Lync / Skype for Business Server uses file share to store shared data of each enterprise edition pool or standard edition server. It stores application, user services and web services data for both enterprise edition and standard edition while enterprise edition also stores windows fabric dump and trace files.

You can use normal file share, two node clustered file server or DFS. Clustered file server or DFS is a best practice for Enterprise edition pool as it provides high availability for file share data.

In this blog post, I’ll cover DFS on Windows Server 2012 R2. Part I will cover Namespace and Folder settings while part II will cover replication group and folder target on second server.

We’ll have two Windows Server 2012 R2 nodes and will create DFS and will assign required permissions for Skype for Business Server 2015.

First of all install windows server 2012 R2 on two nodes and join both the nodes in domain. In my lab, I’m using two nodes DFS01 and DFS02.

Install Windows Server DFS Namespace and DFS Replication features on both the nodes with DFS remote server administration tool.

Create folder which you would like to add in DFS for SfB. In my case, I have created P1SfBShare in E drive on first server DFS01 which I’m going to use for my Enterprise Edition SfB pool.

 

Open DFS Management (dfsmgmt.msc).

 

Right click on Namespaces under DFS Management and click on New Namespace.

 

Add first server name in Namespace Server.

 

Define Namespace Name for your DFS and click on edit settings to assign permissions on share folder.

 

For SfB share, I need full access for administrators and read-only for others. As well as define local path of shared folder for Namespace.

 

In Name space type use Domain –based namespace and Windows Server 2008 mode.

 

Review settings and click on Finish.

 

Namespace has been created now click on close.

 

Right click on created namespace and go to the properties.

 

Go to the “Advanced” tab and select “Enable access-based enumeration for this namespace”. Click on Apply and OK.

 

Right click on created namespace and click on New Folder.

 

Write name and click on Add to add folder targets.

 

Browse for shared folder target which we had created in the beginning and click on OK.

Click on Yes to share the folder.

 

Click on OK twice to finish.

 

Once again, Right click on created namespace and click on “Add Namespace Server”. This is process to add another server.

 

Browse second node and click on “Edit Settings” for shared permission.

 

Browse for the DFS Namespace location on second server and assign permission same as first server.

 

Now you can see both the servers have been added under defined Namespace.

 

See Part II for further configuration.

In Part I of this post, I have covered Namespace creation and shared folder configuration. Part II will cover replication group and folder target configuration.

Now it is time to define replication group. Right click on Replication and select “New Replication Group”.

 

Use default “Multipurpose replication group” and click on Next.

 

Define replication group name and description.

 

Add both the members.

 

Select default “Full Mesh” topology.

 

Select default “Replicate continuously using the specified bandwidth” (Full) and click on Next.

 

Select first server as a primary member.

 

Click on Add to add folder from primary server.

 

 

Click on Edit to define the local path on second server.

 

 

Click on Next.

 

Review settings on click on create.

 

Now replication group has been created, click on close.

 

Review replication group membership.

 

Now move toward final step to add the target folder on second server. Right click on shared folder and click on “Add Folder Target”.

 

Write shared folder path in “Path to folder target” and click on OK to create shared folder in second server.

 

Click on yes to create the shared folder on second server.

 

Define local path on second server and assign the permission.

 

Click on No as we have already created replication group before this step.

 

Review folder targets.

 

Browse your share and use this path for Skype for Business deployment.

 

I hope you enjoyed J

You can use these steps for Skype for Business share as well as for normal DFS deployment.