Roaming profiles and offline folders...

Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.

Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
with OST files and roaming profiles.

I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
across a WAN etc.

I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
is created.

HELP!!!

Thanks

Jeff

Conventional wisdom is that offline folders are unnecessary and should not be used with roaming profiles.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"Jeff Andersen" <jeff.andersen@telstra.com> wrote in message news:5d3001c37746$02640030$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.
>
> Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
> with OST files and roaming profiles.
>
> I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
> profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
> into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
> across a WAN etc.
>
> I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
> with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
> if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
> is created.
>
> HELP!!!
>
> Thanks
>
> Jeff

Please explain.

"Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
news:esqKGkrhDHA.1688@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
Conventional wisdom is that offline folders are unnecessary and should not
be used with roaming profiles.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx


"Jeff Andersen" <jeff.andersen@telstra.com> wrote in message
news:5d3001c37746$02640030$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.
>
> Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
> with OST files and roaming profiles.
>
> I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
> profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
> into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
> across a WAN etc.
>
> I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
> with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
> if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
> is created.
>
> HELP!!!
>
> Thanks
>
> Jeff

Offline folders are designed to make it easy for someone using one machine to take that machine and use it anywhere -- even 30,000 feet up in a plane -- to work on the data in their Outlook mailbox. In a LAN environment where people are moving from machine to machine (the conventional definition of roaming profiles), they can access all the information that's on the server directly because they're connected all the time. The only thing that offline folders buy you in that situation is the ability to restart Outlook and work offline if the server fails. Otherwise, all you're doing is creating caches all over the place that maybe no one will ever use.

Of course, there are all kinds of network installations and users, so that's something of an oversimplification. Maybe we can talk about your specific reasons for using roaming profiles.

"Brendon Rogers" <brendon@nospam-itology.net> wrote in message news:OUFva$uhDHA.2460@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Please explain.
>
> "Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
> news:esqKGkrhDHA.1688@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Conventional wisdom is that offline folders are unnecessary and should not
> be used with roaming profiles.
> --
> Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
> Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
> Author of
> Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
> for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
> http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx
>
>
> "Jeff Andersen" <jeff.andersen@telstra.com> wrote in message
> news:5d3001c37746$02640030$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> > Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.
> >
> > Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
> > with OST files and roaming profiles.
> >
> > I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
> > profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
> > into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
> > across a WAN etc.
> >
> > I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
> > with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
> > if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
> > is created.
> >
> > HELP!!!
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jeff
>
>

I understand all this, but if you read one of MS's Outlook / Exchange
whitepapers they recommend you use Offline Files for remote offices which
don't have a big pipe to the Exchange server. Now assuming we do that and we
want these people to have roaming profiles because they move locations then
we have a problem. I don't believe that OST's and roaming profiles can be
considered mutually exlusive but this is the way MS wants us to think of
them.

MS should incorporate a way for Offline Files settings to be excluded from
the roaming profile (I know the actual OST is, but when a user with a
roaming profile and an OST logs onto another machine they get an error
message about recreating the OST - not feasible when its a 200MB mailbox on
the other end of a 512k link).

This is just another example of sloppy programming on MS's part. Our option
at this stage if not to use roaming profiles but rather have Profgen
automatically generate Outlook user profiles when a user logs onto a new
machine. But that means no Favorites etc etc.

Regards

Brendon



"Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
news:ehlptivhDHA.2296@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Offline folders are designed to make it easy for someone using one machine
to take that machine and use it anywhere -- even 30,000 feet up in a
plane -- to work on the data in their Outlook mailbox. In a LAN environment
where people are moving from machine to machine (the conventional definition
of roaming profiles), they can access all the information that's on the
server directly because they're connected all the time. The only thing that
offline folders buy you in that situation is the ability to restart Outlook
and work offline if the server fails. Otherwise, all you're doing is
creating caches all over the place that maybe no one will ever use.

Of course, there are all kinds of network installations and users, so that's
something of an oversimplification. Maybe we can talk about your specific
reasons for using roaming profiles.

"Brendon Rogers" <brendon@nospam-itology.net> wrote in message
news:OUFva$uhDHA.2460@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Please explain.
>
> "Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
> news:esqKGkrhDHA.1688@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Conventional wisdom is that offline folders are unnecessary and should not
> be used with roaming profiles.
> --
> Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
> Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
> Author of
> Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
> for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
> http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx
>
>
> "Jeff Andersen" <jeff.andersen@telstra.com> wrote in message
> news:5d3001c37746$02640030$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> > Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.
> >
> > Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
> > with OST files and roaming profiles.
> >
> > I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
> > profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
> > into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
> > across a WAN etc.
> >
> > I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
> > with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
> > if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
> > is created.
> >
> > HELP!!!
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Jeff
>
>

I think MS is right on this one. Roaming profiles with .ost files that can be up to 2gb in size isn't very practical even on a local network.

"Brendon Rogers" <brendon@nospam-itology.net> wrote in message news:OTDWI8miDHA.1228@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> I understand all this, but if you read one of MS's Outlook / Exchange
> whitepapers they recommend you use Offline Files for remote offices which
> don't have a big pipe to the Exchange server. Now assuming we do that and we
> want these people to have roaming profiles because they move locations then
> we have a problem. I don't believe that OST's and roaming profiles can be
> considered mutually exlusive but this is the way MS wants us to think of
> them.
>
> MS should incorporate a way for Offline Files settings to be excluded from
> the roaming profile (I know the actual OST is, but when a user with a
> roaming profile and an OST logs onto another machine they get an error
> message about recreating the OST - not feasible when its a 200MB mailbox on
> the other end of a 512k link).
>
> This is just another example of sloppy programming on MS's part. Our option
> at this stage if not to use roaming profiles but rather have Profgen
> automatically generate Outlook user profiles when a user logs onto a new
> machine. But that means no Favorites etc etc.
>
> Regards
>
> Brendon
>
>
>
> "Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
> news:ehlptivhDHA.2296@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> Offline folders are designed to make it easy for someone using one machine
> to take that machine and use it anywhere -- even 30,000 feet up in a
> plane -- to work on the data in their Outlook mailbox. In a LAN environment
> where people are moving from machine to machine (the conventional definition
> of roaming profiles), they can access all the information that's on the
> server directly because they're connected all the time. The only thing that
> offline folders buy you in that situation is the ability to restart Outlook
> and work offline if the server fails. Otherwise, all you're doing is
> creating caches all over the place that maybe no one will ever use.
>
> Of course, there are all kinds of network installations and users, so that's
> something of an oversimplification. Maybe we can talk about your specific
> reasons for using roaming profiles.
>
> "Brendon Rogers" <brendon@nospam-itology.net> wrote in message
> news:OUFva$uhDHA.2460@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > Please explain.
> >
> > "Sue Mosher [MVP]" <suemvp@slipstick.com> wrote in message
> > news:esqKGkrhDHA.1688@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > Conventional wisdom is that offline folders are unnecessary and should not
> > be used with roaming profiles.
> > --
> > Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
> > Outlook and Exchange solutions at http://www.slipstick.com
> > Author of
> > Microsoft Outlook Programming: Jumpstart
> > for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
> > http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx
> >
> >
> > "Jeff Andersen" <jeff.andersen@telstra.com> wrote in message
> > news:5d3001c37746$02640030$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> > > Outlook 2002/WindowsXP/Windows2000ServerAD.
> > >
> > > Hi there, has anyone seen an elegant way to handle users
> > > with OST files and roaming profiles.
> > >
> > > I have dome extensive testing and found that the Outlook
> > > profile creates a new OST file on the new PC logging
> > > into. This can be an issue if the server happens to be
> > > across a WAN etc.
> > >
> > > I have worked around using two Outlook profiles - one
> > > with OST, one without. This poses a usability issue and
> > > if the user selects the wrong profile - the same position
> > > is created.
> > >
> > > HELP!!!
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Jeff
> >
> >
>
>