Here's what I'm trying to accomplish:

Build a web farm with two web servers pointing to a shared directory on another machine as this is the "supported" method of building a web farm. The web servers will be behind a content switch. My web servers, file server and database server are all running win2k3 r2 and are fully patched. The db is sql server 2005.

I have had quite a challenge building a DNN web farm using version 4.09. I must admit that I have never built a web farm using UNC paths and that presented a large hurdle to overcome. However, I think I have the farm configured now. Here's a good link for that: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9e33ea25-666c-47fa-ac52-8d04785c4bd2&displaylang=e. Note also that I utilized this white paper for DNN install: http://www.dotnetnuke.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2B2YTutV3PmE%3D&tabid=478&mid=857

With no content switch involvement: I installed DNN, I unzipped the install version into the root of the unc directory. Then, I went to my first web server (testdnn1.my.corp/default.aspx) and went through the install. As long as I continue to point to the first server (testdnn1) everything works. When I point to my second web server (testdnn2.my.corp/default.aspx) I get a real nasty first message:

Server Error in '/' Application.

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Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))

Source Error:

Stack Trace:

[COMException (0x8000ffff): Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))]

[FileLoadException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.JScript, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a' or one of its dependencies. Catastrophic failure (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8000FFFF (E_UNEXPECTED))]
   ... stack trace follows

Now, if I hit the testdnn2.my.corp site again, it just redirects me over to the testdnn1 site which I think is quite odd and makes me wonder if my initial install is correct (is it pulling the website from the db?). It will just be getting hit from testdnn.my.corp when the content switch is involved. I am getting ready to scrap it all and start over with the install. Mind you, I have installed/reinstalled many times and the forums, docs, books, et al have helped immensely, but I'm still having some problems. Also, the testdnn2.my.corp will serve up a test.aspx from either box.

So, if there is anyone out there who has been successful in setting up a web farm that would be willing to give me some pointers on doing it right from the beginning, I will be most grateful. I will even document the methodology and post it to this site!

TIA!

Ward Delcomyn