M
MR-KEN
Clients: Windows 2000 Pro SP4 / Windows XP Pro SP1
Servers: Windows 2000 Server SP4 using AD
This has been a thorn in my side for over three years now. We redirect
users My Documents to a File Server and have the files synchronize back to
the local machine. This process works fine for users local to the file
server, but for remote users it is a hassle. Reason being, remote users
eventually go from the preferred Offline Mode to Online Mode, making the My
Documents almost unusable over a slow WAN link. Yes, I have set the
SlowLink Reg Key to a very high number, and this has worked for home users
that connect to the Internet first, then VPN in (it keeps the files
Offline). However, users in remote offices where the network is already in
a VPN there computer connects and goes into Online mode. To resolve, they
have to unplug their network connection, wait for it to go into Offline
Mode, then reconnect the link. It even gets a bit more difficult then that,
as if their files are already synchronized, regardless of the SlowLink Reg
Key, the system will still go back into Online Mode (to "trick" the system,
they have to go into Offline Mode, open a Document, then re-connect).
First, the SlowLink Reg only gets its information from the network
connection, not the actually speed to the resource. In other words, and 100
Mb link is a 100 Mb link regardless of whether it connected via a WAN or
LAN.
Second, ideally, this process should work similar to the new Outlook 2003
mode. It would be great if a user could set something that said, "I always
want to work offline until I say otherwise". Unfortunately, there is now
way to set this (certainly not through any of the GUI anyway).
My over all question is this: Is there some Reg setting that can help offer
what I am looking for, that is to NEVER go online (or to synchronize) unless
explicitly triggered by the user?
If there isn't, I would think this to be an outstanding feature in a future
version.
Servers: Windows 2000 Server SP4 using AD
This has been a thorn in my side for over three years now. We redirect
users My Documents to a File Server and have the files synchronize back to
the local machine. This process works fine for users local to the file
server, but for remote users it is a hassle. Reason being, remote users
eventually go from the preferred Offline Mode to Online Mode, making the My
Documents almost unusable over a slow WAN link. Yes, I have set the
SlowLink Reg Key to a very high number, and this has worked for home users
that connect to the Internet first, then VPN in (it keeps the files
Offline). However, users in remote offices where the network is already in
a VPN there computer connects and goes into Online mode. To resolve, they
have to unplug their network connection, wait for it to go into Offline
Mode, then reconnect the link. It even gets a bit more difficult then that,
as if their files are already synchronized, regardless of the SlowLink Reg
Key, the system will still go back into Online Mode (to "trick" the system,
they have to go into Offline Mode, open a Document, then re-connect).
First, the SlowLink Reg only gets its information from the network
connection, not the actually speed to the resource. In other words, and 100
Mb link is a 100 Mb link regardless of whether it connected via a WAN or
LAN.
Second, ideally, this process should work similar to the new Outlook 2003
mode. It would be great if a user could set something that said, "I always
want to work offline until I say otherwise". Unfortunately, there is now
way to set this (certainly not through any of the GUI anyway).
My over all question is this: Is there some Reg setting that can help offer
what I am looking for, that is to NEVER go online (or to synchronize) unless
explicitly triggered by the user?
If there isn't, I would think this to be an outstanding feature in a future
version.