Using DFS-R to replicate VHD and VHDX Files

Hello -
I am trying to find a solution to replicate VHD files and VHDX files between two data centers. I'm deploying the solution using Windows Server 2012.
The VHD files are not virtual machines, they are simply storage areas (one for each user) that contain user documents and other files.
The users will potentially log on to terminal servers in two locations and I'd like the VHD files to be accessible from both locations. The VHD files will mount during the logon sequence into a mount point within the users profile (or some other accessible
area within the file system). This is a bit like user profile disks, but more user data disks.
Has anyone attempted the replication of VHD files before using DFS-R, and are there any things I should be aware of?
Will DFS-R support delta replication of VHDs? If a user has a 500 MB presentation, within the VHD file, and changes a single line of text, I'd prefer for only the changed blocks to synchronize.
I don't believe DFS-R supports replicating open files, so I understand that the data won't be in sync until the VHD file us unmounted, but thats okay.
Cheers, I'd welcome any feedback.
Mitch
If you don't own a pretty fat pipe between the data centres (and it comes free of charge) that's not the best idea. For a reason: DFS-R does use compression only paired with per-file changed block tracker no deduplication see...
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771058.aspx
...so at the end of the day you'll replicate TONS of non-required information. What you really need to do: deploy a third-party replication solution layered up and working on top of the volume(s) where your VHD/VHDX files are stored.
Will DFS-R work to replicate VHD/VHDX? YES
Is DFS-R optimal for VHD/VHDX replication scenario? NO
Hope this helped :)
StarWind iSCSI SAN & NAS

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