indexing on a Windows 2019 but the files are on a different server.

Question

We have a Windows 2019 server (server A). People are logged on with their own session. They put files in folders but those folders are on a drive which is pointed to another Windows server (server B).
On that folder they put msg, docx, .... files.
What is the best way to index those files?

Turn on Windows search service on server A? What with the index options? Configure them ore leave them empty?
Turn on Windows search service on server B? And configure the index options?
Or leave the Windows search service disabled on server A and only turn them on on server B?

And once activated, can I put a limit on their growth?
What is the best way?

Thanks for your knowledge.

Kind regards
Kurt

Answer 1

Hi,
To use windows index and search files located in other servers, the general steps to be taken are:

1.Share folder by giving permission to dedicated user groups, in my example, I simply choose everyone as test.

2.Map a network folder: Map a network drive in Windows 10
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/map-a-network-drive-in-windows-10-29ce55d1-34e3-a7e2-4801-131475f9557d

3.Verify if "Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties." has been checked.

4.If only look for results from the mapped drive, you could simply open the folder and input keywords into the search box in the right corner of the window.

5.Indeed, Microsoft Windows Search uses filters to extract the content of items for inclusion in a full-text index. You can extend Windows Search to index new or proprietary file types by writing filters to extract the content, and property handlers to extract the properties of files. But this more like coding writing and you could refer to some samples shared on github for reference:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/search/-search-ifilter-conceptual

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Thanks,
Jenny

Answer 2

Hi @Jenny Yan-MSFT ,

I think I understand but to be sure I rephrase.

1/ done on the server where the folder is situated (file server)
2/ done by GPO and visible on the server where the users are logged on (citrix server)
3/ checked on the file server and it is on
4/ ok, this is done on the citrix server where the users are logged on
5/ ok I understand, but I think we are in a situation that it is not needed. default extensions are used.

Open questions:
On the file server there is no Windows Search service. Is that correct? It's a Windows Server 2012R2.
On the citrix server there is a windows search service and this service has to be enabled. It's a Windows Server 2019.
Where is the database of the indexing kept? Is it on the C-drive of the citrix server or is it on the file server.

thanks for your replies.