In a previous post I described the benefits of DFS Namespaces, today we will be discussing DFS Replication.

Below I have outlined some of the features of DFS Replication.

• Multimaster Replication Engine.
• DFS Replication can be used with standalone and domain-based namespaces as well as individual folders.
• Differential Replication.
• Cross-file RDC. Available with Enterprise and Datacenter only.

These features will make many deployment scenarios more efficient. You can use DFS to perform data collection for a consolidated backup strategy, for data distribution as a method of publication of common data such as software and documents, and also for the sharing of files across branch offices to speed up data access and improve the overall user experience.

Cross-file RDC is quite possibly the most promising feature of DFS Replication. This is a protocol that will not only perform differential replication, in other words transferring only the changed data as opposed to the changed files. But it also compares files for similarities. This means that if you are replicating File1 then you make a copy of File 1 and name it File 2 and then make some changes. If you are using Cross-file RDC the system will use the similar file that is already at the remote location then replicate only the changes. This is a very efficient way of doing this. However the requirements are a little tricky. In order to use Cross-file RDC your replication group needs to contain 1 Enterprise or Datacenter Edition Server. A replication group is a set of servers that will hold a defined set of files.

Ultimately when using Windows Server 2003 R2 and Windows Server 2008 for DFS Replication you have a lot of tools that will help you get your content where it needs to be when it needs to be there.