Roaming profiles / roaming applications?

[haddad.jeff]

Hi all,

I'm a little bit new to all this - and would really appreciate any
help. When you use roaming profiles - is it possible to have
applications installed under the profile 'roam' with it?

Here's the problem: The office next door is home to a number of
architects who use the office as a 'shared office'. They've got 5 PCs
in there which they just use for MS office apps - most do their design
work in their own home offices. There's about a dozen guys using the
office - but never more that 3 or so in the office at any one time.
They are interested in using their design apps in the office - but have
different application requirements. If I install "app A" for "user X"
on "machine 1" - will it be installed with his roaming profile next
time he comes to the office and only "machine 2" is available? It
would be unrealistically expensive to just install every app on every
PC.

Its _very_ possible I'm missing the point of roaming profiles here (are
they just for application _data_?)... If so, is there an alternative
way to achieve what I'm doing? Maybe a third party product?

As always I appreciate the help - if you just want to post relevant
links to technet etc, I'll go do the reading..

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

Hi all,

I'm a little bit new to all this - and would really appreciate any
help. When you use roaming profiles - is it possible to have
applications installed under the profile 'roam' with it?

No, unless the entire application's files live in the roaming profile folder
somehow (which I can't imagine they would, and I wouldn't recommend even if
it were possible).

Here's the problem: The office next door is home to a number of
architects who use the office as a 'shared office'. They've got 5 PCs
in there which they just use for MS office apps - most do their design
work in their own home offices. There's about a dozen guys using the
office - but never more that 3 or so in the office at any one time.
They are interested in using their design apps in the office - but
have different application requirements. If I install "app A" for
"user X" on "machine 1" - will it be installed with his roaming
profile next time he comes to the office and only "machine 2" is
available? It would be unrealistically expensive to just install
every app on every PC.

Unfortunately, that's probably what you need to do - unless you have a
dedicated application server on your network, and the software supports it.

Its _very_ possible I'm missing the point of roaming profiles here
(are they just for application _data_?)...

They're for user's customized settings/environment settings....not programs,
no.

If so, is there an
alternative way to achieve what I'm doing? Maybe a third party
product?

You could look into installing another server to run Terminal Services (but
don't expect AutoCAD to work with it - I've looked into that!).

 

[haddad.jeff]

Thanks Lanwench.

This article gives a good explanation on what actually 'roams' with
your profile:
http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/01/rmng_usr.html

Anyone else aware of a 3rd party app that can do this?

Jeff

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Hi all,

I'm a little bit new to all this - and would really appreciate any
help. When you use roaming profiles - is it possible to have
applications installed under the profile 'roam' with it?

Only if the applications in question run entirely on a file server,
with only shortcuts to them being part of the roaming profiles.




--

Bruce Chambers

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[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

Thanks Lanwench.

This article gives a good explanation on what actually 'roams' with
your profile:
http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2005/02/01/rmng_usr.html
Yep.

Anyone else aware of a 3rd party app that can do this?

Nope. As mentioned, all you can do is

a) install the needed software on all computers
or
b) use a terminal server if the applications support it (presuming you have
a TS box and CALs for it)
or
c) use a dedicated application server if the applications support it

Alas.