Bye Bye FRS

As of build 1709 (that is September 2017), Windows Server 2016 does not support using FRS (File Replication Service) for the replication of SYSVOL data on domain controllers. Some of you are saying: "Man, that's old. Who uses that anymore?" Well, anyone that never bothered to update which is probably most small and even mid-sized businesses who have been updating to a new OS version over the years, but didn't realize they had a choice for SYSVOL replication.

The good news is that the update is really easy to do. The steps are as follows:

1. Run dfsrmig /setglobalstate 1
2. Wait until dfsrmig /getmigrationstate says all domain controllers have updated to state prepared
3. Run dfsrmig /setglobalstate 2
4. Wait until dfsrmig /getmigrationstate says all domain controllers have updated to state redirected
5. Run dfsrmig /setglobalstate 3
6. Wait until dfsrmig /getmigrationstate says all domain controllers have updated to state eliminated

A very nice writeup for this process with screenshots is located here:

• https://www.mowasay.com/2017/06/guide-to-migrate-frs-to-dfsr/

Notification that Windows Server 2016 version 1709 no longer support FRS is here:

• https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/4025991/windows-server-version-1709-no-longer-supports-frs