Dfs Load Balancing Requires Alternates on Remote Servers

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

SUMMARY

The Windows NT distributed file system (Dfs) allows Dfs-aware clients to access network resources in a single namespace with improved fault tolerance and load balancing.

Dfs support for servers running Windows NT 4.0 can be added by downloading Microsoft Distributed File System version 4.1 from the Microsoft Web site.

The following information applies to Dfs volumes hosted on servers running both Windows NT 4.0 and Distributed File System version 4.1.

The Dfs administration tools in Dfs 4.1 allow up to 32 alternate paths or replica members to be defined for each Dfs child note. Load balancing occurs when Dfs clients randomly select one alternate path from this list of servers holding the child node namespace.

For Dfs load balancing to function, the replica members referred to by the child node namespace must reside on computers other than the Dfs root.

MORE INFORMATION

When more than one alternate path exists for a volume, Dfs clients provide a degree of load balancing by randomizing the list of referrals returned by the Dfs root server. Ideally, client connections are evenly distributed among all alternate servers defined for a volume.

Windows NT 4.0 clients always give preference to alternates located on the Dfs root server. This client-side optimization reduces network traffic associated with name resolution and session establishment to another server.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbenv kbtool
Version : WINDOWS:2000; winnt:4.0
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type : kbinfo