Contoso, like many companies, has multiple file servers located in different locations.
With DFS, you can replicate folder contents between file servers and publish file shares in a single namespace.
Windows Server provides the following two role services related to DFS:

• DFS Namespaces: DFS Namespaces (DFS-N) allows you to group shared folders located on different servers into one or more logically structured namespaces.
  Each namespace appears to users as a single shared folder with a series of subfolders.
  However, the underlying structure can contain many file shares spread across different servers in multiple sites.
• DFS Replication: DFS Replication is a multi-master replication engine that you can use to synchronize folders across multiple servers via LAN or WAN network connections.
  It uses the Remote Differential Compression (RDC) protocol to update only the parts of files that have changed since the last replication.
  DFS Replication can be used with DFS Namespaces or on its own.

DFS and Azure File Sync

File Sync is compatible with DFS-N and DFSR.
You can install the File Sync agent on DFSR servers and then synchronize data between these server endpoints and the cloud endpoint.
DFSR and File Sync are both replication solutions that can work side by side.

However, File Sync often replaces DFSR because it offers additional benefits, such as:

• Synchronizing files to an Azure file share (where they can be centrally backed up)
• Rapid namespace restore
• Cloud tiering

There are scenarios where you may want to use DFSR and File Sync together, for example:

• You are migrating from a DFSR deployment to File Sync. Once migration is complete, you retire DFSR.
• Some DFSR servers in a replication group do not have Internet connectivity. File Sync requires an Internet connection.
• You need one-way replication. For example, you consolidate data from branch servers to a central server, from which you want to synchronize with an Azure file share via File Sync.
  The folder on the central server where you consolidate data can be a server endpoint in an Azure sync group.

If you want to use File Sync and DFSR side by side, you must:

• Disable File Sync cloud tiering on volumes containing folders replicated by DFSR.
• Do not configure DFSR folders in read-only replication as server endpoints.

Migrate from DFSR to Azure File Sync

To migrate a DFSR deployment to File Sync, you must follow these general steps:

1. Create an Azure Storage account, an Azure file share, and a Storage Sync Service resource in your Azure subscription.
2. Create a Storage Sync Service sync group to represent the DFSR topology you are replacing.
   In DFSR, replication groups define the replication topology.
   You must define the same topology in File Sync using sync groups.
3. Install the File Sync agent on the DFSR server that contains all the data to migrate.
4. Register the server in File Sync, then create the first server endpoint.
   Do not enable cloud tiering for this endpoint.
5. Wait until all data from the server endpoint is synchronized with the Azure file share (cloud endpoint).
6. Install and register the File Sync agent on each remaining DFSR server.
7. Disable DFSR.
8. Create a server endpoint on each DFSR server.
   Do not enable cloud tiering.
9. Ensure synchronization is complete, then test your topology as needed.
10. Retire DFSR.
11. You can now enable cloud tiering on any server endpoint.

Next unit: Module Evaluation