Roaming Profiles and Exchange 1

[PKinghan]

Hi everyone,

We have set up roaming profiles on W2K PCs and I want to let people access their e-mail on our Exchange server using MS Outlook when they "roam" the office. Can anyone direct me to a white paper or a definitive answer on this. We are using W2K Server and Active Directory.

Thanks for your help

Paul

 

[hankins1984]

Are they profiles that you are making and ther mandatory, or are they controled by the end user.

A program you can use to configur to make profiles use the right settings for your exchange server is ""Profgen"" this program is FREE but VERY HARD to find a copy of, so if you need a copy i can email you a copy as it is a small program.

Matthew Hankins

Network Technicain @ DGI Hereford

 

[PKinghan]

Hi Matthew,

Thanks for that. The profiles were set up by me. Do I have to configure any connection between active directory and Exchange Server too?

I would appreciate the program. Thanks alot!

Paul
you can mail me at paulkinghan@keithprowse.com

 

[hankins1984]

How you already setup ure exchange server or do you still have the to do.

I have mailed the program to you if you need any help wiht it just ask.

Are the profiles mandatory or roming

will ther be more than one user per profiles

Matthew Hankins

Network Technicain @ DGI Hereford

 

[PKinghan]

we already have exchange set up. The profiles are roaming although mandatory is probably a better idea. At the minute there will not be more than one user per profile.

I'm new to roaming profiles so I'm still finding my feet.

Thanks

Paul Kinghan

Thanks for the programme by the way!

 

[hankins1984]

Well i dunno if you know all the diffrences be week roming and mandatory. There are some big but good difrences.

Mandatory profiles are read only unlike roaming profiles

Mandatory profiles are a fixed size but roaming profiles get larger all the time

Mandatory profiles are draged down from the server every time you logon, where as roaming are only draged down if ther are diffrent.

Mandatory Profiles are easyer to manage.

Right, what type of company do you work for, how many staff, how many sectors, eg,sales,admin,etc.

Matthew Hankins

Network Technicain @ DGI Hereford

 

[hankins1984]

Also i forgot to ask, do you use group policies. Matthew Hankins

Network Technicain @ DGI Hereford

 

[PKinghan]

Hi Matthew,

Thanks for the advice...I appreciate it. It's basically a call centre and the people on the phones will only have internal mail only...I've already set this up. I don't use group policies although would like to start at some stage however we still have a small enough amount of staff at the minute. There are only about 15 call centre staff.

Paul

 

[imjbhowe]

I would definitely look into using group policy in conjuction with roaming profiles (it will become unmanageable without it).

In group policy there are ways to limit the profile size, exclude certain directories from the roaming profiles (like temp internet files) and remove the cached copy of the profile from the computer. You can also redirect mydocs, desktop etc to the server (this makes it quicker to log in with large files on the desktop).

For outlook you can use the custom installation wizard with office 2000 (or xp) to create a default setup using %username% as the mailbox and enter the exchange server name. The only problem is if you ever change the exchange server name. Another way to handle exchange is using the profgen that is being discussed. You can create a .prf file that references the exchange server and %username% as the mailbox. Put this in a logon script and there you go. One of the problems is that it may overwrite any changes the user makes (like having .pst files).

 

[GlenJohnson]

jmjbhowe is definitely right. I just started using login sripcts to load the latest version of anti-virus software, and have my W2K machines run a batch file that runs hfnetchk to check and see how up to date they are. Good stuff. (Don't know much about the group policies, though, but I'm definitely going to look into them. Good luck. Glen A. Johnson
Microsoft Certified Professional

"Curiosity is one of the most permanent
and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect."
Samuel Johnson (1709-84); English author.

 

[hankins1984]

They are correct, if you dont use GP'S it will be hard to manage your profiles. I sujest you use one mandatory profile for all ure users as it will be easyer to manage and everyones desktop and settings will look the same, which make admin easyer. Matthew Hankins

Network Technicain @ DGI Hereford