Windows DFS for sharing the Configuration Store and the Server Directories

[EdnaMie_Kanazawa]

Hello,

I'm currently working on a project, and we planned to deploy the configuration: 2 ArcGIS Server 10.2.2 in a ArcGIS Server Site,  with Windows DFS for sharing the Configuration Store and the Server Directories.  But I’m not sure about Windows DFS use.

Is it possible for you to send any feedback regarding the Windows DFS use?  I’m looking for real deployment of this scenario and best practices to keep the data in one centralized location visible to each GIS server.  

About DFS: 

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj127250.aspx 

The DFS is setup with a UNC file path so that both servers think they are referencing the same target (which ArcGIS servers require if they are configured together as a site), when it is a actually a replicated share at separate locations.

Thanks!!!

[KennethLohr]

Having recently discovered the functionality of DFS and now implementing it across the enterprise for non-GIS purposes, logically I can see the benefits of using DFS for ArcGIS Server.  It looks as though it would be a good idea to use DFS paths when setting up shared folders that will provide data for map services.  It also makes sense to use a DFS path for server directories.  For this purpose it seems that would allow the increased performance of having server directories local to each ArcGIS Server box, while using DFS replication to keep them all in sync.  I can see this working well for the config-stores but if being used for map caches, I could possibly see some fumbles occurring if tiles are being updated in between DFS synchronization schedules.  

I'm only looking at this from a logical standpoint and have not implemented it for server directories yet, so I'm looking for feedback on this idea, whether it's supported/recommended and what the possible pitfalls would be to using DFS to maintain ArcGIS Server directories in a multi-server installation.