Difference between Roaming and static profiles?

[timmonarch]

Hi
We currently use roaming profiles for our users, however it takes about 15 mins to log on each morning, I think this is due to the large profile size users have.
I am thinking about changing to static profiles to try and resolve this issue.

what I would like to know are:

1) The differences between roaming and static profiles?
2) Benefits are Static?
3) Benefits of Roaming?
4) Issues that may occur when changing to Static?
5) Can you have a mixed environment?

Your comments will be very gratefully recieved

Tim

 

[kmkeshav]

1. Roaming profiles are stored at a central location (on a server) for the users configured with Roaming Profile. A user with Roaming profile can logon to any computer in the domain, and he will get his profile.

2. Local profiles are faster to load (logon time will be less).

3. Roaming profiles gives the users, the same desktop settings, where they logon.

4. There may be some slight problems when you change from Roaming profile to local profile, but can be managed.

5. Yes, you can have both Roaming profile enabled users and local profile users.

 

[timmonarch]

Hi

Many thanks for your comments

What slight problems might there be?

Tim

 

[kmkeshav]

Not much but only the initial problems like the users will notice a delay when they logon for the first time after the change from Roaming profile to local profile.

 

[porkchopexpress]

We had similar issues and got around it by using a server hosted default profile and desktop redirection.

The default profile with all of your set applications configured is hosted in netlogon, if the user logging on doesn't have a local profile this is loaded after that it uses their local profile. The desktop redirection gives them the same look at every desktop, or you could just give them a set start menu and let the use the desktop. This would mean that anything they put on the desktop wouldn't be available at other machines or backed up.

 

[timmonarch]

Hi guys

Thanks for all your input

Just a couple of quick questions

1) How do I convert from roaming to local profiles/what are the settings?

2) What potential issues are there

3) What do I/User need to do to prepare for this, i.e moving of data etc?

thanks

Tim

 

[monsterjta]

I would suggest to first just configure redirects for your users' desktops and My Documents. This may resolve the issue of your roaming profile logon times.

I hope you find this post helpful,

Jonathan Almquist
Minneapolis, MN

 

[timmonarch]

Hi Jonathan

how do you configure redirects for your users' desktops and My Documents?

Thanks

Tim

 

[monsterjta]

This is done with a policy on your AD server, and is linked to your users (either by OU, or by security group filtering).

Here's a link to get you started:

http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...afbf-415e-ade1-94aaf2392ca11033.mspx?mfr=true

FYI: If you give the user exclusive access, you will not be able to access their centralized directories. I do not like this, as it requires an admin to take ownership and mess around with security if one should need to manipulate these files for any reason.

I hope you find this post helpful,

Jonathan Almquist
Minneapolis, MN

 

[timmonarch]

Forgive me if I am being a little nieve

I want to create local profiles instead of roaming to stop the time taken transfering data over the network

This redirection seems to just transfer my documents to a network share, isnt this the same thing

Can anyone tell me how to create local profiles for users?

Thanks

Tim

 

[brontosaurus]

Just remove the profile path from the user's account in AD, then on the PC, go into User Profiles and convert from Roaming to Local. I would also suggest making a backup prior to doing this.

 

[timmonarch]

Hi

"Just remove the profile path from the user's account in AD"
Is there a way of doing this at top level and moving users into that OU or do you have to do it for each user?

"then on the PC, go into User Profiles and convert from Roaming to Local."
Again can this be done in a batch rather than going to 100 useers and manually changing this?, also there is no user profiles option on Win XP

Thanks

Tim

 

[monsterjta]

No, folder redirection is not the same thing as roaming profiles. Folder redirection is a centralized storage area for user files, so that (1) they can be backed up on a regular basis and (2) these files do not get included in the raoming profile. If you are going to use roaming profiles, I would recommended that you also use redirection.

For instance, I use roaming profiles here but it never takes more than a few seconds to logon because each profile is no more than 10-12MB. Now, on the other hand my redirects can be anywhere from 1MB-1GB. But, it doesn't matter because they never get pushed up along with the profile.

That's just my 2-cents. If you'd still like to go with the local profiles, then brontosaurus's method may be used.

By the way, it's my opinion to use redirects anyway. Sometimes machines crash and are not recoverable. Now there's the issue of all the user's files they were storing locally for who knows how many years. Oops, now we've got pie on our faces

I hope you find this post helpful,

Jonathan Almquist
Minneapolis, MN

 

[brontosaurus]

I agree with monsterjta, but that said, I'm sure that you could script a simple batch file using LDIFDE that will search all user accounts and remove the roaming profile settings. As for XP not having profile option, right click on My Computer, choose Properties, go to the Advanced tab, and look at the setting button under the User Profiles section. I don't think you can script that one, but then again, it's not absolutely necessary that you do the step on the local machine, just a precaution.

 

[timmonarch]

Hi

I want to migrate about 4 users first to monitor the changes

I have cdreated a new OU called test users

Could you tell me what to right using LDIFDE to move the users to that OU and to use local profiles

Thanks

Tim

 

[monsterjta]

Here's a link to get you going on LDIFDE.

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=237677

Note that exporting will not hurt anything in AD. So, go ahead and start issuing export commands and play with it...get a feel for what attributes you need and how LDIFDE works.

Be sure you know what you are modifying when you do the import. This will change attributes in AD, and could cause undesireable results.

I hope you find this post helpful,

Jonathan Almquist
Minneapolis, MN

 

[tp322]

Dear All,

I wonder if anyone can help to solve the problems.

I have a powerpoint file with password protected.
In a local profile account. I can see the read only button in the input password dialogue box.
The strange things happened when a roamng profile account try to open the same power point file. The read only button is not displayed in the input dialogue box. I need to input the password to open it.

Any ideal how I can solve the problems.

Many thanks in advance.

wfl

 

[porkchopexpress]

tp322 I would suggest posting in the Office forum forum68.