Multiple directories on a server to show as one read only folder over network

[TheRealDave]

Hello all,

I have a server with directories across multiple drives:

E:\Movies

F:\Movies

I'm wanting both folders to be accessible under one directory \\server\movies. They have different content and are across the drives due to volume capacity. I can't merge the drives under one volume now because they're both full.

E.g.

E:\movies\file1.avi & F:\movies\file2.avi

would be accessible as \\server\movies\file1.avi & \\server\movies\file2.avi

It will be read-only so no need to worry about which drive to write to.

Is there any solution?

[+BudMan MVC]

what is your server OS?

I use drive pool from stablebit that allows you to create shares that does this without any issue.

[TheRealDave]

Sorry, it's Windows Server 2012 RC2. I will check it out Budman, thank you.

[+BudMan MVC]

The software rocks!!!  And can not say enough about the company support.. Top Notch!!!  And they have a pretty good deal with pool and scanner software if you buy them both.  Scanner software is great way keep an eye on the health of your disks and get alerts if something not right. Text, Email, etc. etc..

[TheRealDave]

I hope you're getting commission! 

[+BudMan MVC]

No   wish so - I would have not problems singing the praises of this software.. Even when had issues not actually related to their software but odd ball configuration with raw mapping of disks under esxi.. The developer created a beta like the next day that corrected my issue with seeing the smart info.

I have run the pool on multiple OSes, from old WHS, windows 7, 2k8 and now on 2k12..  While 2k12 has drive spaces, etc.  But the pool software just is so much better than drive spaces.  You can add disks to the pool without any worry of existing data on them.. You can still access the disks directly or you can access via pool.  You can take the disks to any other machine that reads ntfs and access your files. 

You can have the software keep multiple copies of files or folders on all the disks in your pool, or just 2 of them, etc.  You can create a cache disk say ssd that can be used for writing files to the pool that files will be moved over to other disks in the pool in the background, etc.

Your disks can be different sizes, different makers and even different speeds or connection types.  You can add for example add external usb disks into your pool along with internal sata disks..  Dude they have a 30 day trial so just test it out.. Sure you will be happy with it!

You can create rules on how disks get used.. So for example you can have all files of specific type go to disk1, while other files go to disk2.  You can have it fill disks evenly or can have it fill up one disk before moving to next disks in the pool, etc. etc.

They even have a new product that I have not played with yet that allows you to use cloud space in your pool.

 

Edited August 31, 2015 by BudMan

[binaryzero]

Sorry, it's Windows Server 2012 RC2. I will check it out Budman, thank you.

Release Candidate 2?! Or do you mean R2?

Use DFS built in Windows.

[+BudMan MVC]

While DFS is an option..  To be honest all the playing I have done with it when same server is doesn't work correclty.. Other shares off the same server not shown..

But sure could test that..