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I have three locations all connected via site-to-site VPN to each other. I have a server at each location with mirrors of each other holding 3+TBs of data. I can use GPOs to map drive letters to a specific server by moving the user to an OU.

However, when the users with laptops want to visit one of the other offices, I am trying to figure out how to map the same drive letters so that they always point to the local server in the office they plug the laptop in at, without having to move users or computers around in AD.

Server in site NHO would map H: to \\serverNHO\Data

Server in site WO would map H: to \\serverWO\Data

Server in site CLO would map H: to \\serverCLO\Data

where the \Data folders are kept in sync behind the scenes.

When user from NHO goes to site WO, when they plug in and log in I want the H: to map to \\serverWO\Data. and so on...

Thoughts?

Johnny Marauder
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    DFS is the way to go. You could also use a workaround to map the drives depending on which DC the users are logged on to, or which IP range is used on the device etc., but seriously just use DFS. Takes some time to set up correctly, but then it's great. – Lenniey Jan 08 '19 at 14:54
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    DFS is site aware so if your sites and services are set up correctly then DFS is the way to go. Aside from that, you could use Site linked GPO's to map the drive to the appropriate server based on Site, which will change accordingly as the computer moves from Site to Site. – joeqwerty Jan 08 '19 at 16:04

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You could use Distributed File Systems (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distributed_File_System_(Microsoft)) to create a namespace that points to all three of those locations. Then map the letter drive to the namespace location. That will cause each client to access the server that is "closest" to them.

Doug Deden
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