Install DFS Management

This topic is an updated version of the help content for Distributed File System (DFS) in Windows server, including overview information for installing and using DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication.

Distributed File System is implemented as a role service of the File Services role and consists of the following role services:

• DFS Namespaces
• DFS Replication

Installing DFS Management

To manage DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication, you must install the DFS Management snap-in. Use one of the following methods to install the DFS Management snap-in.

• Using the Windows interface
• Using a command line

To install DFS Management by using the Windows interface

• To install DFS Management and related services, from Server Manager, use the Add Roles Wizard to select the File Services role, and then select the Distributed File System role service. This configures the server to be a file server, installs the DFS Management snap-in, and installs and starts the DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication services.
• To install only DFS Management and command-line tools, from Server Manager, use the Add Features Wizard to install the Remote Server Administration Tools feature, select Role Administration Tools and select the File Services Tools feature with the Distributed File System Tools option. The Distributed File System Tools option installs the DFS Management snap-in and command-line tools, but it does not install any DFS services on the server.

To install DFS Management by using a command line

• Open an elevated command prompt window and type the following command, where <name> is the role, role service, or feature that you want to install (see the following table for an abbreviated list of relevant parameters):
• ServerManagerCmd -install <name>
• For example, to install the Distributed File System Tools portion of the Remote Server Administration Tools feature, type:
• ServerManagerCmd -install RSAT-DFS-Mgmt-Con

Managing DFS from a Command Prompt

To manage DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication, you can use the DFS Management snap-in hosted by Server Manager, or you can use the DFS Management snap-in from the Administrative Tools folder. Or you can use command prompt tools, as discussed later in this topic.

To manage Distributed File System from a command prompt you can use the DfsUtil, DfsCmd, DfsrAdmin, and DfsrDiagcommands or write scripts that use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

To manage Distributed File System from a command prompt, you can use the commands listed in the following table, or write scripts that use Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).