Troubleshooting guide

1-6
Cisco Wide Area Application Services Configuration Guide
OL-26579-01
Chapter 1 Configuring File Services
Overview of File Services Features
users to benefit from cache-level performance even during first-time access of these files. Prepositioning
improves WAN bandwidth utilization by transferring heavy content when the network is otherwise idle
(for example, at night), which frees up bandwidth for other applications during the day.
The WAAS Central Manager GUI allows administrators to create multiple, overlapping preposition
policies (each with its own schedule), a list of target Edge WAEs, and defined time and size constraints.
Prepositioning includes the ability to configure multiple roots. See the “Creating a New Preposition
Directive” section on page 1-12.
Note Only the CIFS accelerator supports prepositioning.
Microsoft Interoperability
The WAAS file services feature interoperates with these Microsoft CIFS features:
• Active Directory for user authentication and authorization
• Offline folders in Microsoft CIFS
• Microsoft DFS infrastructure
• Windows shadow copy for shared folders, as described in the “Windows Shadow Copy for Shared
Folders” section on page 1-6)
Windows Shadow Copy for Shared Folders
WAAS file services support the Shadow Copy for Shared Folders feature that is part of the Windows
Server 2003/2008 operating system. This feature uses the Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service to
create snapshots of file systems so that users can easily view previous versions of folders and files.
In a WAAS environment, users view shadow copies in the same way they would in a native Windows
environment by right-clicking a folder or file from the cache and choosing Properties > Previous
Version.
For more information about Shadow Copy for Shared Folders, including the limitations of the feature,
refer to your Microsoft Windows Server 2003/2008 documentation.
Users can perform the same tasks when accessing a shadow copy folder on the Edge WAE as they can
in the native environment on the file server. These tasks include the following:
• Browsing the shadow copy folder
• Copying or restoring the contents of the shadow copy folder
• Viewing and copying files in the shadow copy folder
The Shadow Copy for Shared Folders feature does not support the following tasks:
• Renaming or deleting a shadow copy directory
• Renaming, creating, or deleting files in a shadow copy directory
Supported Servers and Clients
WAAS supports Shadow Copy for Shared Folders on the following file servers:
• Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2003 (with and without SP1)