mind, no replmon has no ability to see FRS replication
between non-DC's. Strictly speaking, replmon has no ability to look at FRS
replication more generally. It is an AD replication troubleshooting tool,
and through a degree of separation can be used to understand your SYSVOL
replication topology. Strictly speaking, it should only be used to
troubleshoot AD replication.

Things like FRS replication should be monitored with SONAR, also available
on the microsoft website.

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

Again, they are not in the config container, so my answer would be no.

Check out the tool I references in my last post and also check out sonar.
Let me know if it doesn't answer any of your other questions.

~Eric



--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Eric, thanks for the reply.

am i right to say the connection objects that are used to replicate DFS
content are not displayed by replmon ?

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

also with AD replication we can force immediate replication between servers
in different sites again using replmon or otherwise

what quick win ways do we have of getting immediate DFS content replication.
??

Thanks

GT


the
same is
what

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/proddocs/data

center/sag_DFprocsFRSTopo.asp

I hope this helps! Please post back if you have further questions.
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.


can anyone confirm that the connection objects as displayed by AD
replication monitor as those established strictly for AD replication only
and not DFS content replication.

i assume this is the case, but it does then beg the question as to what
replication topology is generated by the FRS for DFS content (and sysvol)
replication between servers (which i suppose don't strictly have to be
DC's)

what tools are available for viewing / manipulating the FRS replication
topology ??

GT

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

Pretty much, you're on the money.
I hear one of your points....there is not, unfortunately, a nice pretty GUI
map tool. The reason is pretty much a UI one: it's tough to build a tool
that maps out a replication topology. That's a bad excuse I know, but it's
tough. Keep in mind such a tool would need to work with 2 partners or 2000,
as we see both extremes. In fact we're now seeing more than 2000.....the
largest replication topology I've personally seen is 2700, but there are
probably larger. That's just the largest I've put my hands on.

That having been said, such tools will hopefully be on the way, but
unfortunately not here yet. Sonar isn't the answer for that sort of thing.

Sonar lets you play a lot with both monitoring FRS and controling it, so I'd
check it out, and do post back if you have issues that it can't help you
with.

~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Eric, duly noted and thanks for the correction in semantics !

i now get the AD connection objects as distinct from FRS connection objects.

will have a look at sonar to look at the FRS replication topology -
presumably some nice graphical tool ??

how about connection schedules for FRS replication - if not scheduled /
interval driven is it all straight away / change notification driven ???

GT

As a matter of symantics, I just want to point out that it is FRS that is
doing the replication. DFS is nothing more than a very smart redirection
system.

Keep my last post in mind. I said:

Remember, the DFS can be hosted by non-DC's, and they have no representation
in the config container from a replication perspective

Keeping that in mind, no replmon has no ability to see FRS replication
between non-DC's. Strictly speaking, replmon has no ability to look at FRS
replication more generally. It is an AD replication troubleshooting tool,
and through a degree of separation can be used to understand your SYSVOL
replication topology. Strictly speaking, it should only be used to
troubleshoot AD replication.

Things like FRS replication should be monitored with SONAR, also available
on the microsoft website.

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

Again, they are not in the config container, so my answer would be no.

Check out the tool I references in my last post and also check out sonar.
Let me know if it doesn't answer any of your other questions.

~Eric



--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

Eric, thanks for the reply.

am i right to say the connection objects that are used to replicate DFS
content are not displayed by replmon ?

do these links follow rules of site link replication - schedule / interval
etc. ??

also with AD replication we can force immediate replication between servers
in different sites again using replmon or otherwise

what quick win ways do we have of getting immediate DFS content replication.
??

Thanks

GT


Graham,

When it comes to SYSVOL replication, that will typically follow your
standard AD replication map.
In the context of a DFS that you create, however, that will not use the
same
topology. By default it will create a fully-meshed topology between all
machines hosting the content. Remember, the DFS can be hosted by non-DC's,
and they have no representation in the config container from a replication
perspective (the only info they can gather from the config container is
what
site they are in based upon their subnet).
The easiest way, I think, to manipulate this topology is with the Server
2003 DFS tools. Here's some more information about that:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/proddocs/data

center/sag_DFprocsFRSTopo.asp

I hope this helps! Please post back if you have further questions.
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
Directory Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.


can anyone confirm that the connection objects as displayed by AD
replication monitor as those established strictly for AD replication
only
and not DFS content replication.

i assume this is the case, but it does then beg the question as to what
replication topology is generated by the FRS for DFS content (and
sysvol)
replication between servers (which i suppose don't strictly have

to

be