User profiles too large

[mxfuk]

We have farm consisting of 6 Servers running NT TS 4 & Citrix Metaframe and load balancing throughout. Our profiles are stored on our datastore and are uploaded to the appropriate server when a users logs in and then downloaded to the datastore when they log out.

Our problem is that the profile sizes are too large and cause the datastore to slow down dramatically which affecst all users as they log in and some are unsable to save there work. What should be the ideal size for a profile and are there any areas in which we can reduce there size.

Cheers

Max


PS. We have already seen that Temporary Internet Files are being stored in the profiles and we delete these each night.

 

[PeteRobi]

I've had some problems with increasing profile sizes, and anything over 1 meg can begin to slow profile downloads.

The best way I've found to keep the sizes low, is to use policy settings to stop unwanted directories and internet files being stored in the Profile. Try the NT user profiles sections under group and local computer. There are also some in the ZAK.adm that restrict the profile.


Hope this is of some use.

 

[MikeNewmediary]

We use roaming profiles. I keep the users profile stored in the user folder on our fileserver.

 

[Highland]

Try the following....

Cprofile is a utility which "cleans profiles of wasted space"...!!! There are various switches etc... check out the following article....

http://windows/microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/

ts_cmd_cprofile.htm

(Cprofile is also an NT Utility).......

Also check the following article which explains how file associations are built up within user profiles, these can dramatically increase a profiles size if you are running a lot of apps on your servers......theres also a registry change to stop this happening....the article is at....

http://www.jsiinc.com/tip2200/rh2292.htm

Hope these help.............

 

[thebook]

There is a registry setting as well for NT4 ie. HCCU\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon
add new value of type REG_SZ "ExcludeProfileDirs"
Then put path relative to profile root....\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5.

This worked but I need it to work fot NT4 TSE. Anyone no where THAT setting is?

Thanks

 

[CitrixEngineer]

Yes, the old "orphaned profile" issue. To the best of my knowledge, there's no fix, but you can set things such as logging off disconnected sessions to make life a little easier.

Quite often this situation will come about/be aggravated by users logging in multiple times. They might do this because a previous session has become disconnected, or any number of other reasons.

The main trouble seems to be that if the disconnected session was holding files open on another server, then the disconnected session remains in a locked state. This can only be rectified by searching potential servers for files held open by this user and closing them manually, or rebooting the Terminal Server in question.

Third-party utilities, such as delprof are useful for the obligatory "mopping-up" of these dead sessions - I usually integrate one into a batch file which becomes part of a regular reboot cycle.

You can set file location directory paths out of user profiles by using policies - I can't remember the exact registry keys, but it'll be in HKLM for all users accessing a particular Terminal Server - and you may have to edit HKU\.Default User