Just curious as to what method you guys typically use for migrating shared folders on a windows network to a new server (old one still running but out of space) without requiring a new UNC path. Can I achieve this with DFS? A client has this old borland DB based software and it requires the UNC path be put into a few dozen config files for all aspects of the program to work, it's archaic but required.. I'm hoping to move the data but either keep the same UNC path or redirect the old UNC path to the new target. Thoughts?
Moving shares to a new server without interruption?
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karloz
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In the past I've used Robocopy. That way you can move permissions and everything.
unclemarv
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DFS can certainly accomplish this. I've done it with several 2008 servers going to 2012. Depending on how much data you have, it can be done in less than a day. Then if the DFS it published, people don't even know they've switched.
fencepost
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I'll second the "DFS" answer - by having a share address that's relative to the domain rather than the destination server, it lets you change the actual storage location behind the scenes by setting up replication, then changing which actual underlying share is used to push things out.
YeOldeStonecat
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So what you want is \\oldserver\borlandcrap to relocated to \\newserver\borlandcrap ...but for the new server to also resolved \\oldserver\borlandcrap.
DFS can help this.."in the future"...if you re-do all pointers once. However, as best I know DFS (a little..not a lot)...I can't think of a way to have DFS mimic the old UNC path. What DFS does...is, instead of \\servername, it becomes \\domain.tld so your share would be \\domain.local\borlandcrap
For plain file sharing, you can do a "trick" in DNS....just make a record for the name of the old server..pointing to the IP of the new server. And have the folder share on the server be the same share name. But with this DNS trick, you cannot ever bring the old server back up online and register itself.
However, for some databases...this may not work. I know I have read about some "disable true name checking" or something like that....some registry entry you make.
..anyways..found an article on it..
http://serverfault.com/questions/23...-machine-to-allow-file-sharing-with-dns-alias
How you copy the data over there...that's easy. Robocopy or XCopy or copy 'n paste..or whatever...that's easy but that's not what your post is asking.
DFS can help this.."in the future"...if you re-do all pointers once. However, as best I know DFS (a little..not a lot)...I can't think of a way to have DFS mimic the old UNC path. What DFS does...is, instead of \\servername, it becomes \\domain.tld so your share would be \\domain.local\borlandcrap
For plain file sharing, you can do a "trick" in DNS....just make a record for the name of the old server..pointing to the IP of the new server. And have the folder share on the server be the same share name. But with this DNS trick, you cannot ever bring the old server back up online and register itself.
However, for some databases...this may not work. I know I have read about some "disable true name checking" or something like that....some registry entry you make.
..anyways..found an article on it..
http://serverfault.com/questions/23...-machine-to-allow-file-sharing-with-dns-alias
How you copy the data over there...that's easy. Robocopy or XCopy or copy 'n paste..or whatever...that's easy but that's not what your post is asking.
TAPtech
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Would mounting an external or network drive array to the existing server be an alternative option? Are you planning on replacing this server or just need more storage?
TAPtech
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Can you tell us a little more about the hardware? Maybe you can purchase larger capacity drives and stuff them in the server now, then use them for the replacement machine if it isn't too far in the future.
Sorry I do know I can expand the storage in the old server, my issue lies in the volume of work around the clock going on here. The specific struggle is in the no down time sure to the unc path change. The new server will be a Dell with 12 ssd's in raid 10. But that should not matter, I just need to find a way to replicate the data and redirect the unc or use dfs to allow the data from the new location to be accessed using the old unc path.
