Redirection of Offline Sync Behavior

[Guest]

We use the Offline Sync feature of XP to keep a backup of users 'My
Documents' on the server (Windows Server 2003) for backup protection. The
problem is that the users must always work off the server when connected and
can work off their local hard drive only when disconnected. Many users are
in remote offices with desktops and therefore must traverse the WAN - being
quite slow and painful (even across T1). Others use VPN; even more painful.
Users on the LAN can feel a impact as well.

Question - is there a way to redirect the Offline sync feature so that users
can always work locally and have the 'offline' folders copied to the server?

Thanks!
Steve

 

[- Bobb -]

We use the Offline Sync feature of XP to keep a backup of users 'My
Documents' on the server (Windows Server 2003) for backup protection.
The
problem is that the users must always work off the server when connected
and
can work off their local hard drive only when disconnected. Many users
are
in remote offices with desktops and therefore must traverse the WAN -
being
quite slow and painful (even across T1). Others use VPN; even more
painful.
Users on the LAN can feel a impact as well.

Question - is there a way to redirect the Offline sync feature so that
users
can always work locally and have the 'offline' folders copied to the
server?

Thanks!
Steve

Steve,
The idea is to sync at logon/logoff.
Do the users understand the concept ?
Is anyone sharing files, or just folder per user ?
When you setup Sync Mgr ....
the files that you sync: which path did you specify ?
are they the user's LOCAL files or the server's files ?
Make it the laptop's path and have it sync at logon/logoff only..
see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314512/en-us
To change nothing :
Have them work offline until lunch/end of day , then sync.
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...-aade-46cc-9323-22657ebb7c511033.mspx?pf=true
Recommended Offline Folder Settings -
My Documents: Auto-caching for documents or manual caching for documents
(if you want users to have to manually make files and folders available
offline).

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bobb, that helped some.

The idea is to sync at logon/logoff.

Yes, and this works fine.

Do the users understand the concept ?

Yes, they just don't want to work on the server (e.g. 'online')

Is anyone sharing files, or just folder per user ?

No, just 'My Documents' only; single user.

When you setup Sync Mgr ....
the files that you sync: which path did you specify ? \\%HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH%

are they the user's LOCAL files or the server's files ?

If 'online' it is the server files, if 'offline' it is the LOCAL files

Make it the laptop's path and have it sync at logon/logoff only..
see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314512/en-us

sync is set to logon/logoff only

To change nothing :
Have them work offline until lunch/end of day , then sync.

This is what we would like to do, while maintaining the existing sync at
logon/logoff. How would we go about forcing a folder ('My Documents, pointed
to \\%HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH%) to OFFLINE so that users can work 'locally' while
syncing (for backup purposes) back to the network?

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...-aade-46cc-9323-22657ebb7c511033.mspx?pf=true
Recommended Offline Folder Settings -
My Documents: Auto-caching for documents or manual caching for documents
(if you want users to have to manually make files and folders available
offline).

Good info, didn't find what I was looking for though.

 

[- Bobb -]

I'll throw out a lot of stuff here , see what works:

Thanks Bobb, that helped some.

\\%HOMESHARE%%HOMEPATH%

So on the DESKTOP, if you look at the " My Documents " folder, the
directory path is on the SERVER ? That's normal for a domain server and
why they're always going to/from the server. Is caching enabled for
offline files ? Do they log onto domain daily ? That's normal for security
/ portability but do you need that ?

Could you have the 'normal path' to be their local PC ( C:\Docs...) and
the SYNC path to point to the server. Some corporate decisions to be made
here. What if no server copy yet and their Pc crashes at 4:55pm ? All
their data is lost. Is that acceptable to 'speed things up?". In current
config: could they log onto local PC all day. Then log off PCNAME and onto
domain only to sync ? Do they shutdown each day ? ( Flushing cache )
Normally , would just compare files and ( since no changes since they went
home last night ), server would check - no changes / 'all ok' and proceed.

With user account caching enabled, they could turn off their WAN / "work
offline" all day - turn it on again. log off/on at lunch/5pm only and have
it sync. ( tedious)

Is the domain for security or backups ? Is each office autonomous ? Or do
the local users need access to corporate network too ? No ? - how about
setting up shares/backups between local PC's ? ( see below)

The intent of 'Offlines files' is normally laptops/shared files: so that
when Mary updates the server copy of the marketing plan in the evening,
Bill can get it when he logs on in the morning. If you are NOT sharing, no
need to do that. Rather than ' My Documents', for unshared files could
you use "My Briefcase" to have it sync to 'their mapped network folder'
only at logon/off.? ( again , if only at logon/off, then a PC crash =
today's data gone)
The rest of the time it is local. If your users understand what / when to
'sync' this could do it for them.

For an explanation, on your local XP Pc - go to HELP - then, search for
help on
"Choosing between using Briefcase or Offline Files"
You'll see:
" Windows offers tools for working with files that are stored on your main
computer or with files that are stored on a network. You should choose the
appropriate tool depending on your needs.
a.. Briefcase is the best tool if you frequently transfer files between
computers using a direct cable connection. Using Briefcase, you can
synchronize the files you modified on another computer with their
counterparts on your main computer. You can keep your files organized by
creating multiple briefcases.
b.. Offline Files is the best tool if you want to work with shared files
on a network. Using Offline Files, you can make changes to SHARED files
while disconnected from the network and synchronize them the next time you
are connected to the network. "
See:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307885/en-us
and
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307853/en-us

While reading, keep in mind the explanations were intended for laptops and
desktops.
In YOUR case, when you read "portable" it is the DESKTOP (local) PC, and
where the text states DESKTOP , you are using a SERVER ( the pc to get
updated).

Another thought: maybe assign one PC to be the local backup disk farm and
copy its data to the home office in the non-peak hours (
mid-afternoon/lunch etc) Fire at night = all data gone locally. At my
nephew's biz, (workgroup server) I set up each Pc to also copy its
critical files to another Pc every night. So A saves to B, B saves to C
etc so that if PC "A" dies / messes up , there is still a copy of last
night's original on PC B. No need to even access server to restore/ fetch
backup tape etc - just copy from backup folder on pc 'b'. ( disks are
really cheap these days) Every week it's overwritten ( Go to weekly backup
for that). Make files/ folders hidden. So path now = C:\My Documents...
and backed up to another local PC nightly: OK ?

That's a lot of stuff to consider - let us know your feedback.

Bobb
====================

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the great info Bobb.

Could you have the 'normal path' to be their local PC ( C:\Docs...) and
the SYNC path to point to the server. Some corporate decisions to be made
here. What if no server copy yet and their Pc crashes at 4:55pm ? All
their data is lost. Is that acceptable to 'speed things up?".

unfortunately, the answer is 'yes'. This is exactly what we're looking to
do. The 'normal' process of the shared folder being on the server and
syncing to the local drive has worked fine for ther past 5+ years, but due to
a few VPN user complaints; a knee-jerk reaction is being dictated to run
everything the other way.

I've played with SyncToy, which does what we want; but it's a bit clunky.
Currently we're looking to go with BackupExec's DLO option, as the company
can get a good price on it.

Thanks again!
Steve

 

[- Bobb -]

Thanks for the great info Bobb.


unfortunately, the answer is 'yes'. This is exactly what we're looking
to
do. The 'normal' process of the shared folder being on the server and
syncing to the local drive has worked fine for ther past 5+ years, but
due to
a few VPN user complaints; a knee-jerk reaction is being dictated to run
everything the other way.

If really only the VPN users putting up the stink ...
do they have cached domain accounts on their laptops/desktops ?
Perhaps suggest to your manager that

1. they log onto domain - fetch mail.
2. Log off the domain - do 'their thing', use public internet etc, then
3. Log back on to sync offline folders/email again.

*** Another thing to ponder/consider/suggest to your boss ... IS it the
user/server folder interaction that's slow OR does the server check
security / PUSH updates etc as they log on ? I do NOT recommend this (
from corp security standpoint), BUT what if these few remote users log on
in cached mode, THEN VPN. They now have access to corporate files/folders,
yet they have not really ' logged onto server', so no push/bottleneck at
logon. If you do that I'd set cache to only allow it a few times ( 5, 10)
so that they don't do it all the time and never get updated virus/security
push. I've had salesreps that did it that way all the time. Of course I
told them - if your laptop dies your data is gone. Biggest corporate issue
there is letting a perhaps virus-ridden pc onto the network so would need
to check each pc on network to have recent Virus database update. If
definitions older than ... 1 month - log it off. I'd check with
www.symantec.com/enterprise/support or whoever you use for security for a
script.

Bobb