DFS performance issues

[locobox]

Any windows server gurus here?

...please don't say: "Just switch to server 2003". Our plan is to switch from Citrix on a 2000 domain to 2003 Terminal Services on 2003 Domain (of course). We are not switching just yet though, and we have this huge problem with users trying to access DFS shares - ISSUE: They (Sometimes/most of the time) get slow performance when opening apps, trying to access folders, etc... to the point where there is a 10-36 second delay.

Facts:

-using roaming profiles, redirecting only the desktop to a DFS share. "\\domain.org\dfs\share\%username%\desktop"

-using windows 2000 domain servers (DFS configuration is done by domain servers which are 2000. The actual shares are in 2003 servers).

-2 DFS replicas on 2000 domain servers.

-using citrix servers (3 of them - they all have same issue accessing files)

-experiencing same issues on xp machine connecting to DFS: (\\domain.org\dfs\share), works just fine with UNC: (\\server\share)

-using a well configured gig-switch (UNC works just fine, so we're thinking this is not an issue.. though, you never know )

-UNC works and worked just fine (problem started after switching to DFS shares all around)

-Creating shortcuts to DFS redirected desktop.

-We are also running some aplications' preferences (on citrix) with DFS path.

I found this article on the web.. and will soon contact microsoft about this:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;873407

Any bright ideas?

Any tools that I can use?.. I've used dfsutil, but is there something more indepth?

Please help!.. thanks!

Edited November 23, 2005 by locobox

[cluberti]

Get a netmon trace from a client experiencing this issue, as this issue is likely with the client connecting to DFS itself (as you've seen with performance connecting directly to the UNC share).

One question - Have you uninstalled the Antivirus software on both the client and server to make sure that the file system filter driver (installed by all Windows antivirus software applications on 32-bit Windows) isn't the culprit? We see this at least 50% of the time with DFS and performance issues...

[locobox]

Get a netmon trace from a client experiencing this issue, as this issue is likely with the client connecting to DFS itself (as you've seen with performance connecting directly to the UNC share).

One question - Have you uninstalled the Antivirus software on both the client and server to make sure that the file system filter driver (installed by all Windows antivirus software applications on 32-bit Windows) isn't the culprit? We see this at least 50% of the time with DFS and performance issues...

Interesting.. I wasn't aware of a "file system filter driver". I'll try Netmon.

UPDATE: We seemed to have gotten the issue figured out. We also implemented redirection of the desktop for our citrix clients. We'll keep testing to see how this could have cause the slowdowns though.

[cluberti]

What was your resolution?

[locobox]

Well, it could very well still be DFS... but we disabled the redirection of the "Desktop" folder to DFS. The profile is now a full roaming profile - it just takes longer to login (about 4 seconds more), but the "30+ pause" problem is virtually gone.