Distributed File System (DFS) – Vocabulary Review

Key vocabulary terms drawn from Lecture 14 covering Windows Distributed File System concepts, components, and advantages.

Distributed File System (DFS)

A Windows Server role that unifies multiple network shares into a single, logical file-sharing structure with optional replication.

DFS Namespace

The virtual hierarchy that presents distributed shares as if they reside on one server.

Namespace Server

The server that hosts the namespace root and maintains the DFS hierarchy.

Target

An actual network share that is part of a DFS namespace.

Referral

The process by which a namespace server directs a client to the appropriate target.

DFS Folder

A folder within a namespace; may be virtual (no target) or a referral to a real share.

Folder Without Targets

A virtual DFS folder used solely to build namespace hierarchy; stores no data.

Folder With Targets

A DFS folder that points clients to one or more actual network shares.

DFS Namespace Hierarchy

The tree-like structure of folders and targets defined in a namespace.

Namespace Redundancy

Using multiple synchronized targets for a single DFS folder to ensure high availability.

Standalone Namespace

A namespace addressed by the host server name (\servername\namespace); does not require Active Directory.

Domain-Based Namespace

A namespace addressed by the domain name (\domain\namespace) and stored on domain controllers.

DFS Replication

The built-in mechanism that automatically synchronizes data between multiple targets within an Active Directory domain.

Replication Group

A set of servers configured to replicate specified DFS folders with scheduling and bandwidth limits.

Active Directory Site

A collection of IP subnets used to represent a physical location in Active Directory.

Site Awareness (DFS and Sites)

DFS capability that automatically refers clients to a target located within their own AD site for faster access.

DFS Root

The top-level share for a namespace; the only path users must remember.

DFS Management Tool

Graphical console used to create namespaces, add folders, and configure replication.

Traditional File-Share Access

Directly connecting to individual server shares (\servername\sharename) without DFS.

Consistent Data Appearance

User experience benefit whereby data looks identical regardless of which replicated target is accessed.

Bandwidth Throttling (DFS Replication)

A setting that limits the network bandwidth used during scheduled DFS replication.

DFS Folder Target

Specific path (server and share) assigned to a DFS folder that clients actually use for data storage.