Namespace server. A namespace server hosts a namespace. The namespace server can be a member server or a domain controller.
Namespace root. The root is the starting point of the namespace. In the previous figure, the name of the root is Public, and the namespace path is \ContosoPublic. This type of namespace is known as a domain-based namespace, because it begins with a domain name (for example, Contoso) and its metadata is stored in AD DS. Although a single namespace server is shown in the previous figure, a domain-based namespace can be hosted on multiple namespace servers.
Folder. Folders help build the namespace hierarchy. Folders can optionally have folder targets. When users browse a folder with targets in the namespace, the client computer receives a referral that directs the client computer to one of the folder targets.
Folder targets. A folder target is a UNC path of a shared folder or another namespace that is associated with a folder in a namespace. In the previous figure, the folder named Tools has two folder targets, one in London and one in New York, and the folder named Training Guides has a single folder target in New York. A user who browses to \ContosoPublicSoftwareTools is transparently redirected to the shared folder \LDN-SVR-01Tools or \NYC-SVR-01Tools, depending on which site the user is in.