Hi All, I would like map a windows network drive to a remote server, without a VPN and make that share available offline. Is there a way? Thanks Dave

You mean, you want to make available data of a remote site without any connection there ? Offline file can work on a laptop, but you usually set it per user, not a on a global share. You got many option, branch cache, dfs, etc... but if your data is always offline, better map your user to a server that is online MCP | MCTS 70-236: Exchange Server 2007, Configuring Want to follow me ? | Blog: http://www.jabea.net | http://blogs.technet.com/b/wikininjas/

DFS-R is a possibility, but we would really have to know more about how the network is being set up... -- Mike Burr Mike's Technology and Finance Blog Learn to Troubleshoot Windows BSODs

You can't just share a drive over a WAN like you do over the internal network due to security risks. If you want to access the data off-line then you will need a local server running NTFRS or DFS-R (as Mike mentioned) or use off-line files and folder sync. Either way you will need VPN or some other way to securely connect the two points, either frame relay or a point to point curcuit. Another good off-line suite is OneNote and SharePoint. That may work for you as well. Miguel Fra | Falcon IT Services, Miami, FL www.falconitservices.com | www.falconits.com | Blog

When connecting to a share you are using the SMB protocol. Publishing the SMB protocol port TCP 445 to the internet would pose a huge security risk. You would still need to encrypt the communication channel. Hosting a local DFS server is only a valid solution if you work remotely in a branch office. You want client to server SMB access at least thats what I understand... You could use security measures like SMB packet signing (depending on the smb version you are using and what clients connect to the shares) or IPsec policies that encrypt traffic but its also a tunneling technology so a type of VPN. Also there are new features like build-in encription to SMB 3.0 in Server 2012 so be sure to check that out. Another client to server remote access method is Direct Access. "DirectAccess, introduced in the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems, allows remote users to securely access enterprise shares, web sites, and applications without connecting to a virtual private network (VPN). DirectAccess establishes bi-directional connectivity with a user's enterprise network every time a users DirectAccess-enabled portable computer connects to the Internet, even before the user logs on. Users never have to think about connecting to the enterprise network and IT administrators can manage remote computers outside the office, even when the computers are not connected to the VPN. Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010 extends the benefits of DirectAccess across your infrastructure, enhancing scalability and simplifying deployment and ongoing management." Here are some links about this technology: Direct Access Benefits: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd875522(v=ws.10).aspx Direct Access: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/network/dd420463.aspx http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-reasons-to-use-directaccess-and-unified-access-gateway-uag-2010/1463 Hope it helps. ...

When connecting to a share you are using the SMB protocol. Publishing the SMB protocol port TCP 445 to the internet would pose a huge security risk. You would still need to encrypt the communication channel. Hosting a local DFS server is only a valid solution if you work remotely in a branch office. You want client to server SMB access at least thats what I understand... You could use security measures like SMB packet signing (depending on the smb version you are using and what clients connect to the shares) or IPsec policies that encrypt traffic but its also a tunneling technology so a type of VPN. Also there are new features like build-in encription to SMB 3.0 in Server 2012 so be sure to check that out. Another client to server remote access method is Direct Access. "DirectAccess, introduced in the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems, allows remote users to securely access enterprise shares, web sites, and applications without connecting to a virtual private network (VPN). DirectAccess establishes bi-directional connectivity with a user's enterprise network every time a users DirectAccess-enabled portable computer connects to the Internet, even before the user logs on. Users never have to think about connecting to the enterprise network and IT administrators can manage remote computers outside the office, even when the computers are not connected to the VPN. Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010 extends the benefits of DirectAccess across your infrastructure, enhancing scalability and simplifying deployment and ongoing management." Here are some links about this technology: Direct Access Benefits: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd875522(v=ws.10).aspx Direct Access: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/network/dd420463.aspx http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-reasons-to-use-directaccess-and-unified-access-gateway-uag-2010/1463 Hope it helps. ...

Hi, I would like to confirm what is the current situation? If there is anything that I can do for you, please do not hesitate to let me know, and I will be happy to help. Regards, Rick Tan TechNet Subscriber Support If you are TechNet Subscription user and have any feedback on our support quality, please send your feedbackhere.Rick Tan TechNet Community Support