Windows DFS Server

[backupguru25]

Hi

I am looking to use the VEEAM product to replicate a DFS server between Vsphere environments. My DFS server just advertises namespaces with no replication

I have setup the replication job and it has been successful, but reading online DFS doesn’t like being restored from snapshots MS issue.

Before I perform a planned failover will I experience any issues ?

[PetrM]

Hello,

I don't think that you should take into consideration MS snapshots because you process virtual disks at the hypervisor level, the disk activity inside guest OS will be frozen for a short period of time to create VMware snapshot as long as you enable application-aware image processing. I believe everything will work just fine but I strongly recommend testing this scenario first to be sure that there are no environment specifics that may affect the process.

Thanks!

[backupguru25]

The only way i can test os to do the palnned failover but at that point will be reatored fron using snapshot and even if i undo the failover it will be reverting from snapahot

[Andreas Neufert]

Agree, DFS in nature is a very hard to backup and restore system. It´s database do not work on a change log that would replicate changes after recovery or sync it with Active Directory where a lot of information for DFS are held. Potentially even a authoritative restore of some DFS information within Active Directory might be needed.

In general I would always backup the server with Veeam Application-Aware image level processing. It will use VSS to bring the registry and DFS in a consistent state (within the server) as well we will let the OS know at restore that it was restored.
Do the same in the same job with the Active Directory Server that holds the FSMO master.
During the backup I would use a post-thaw script to backup the DFS database so that you can recover this database after restore/failover.
dfsUtil root export \\domain.local\rootdfs c:\backup\rootdfsbackup.xml
dfsUtil root import set c:\backup\rootdfsbackup.xml \\domain.local\rootdfs

Even if the DFS is gone and you can not recover, you can always recreate DFS and restore the files. As you only have one server the folder structure likely is not complex and you can just restore the folder structure from image level backup to the new DFS root.

You can as well use Veeam NAS backup to just backup the files and folder on a SMB share level completely independent of the backend used software (here DFS). You can always restore to another SMB share or any place. This is completely independent of any snapshot, but there as well you can enable VSS processing (snapshot) to bring everything in consistent state and address the open file backup issues which I suggest for you.

As you wanted to have a replication. Maybe use DFS internal replication for the 2 site replication and backup with NAS backup the content (and image level backup for DR) the DFS server (and Active Directory FSMO master server).