Comprehensive Review: Learn How to Migrate DFS-R to Azure File Sync with This Udemy Course

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Migrating a DFS-R Deployment to Azure File Sync

★★★★★

$44.99  in stock

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Udemy.com

as of October 7, 2025 11:02 am

How to Deploy Azure File Sync and Migrate from an Existing DFS-R Environment.

Created by: Thomas Mitchell
Cloud and Infrastructure Expert / Published Author

Created by: labITout Learning
A New Way to Sharpen Your IT Skillset

Rating:4.52 (22reviews)     114students enrolled

What Will I Learn?

• Complete some prerequisite steps that are necessary to prepare for the deployment of Azure File Sync
• Deploy a storage account
• Create an Azure file share
• Deploy the Azure File Sync service
• Install the Azure File Sync Agent on file servers
• Register servers with Azure File Sync
• Creating a server endpoints in Azure File Sync
• Disable replication connections in an existing DFS-R deployment
• Confirm data synchronization in Azure File Sync
• Retire DFS-R replication
• Enable Cloud Tiering in Azure File Sync

Requirements

• If you wish to actually perform the tasks that are explained throughout this course, you will need access to a non-production Active Directory lab. There are no prerequisites if you plan to just learn from watching the video explanations.

Target audience

• This course is intended for students who wish to learn how to migrate from a DFS-R environment to Azure File Sync.

Migrating from Distributed File System Replication (DFS-R) to Azure File Sync is one of the most important modernization steps for IT administrators who manage on-premises file servers. As organizations move towards hybrid cloud infrastructure, learning how to efficiently migrate DFS-R to Azure File Sync has become a critical skill.

The Udemy course “Migrating a DFS-R Deployment to Azure File Sync” provides a structured, hands-on way to understand, plan, and execute this migration process. This review breaks down the course structure, strengths, limitations, and overall learning experience so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

📌 Course Overview

The course is taught through a series of detailed demonstrations that walk learners through every phase of the migration. You’ll learn how to prepare your environment, deploy Azure File Sync, migrate data, retire DFS-R replication, and enable advanced features like Cloud Tiering.

The curriculum is divided into four logical phases:

1. Preparing for Azure File Sync
   • The course begins by setting the stage with prerequisite steps such as creating resource groups, setting up Azure file shares, and ensuring Active Directory integration in a lab environment.
   • You’ll also learn about required ports, permissions, and scale targets (number of file shares and items supported).
2. Begin Azure File Sync Deployment
   • This section focuses on configuring the Storage Sync Service, registering on-premises Windows servers, and setting up server endpoints.
   • It’s ideal for learners who need a clear walkthrough of the Azure portal and PowerShell commands.
3. Completing the Azure File Sync Deployment
   • Using a fictional organization “Berks Bikes,” the instructor demonstrates how to complete the migration process from DFS-R.
   • You’ll learn how to sync data, verify replication, and ensure proper permission mapping.
4. Confirming Functionality & Retiring DFS-R
   • Finally, you’ll see how to confirm the migration is successful and how to retire DFS-R replication cleanly.
   • The course ends by enabling Cloud Tiering to optimize performance and storage costs.

💻 Learning Experience

The course has a practical, step-by-step structure that’s easy to follow, even for intermediate learners. You don’t need to be a cloud architect to understand the material—basic Windows Server and Active Directory knowledge is helpful but not required if you just want to watch the lessons.

All demonstrations are performed in a non-production Active Directory lab, which means you can replicate the setup without risking your live environment. This hands-on lab approach gives you real confidence to apply these steps in production scenarios.

Pros & Cons

🧠 Key Skills You Will Learn

• Planning and preparing your environment for Azure File Sync
• Deploying Azure File Sync step by step
• Configuring Storage Sync Service and Server Endpoints
• Syncing data and validating permission replication
• Retiring DFS-R replication and enabling Cloud Tiering
• Best practices for hybrid file server infrastructure

👨‍🏫 Instructor Style

The instructor maintains a clear, methodical tone, explaining why each step matters rather than just showing commands. This makes the course suitable not just for task execution but also for conceptual understanding, which is crucial for IT pros who may need to explain or justify the migration strategy to stakeholders.

🌟 Why This Course is Worth It

Microsoft documentation can be detailed but overwhelming. This course translates that documentation into digestible, actionable steps. Whether you’re a system administrator, cloud engineer, or IT consultant, understanding how to migrate DFS-R to Azure File Sync effectively can significantly boost your professional credibility.

The cost-to-value ratio is excellent — you get practical knowledge that could save your organization significant time and effort during migration projects.

📌 Final Verdict

The Udemy course “Migrating a DFS-R Deployment to Azure File Sync” is a solid, hands-on resource for anyone looking to modernize file services in a hybrid cloud environment. It’s particularly useful for IT admins preparing for their first migration or looking for a structured refresher.

If you want a practical migration roadmap instead of wading through scattered documentation, this course is absolutely worth your time.

Click here to enroll

FAQs

Q1. Do I need prior Azure experience to take this course?
No. The instructor explains each step clearly, making it suitable for those new to Azure File Sync.

Q2. Can I practice the steps taught in the course?
Yes. You can follow along using a non-production Active Directory lab environment.

Q3. Does the course cover Cloud Tiering?
Yes. The final module includes enabling and configuring Cloud Tiering for improved performance.

Q4. Is this course suitable for enterprise IT admins?
Absolutely. It’s especially helpful for admins planning to retire DFS-R and modernize their file server infrastructure.

Q5. How long will it take to complete?
The course can be completed in a few hours, but practicing alongside may take a day or two.