Win 2k3 co-located server and Linux Samba Mirrors

[Stephen]

well if you have windows servers depending on the traffice you can use
DFS quite successfully.

If you have Linux servers locally to the clients then i would probably
look into rsync

the real challenge is how much delta to the same set of files from
what locations you will see.. this becomes a logistical nightmare.

On Mon, Apr 9, 2012 at 5:37 PM, James Dugger <james.dugger at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have a Company that has recently co-located their Windows 2003 Server to a
> datacenter.  The system has been in a LAN environment for 15 years.  The
> main file server consists of 2 Dell 2800 poweredge file servers with just
> under 2 TB of stored files on these 2 servers in an array (don't know what
> type either 5, or 10).  The company is an engineering firm and so the
> project files involve AutoCAD .DWG, .DWF, and PDF drawings, along with
> excel, doc, and pst files (exchange server is also co-located with the
> database at 16 GB but is physically separate from the file server).
>
> The clients to this system are now connecting through VPNs to do work on
> their workstations.  In principle it sounds great however the biggest issue
> is the AutoCAD drawings.  The average drawing file in AutoCAD Civil3D is not
> small 100K to 250K and each file references other shared networked drawings
> (called externally referenced drawings).  These files can be the same or
> larger.  This presents an issue with bandwidth (they are limited to 5Mbps
> for the entire firm to share).
>
> I was thinking that each work site would improve there performance by
> setting up an onsite mirror of the co-located file server and that each site
> mirror would sync to the co-located server  2 -3 times per day.  This would
> be only for the file server, exchange would continue pointed to the
> co-location site.
>
> My questions are based on using Linux w/Samba on a file server to mirror and
> sync with the Windows file server:
>
> 1. What recommendations for FOSS backup synchronization software does anyone
> have experience with that they could recommend for this type of use.
>
> 2.  Given the fact that populating the mirrors will take an enormous amount
> of time up front is there any recommendations again with item 1. or
> procedurally that will make this an easier process.
>
> 3.   Any other pitfalls or thoughts regarding the VPN, tunneling, ssh,
> connections between mirrors etc that come to mind again in relation to FOSS
> software, Linux and Samba.
>
> Just as a further note, the files stored on the server are standard Office
> documents and AutoCAD formats, as well as jpeg, TIFF, PDF, GIF.  there are
> no databases or web servers running on the system to contend with.
>
> Thanks in advance for your thoughts and advice
>
> --
> James
>
>
>
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-- 
A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from
rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

Stephen