Distributed File System (DFS) is a technology introduced by Microsoft as add-on on Windows NT 4.1 and then included as standard component on all Windows 2000 server editions. It is a set of client and server services that allow an organization using Microsoft Windows servers to organize many distributed SMB file shares into a distributed file system. DFS provides location transparency and redundancy to improve data availability in the face of failure or heavy load by allowing shares in multiple different locations to be logically grouped under one folder, or DFS root.

Shadow Copy (or Volume Snapshot Service, VSS) is a technology that was initially introduced on Windows XP to let NTBackup tool to take non-persistent snapshots of application locked files to get them backed up. Creation of persistent snapshots (the ones not being deleted after a reboot) was introduced with Windows Server 2003 and used to create periodic incremental snapshots of data or deltas (differences) of changed files over time, allowing to store up to 64 snapshots.

Is a fast, easy way to share documents and screen views with small groups of friends or coworkers; anytime, anywhere. It allows you to share presentations and collaborate in real-time with up to 15 participants at the same time. Use SharedView to put your heads together and collaborate - create, convey, and communicate…across physical boundaries, through firewalls, and down to the smallest details. Download and install Microsoft SharedView (installation is so straight forward, just about three clicks).

Today, I needed to reconnect a mailbox from a temp user to the final one, but it can be used as an emergency rescue procedure if we disable a mailbox accidentally. When we disable a mailbox in Exchange Server 2007 we are removing the exchange attributes of this mailbox, but the user remains in Active Directory. To disable a mailbox you should: Open Exchange Management Console Expand Recipient Configuration Click on Mailbox Choose a mailbox and click on Disable in the Actions pane.

One of your duties as systems administrator is to design and implement disaster recovery techniques to grant company’s most important data restoration in case of being lost. The most common techniques is to take regular backups (daily, monthly and yearly) as insurance that you never gonna be fired for being unable to recover the big boss mailbox. Usually, on Monday morning users tend to lose mails and IT inbox is spammed with requests for mailbox restorations.