Map drive across VPN - UNC /WebDAV/other? Best performance?

Hi,

I want to map a drive on a remote (2003) server for users (XP) on the
local LAN. What method will give me the best performance for file
sharing?

I assume using the IP instead of name wil be faster but what about
mapping with WebDav rather than UNC?
e.g. WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "http://192.168.34.1/folder"
or WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "\\192.168.34.1\folder"

The LANS are connected by SonicWALL hardware VPN over T1. There are DCs
at both ends.

Thanks

"£Jim" <nospam@any.invalid> wrote in message
news:u1t6HKmJKHA.4628@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> I want to map a drive on a remote (2003) server for users (XP) on the
> local LAN. What method will give me the best performance for file
> sharing?
>
> I assume using the IP instead of name wil be faster but what about
> mapping with WebDav rather than UNC?
> e.g. WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "http://192.168.34.1/folder"
> or WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "\\192.168.34.1\folder"
>
> The LANS are connected by SonicWALL hardware VPN over T1. There are DCs
> at both ends.
>
> Thanks


Normally most just use UNC, and not webdav. Webdav was designed to use
browser connectivity if outside the network, but honestly I don't know of
anyone that actually uses it.

And there really is no difference in performance, eg speed of copying,
moving, etc, files and folders using the IP, FQDN or NetBIOS name. It's just
convenience by using the name over IP. I mean if using the name, you still
need resolution to be functional. If across the WAN, you may need WINS for
NetBIOS name resolution, but not necessarily if all machiens are Windows
2000 and newer.

Now one thing that would decrease performance is the mere fact users are
accessing files across a WAN link. To increase performance, you may want to
look into DFS, which will put a copy on the DC at the other side of the WAN
and keep them synched up. This way they only access the local resource
instead of eating up WAN bandwidth.


--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among
responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

Good info (and fast!) thanks. DFS sounds ideal - any good new user doc
links?

Ace Fekay [MCT] wrote:

> "£Jim" <nospam@any.invalid> wrote in message
> news:u1t6HKmJKHA.4628@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I want to map a drive on a remote (2003) server for users (XP) on
> > the local LAN. What method will give me the best performance for
> > file sharing?
> >
> > I assume using the IP instead of name wil be faster but what about
> > mapping with WebDav rather than UNC?
> > e.g. WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "http://192.168.34.1/folder"
> > or WSHNetwork.MapNetworkDrive "N:", "\\192.168.34.1\folder"
> >
> > The LANS are connected by SonicWALL hardware VPN over T1. There are
> > DCs at both ends.
> >
> > Thanks
>
>
> Normally most just use UNC, and not webdav. Webdav was designed to
> use browser connectivity if outside the network, but honestly I don't
> know of anyone that actually uses it.
>
> And there really is no difference in performance, eg speed of
> copying, moving, etc, files and folders using the IP, FQDN or NetBIOS
> name. It's just convenience by using the name over IP. I mean if
> using the name, you still need resolution to be functional. If across
> the WAN, you may need WINS for NetBIOS name resolution, but not
> necessarily if all machiens are Windows 2000 and newer.
>
> Now one thing that would decrease performance is the mere fact users
> are accessing files across a WAN link. To increase performance, you
> may want to look into DFS, which will put a copy on the DC at the
> other side of the WAN and keep them synched up. This way they only
> access the local resource instead of eating up WAN bandwidth.

"£Jim" <nospam@any.invalid> wrote in message
news:esL8ndmJKHA.4236@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Good info (and fast!) thanks. DFS sounds ideal - any good new user doc
> links?

You are welcome. The following is the main DFS page, with multiple links
within it. Good luck!

Distributed File System Technology CenterDistributed File System (DFS) and
File Replication Services (FRS) help simplify access to files and folders,
system maintenance, help enhance availability ...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserv...s/default.mspx

Ace