Using the Microsoft Distributed File System as a front-end for Veritas Storage Foundation (tm) HA for Windows File Sharing

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Article ID: 100009684

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This article is specifically targeted towards users that want multiple high availability file systems available through a single consistent mount point.

User has a two node cluster called CAWFSC01 that consists of two nodes, CAWFSN01 and CAWFSN02.  On these two nodes are a total of four file systems (E, F, G, H).
The user desires that there be a single UNC host name (that does not change when the machine fails over) that provides access to all four file systems.
The user did not like the fact that, with existing Storage Foundation HA for Windows, you could UNC to the node name and potentially see all four file systems if all the service groups were online on that single node.
The user also expressed concern that mounted drives would have to be reconnected after a service group failover, which is beyond the capabilities of most of the users targeted by this file system.

Veritas Cluster Server (tm) Configuration:
Machine #1, CAWFSN01, Dell PowerEdge, 2 internal drives, 4 shared array drives (DG1: E and G drives, DG2: F and H drives).  Service Group 1 (CAWFSC01A) with E and G shares primary on this node.
Machine #2, CAWFSN02, Dell PowerEdge, 2 internal drives, 4 shared array drives (DG1: E and G drives, DG2: F and H drives).  Service Group 2 (CAWFSC01B) with F and H shares primary on this node.

Distributed File System (DFS) Configuration:
DFS was configured to have CAWFSC1 as the root DFS entry for the cluster (not the domain).  The DFS root was configured on the C:\ drive of CAWFSN01 and then told to replicate over to CAWFSN02.
This had the effect of making DFS available, regardless of which of the two cluster nodes was online and servicing clients.
DFS was then configured to point the four shares to the virtual host names provided using VERITAS Cluster Server, so that the paths looked like the following:

    \\CAWFSC1\Share1 -> \\CAWFSC01A\E-Drive
    \\CAWFSC1\Share2 -> \\CAWFSC01B\F-Drive
    \\CAWFSC1\Share3 -> \\CAWFSC01A\G-Drive
    \\CAWFSC1\Share4 -> \\CAWFSC01B\H-Drive

As a result, a single sharepoint was established where users can always go to access data.

Warning:  Do not install the DFS root for the cluster onto one of the shared disks.  This has the effect of making DFS mount itself, which hangs the system and fails the cluster.
 

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Using the Microsoft Distributed File System as a front-end for Veritas Storage Foundation (tm) HA for Windows File Sharing