configuring folder redirection and offline files group policy settings
TRANSCRIPT
Configuring Folder Redirection and Offline Files Group Policy Settings
Presented by:
Matthew HesterIT Pro EvangelistMicrosoft Corporation
[email protected]@matthewhesterhttp://blogs.technet.com/matthewms
My Boss Martin [email protected]
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2Administration Instant Reference
Registry-based Policy
Group Policy Overview
Security Settings
Software Restrictions
Software Distribution
Internet Explorer Maintenance
Computer and User Scripts
Roaming Profiles, Redirected Folders
Offline Folders Control registry settings on domain computersConfigure settings of policy-aware appsConfigure user settings and enforce consistent UI behavior
Account Policy
Password PolicyAccount Lockout
Audit PolicyUser Rights Assignment PolicyLocal computer, domain, and network security settings, user restrictions, etc.
Formerly part of IntellimirrorManage app installation, OS updates, patching, and removal through Group PolicyOnly at startup or logon
Manage and customize your IE configurationEnforce settings like default home page, and proxy server settings, etc.MUCH faster and more network efficient than using .INS and .CAB files!
Computer-based scriptsStartup and ShutdownRun in local system contextVery powerful, flexibleShutdown - clear all Temp Dirs
User-based scriptslogon and logoffRun in user contextMap drivesLogoff - clear user Temp DirSet environment variables
Provides access to network files and folders from a local diskThis helps handle
Remote office usersUnreliable network connections
Users can continue to operate from cached copies of network-based files on their system
Control unwanted software on workstations and serversDefault Security Level
DisallowedUnrestricted
Rules
Certificate RulesHash RulesInternet Zone RulesPath Rules
Store user profiles on a serverUser data can be redirected to another location, such as a network file server
Must redirect to a UNC pathRoamabilityConsistency wherever users log on
Data backup
Desktop Virtualization
Applications
Data
Operating
System
Hardware
Folder RedirectionOffline FilesRoaming User Profiles
Application VirtualizationRemoteApp
Virtual Desktop InfrastructureSession VirtualizationEnterprise Desktop Virtualization
User Data, Profile, & Settings
Applications
Operating System
Folder RedirectionOffline FilesRoaming User Profiles
User Data, Profile, & Settings
User State Virtualization
How User State Virtualization Works User settings and data – either together or separately – are dynamically available on any authorized device.
Secondary User PCs
(Remote Office, Mobile)
Main User PC(Main Office)
User Data
User Settings
Offline Files
Centralizes DataIncreases
Business Agility and Continuity
Works for Connected and Non-Connected
Users
User Data
User Settings
User State VirtualizationAn Overview
Microsoft recommends companies new to desktop virtualization segment end users and evaluate User State Virtualization as one of their first steps.
By synchronizing personal profiles, settings, and data in the datacenter, users can access their data and user settings from any authorized PC, at any time.
How it works…
A set of Windows-based technologies that enable customers to virtualize the data and user settings within their desktop infrastructure.
What it is…
Where it helps…
Increases Business Agility
and Continuity
Delivers Anywhere Access
Centralizes Data
Key Elements of User State VirtualizationA Technology Summary
Users can access their unique settings and data from any connected PC.
Users can access their data and folders from any connected PC.
Users can access files on their PC even with an unavailable or slow connection.
Windows Folder Redirection
Key Improvements
Improved first time logon experience
Improved performance over slow links when used with Offline Files
Increased list of folders that can be redirected
Features and Benefits
Enables users to access selected folders from any authorized PC
Allows IT to centralize user data in the datacenter
Windows Folder RedirectionKey Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements
Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7
User Experience
Initial Logon Experience
Client copies local folder data to server then back down prior to first logon
Client copies local folder data to server then back down prior to first logon
Local folder data cached immediately, allowing user to logon then copy in the background
Number of Redirected Folders
Can redirect up to 5 folders (Application Data, Desktop, My Documents, My Pictures, Start Menu)
Can redirect up to 13 folders (AppData\Roaming, Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, Start Menu, Videos)
Can redirect up to 13 folders (AppData\Roaming, Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, Start Menu, Videos)
Windows Offline Files
Features and Benefits
Makes network files available to end users when a network connection to the server is unavailable or slow
Maintains a local cached copy of the data on the client computer
Key ImprovementsSeamless access to files irrespective of network connectivity
Background file synchronization
Exclusion list
Transparent caching
Windows Offline FilesKey Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements
Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7
User Experience
Online <--> Offline Transition
• Seamless online to offline transition
• Disruptive offline to online transition
• Server level network transition
• User cannot easily force offline mode to access cache
• Seamless online and to offline and offline to online transition
• Share level network transition
• Interface provided for user to force offline mode and cache specific documents
• Seamless online to offline, offline to online, and offline (slow link) to online transition
• Share level network transition
• Interface provided for user to force offline mode and cache specific documents
File Sync Speed & Performance
• Modified files copied in entirety from local cache to the server even if only a small part of a file is modified
• Manual synchronization of files required when in slow link mode
• Non-offline files and folders read from server every time
• Faster file sync• Manual sync of files
required when in slow link mode
• Non-offline files and folders read from server every time
• Faster file sync• Automatic
background sync of files when in slow link mode
• Transparent caching feature caches previously read files and folders
Windows Offline FilesKey Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements
Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7
Manageability
Offline File Exclusion by File Type
• Limited ability to exclude specific file types
• Not able to exclude certain file types
• Can use Group Policy to block selected files types from being created in the cache
Cache Size Management
• Can use Group Policy to limit disk space used for automatically cached files
• No Group Policy to limit disk space used for manually cached files
• Can use Group Policy to limit disk space usage of automatically and manually cached files
• Can use Group Policy to limit disk space usage of automatically and manually cached files
Roaming User Profiles
Features and Benefits
Provides a consistent desktop experience for end users from any authorized PC
Centralizes user data and settings in the datacenter, enabling IT to quickly replace PCs
Key Improvements
Background synchronization of user profile and settings
Simplified folder structure
Improved manageability
Windows Roaming User ProfilesKey Feature Comparison and Technical ImprovementsWindows XP Windows Vista Windows 7
User Experience
Profile Synchronization
User profile settings sync at user logon/logoff
User profile settings synch at user logon/logoff
Can configure user profile settings to synch while user is online or during logon/logoff (default)
Slow Network Detection
User notified during logon
User notified prior to logon
User notified prior to logon
Folder Redirection Integration
Can redirect only 5 folders
Can redirect up to 13 folders, which reduces the amount of data synched over the network and greatly reduces user logon and logoff time
Can redirect up to 13 folders, which reduces the amount of data synched over the network and greatly reduces user logon and logoff time
Windows Roaming User ProfilesKey Feature Comparison and Technical ImprovementsWindows XP Windows Vista & Windows 7
Manageability
Profile Folder Structure
Complex nested structure
Simplified hierarchical profile structure, which enables easier separation of user data from application data
Profile Age Management
No policy to automatically delete dormant profiles
Can set a policy to delete dormant profiles older than a defined value
Error and Event Logging
Very basic event logging
More detailed and granular event logging
Customer Scenario – Folder Redirection
Dr. Julie Smith of Contoso Health Systems sees patients on different floors of her hospital and in different hospital locations. She needs to be able to easily update and access her patient files from the closest available PC in any Contoso Health Systems location.
Contoso Health
Systems
At 9AM, Dr. Smith enters data on her
patient, Mr. Johnson, on Floor 5.
At 11:45AM, Dr. Smith records the vital signs of Ms. Jones in the ER on
Floor 1.
At 3:30PM, Dr. Smith returns to
her office in a separate Contoso
building to review today’s patient data.
BenefitsDr. Smith can now access critical patient data from anywhere within Contoso Health Systems.
Dr. Smith can thus always have up to date information so she can respond to patient needs – faster than before.
The Situation
The Solution at Work
Customer Scenario – Roaming User Profiles & Folder Redirection
Paul Jones, a district manager for Woodgrove Bank, is always working from different bank branches. He needs a PC at each branch that has all of his relevant work and personal data, and he also likes having his personal PC customizations on each PC (he is especially particular about his wallpaper, screensaver, and the placement of his desktop icons!).The Solution at Work
Paul works on a financial
spreadsheet for an upcoming customer meeting , and also
re-organizes his desktop taskbar
and other settings, as he is very
particular about the appearance of
his desktop.
Benefits
Paul can now access his data and personalized PC settings from any PC in any Woodgrove Bank branch.
Paul is thus more productive and can meet business and customer needs more easily than before.
The Situation
Week 1 Week 3
Based on what Paul’s customers said about
their savings plan, Paul made some additional
updates to their financial spreadsheet
from a different computer in another
Woodgrove Bank branch.
At a different branch, Paul presents his customers with
important information on their retirement savings.
Because his user settings were the same on this PC, he was able to quickly and easily navigate to the taskbar and open his files.
Week 2
A Complete User ExperienceUser State Virtualization
Folder RedirectionOffline Files
User Data
Roaming User ProfilesOffline FilesFolder Redirection
User Profile & Settings
For a complete user data virtualization experience, use the following:
For a complete user profile and settings virtualization experience, use the following:
Folder RedirectionOffline FilesRoaming User Profiles
User Data, Profile, & Settings
Let’s Take a Look:User State Virtualization