I have a DFS server set up as our main namespace. We then replicate from our remote offices to the main office. The main server is a PDC (yeah, I know). For some reason when the main server is not connected to the remote offices the remote offices cannot access their files anymore. In addition, the performance of the files feels as if they are working off the PDC as opposed to their branch office server.
I don't have enough posts to post images so.... If I sign into the PDC and bring up the DFS Management, select Namespaces, then select the branch name from the list. I then look at the folder targets tab, right click on the branch name, and it says under advanced it's the first among all targets. Above it in the list on the right hand side is the PDC name. If I right click on it, etc, it says it's the last among all targets.
So, the way I understand it, the computers in the branch office should see SRV1 as their primary (which is in a closet near them) and our PDC (50 miles away) only when there's a problem with their local server. What *appears* to be happening is the opposite.