The answer you got from NetApp is part right and part wrong.  It's correct in that a filer cannot host a DFS root.  It also cannot do some of the cooler DFS features like DFS-R (DFS Replication) with 2003 R2 systems.  However, it's also incorrect because a filer *can* participate in DFS as a target device to which DFS links.

As an example, I can create a domain-based DFS root and point links within that root at my filer with no problems.

IIRC - VFM doesn't replace DFS, but acts more as a "manager" of DFS and gives you some extra features from a management perspective, but you're still required to implement DFS for VFM to work.  It's been a while since we've looked at VFM so the details are a bit fuzzy.

Jeff Mery - MCSE, MCP
National Instruments

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"Allow me to extol the virtues of the Net Fairy, and of all the fantastic
dorks that make the nice packets go from here to there. Amen."
TB - Penny Arcade
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Mike Partyka <mpartyka@acmn.com>
Sent by: owner-toasters@mathworks.com

10/11/2007 09:32 AM

To
"toasters@mathworks.com" <toasters@mathworks.com>
cc
Subject
Microsoft DFS participation and Virtual File Manager





Hello All,

I’ve seen some posts recently talking about using the filer to participate in a DFS schema. I asked NetApp support if a filer could participate in MS DFS and was told no, and referred to Virtual File Manager which seems to replace the DFS schema not allow the filer to participate. What is required from a NetApp storage perspective to participate in MS DFS? Also does anyone have familiarity with VFM and whether if has any advantages over VFM?

Thx

--


Michael Partyka
 - Technical Engineer
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Applied Communications of MN

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