Roaming Windows User Profiles: Difference between revisions

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== Microsoft Windows User Profiles ==
Every user on your network prefers to work on their computer in a different ways. Some users prefer certain settings one way, others prefer it another way. An operating system's job is to retain these user's settings without clobbering other user's settings.

In the Unix/Linux world, these systems provide "Home Directories" for it's users. These "Home Directories" store all of the program settings, documents, and other files for each individual user. It is trivial to offer "Network Wide" home directories for all of your users using NFS (Network File System). When properly implemented, this system is transparent to the user and provides a nice way to centralize data storage and allow any user to log into any workstation using their own preferences and settings and have all of their data readily available.

In the Microsoft Windows world, these systems provide "User Profiles" for all of it's users settings. These "User Profiles" store all the registry settings, program settings, documents and other files for each individual user. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not trivial to offer "Network Wide" user profiles for all of your users.

To help maintain your sanity (and to help you keep your job), these wikis will focus on the wonderful world of Microsoft's User Profiles. They will cover how profiles work, the different options you have in implementing profiles, how to configure Samba for "Network-Side (Roaming) Profiles" or "Local Profiles", and various tips and tricks to get the most out of user profiles.


[[Windows Profile Basics]]
[[Windows Profile Basics]]



Revision as of 21:51, 5 June 2006

Microsoft Windows User Profiles

Every user on your network prefers to work on their computer in a different ways. Some users prefer certain settings one way, others prefer it another way. An operating system's job is to retain these user's settings without clobbering other user's settings.

In the Unix/Linux world, these systems provide "Home Directories" for it's users. These "Home Directories" store all of the program settings, documents, and other files for each individual user. It is trivial to offer "Network Wide" home directories for all of your users using NFS (Network File System). When properly implemented, this system is transparent to the user and provides a nice way to centralize data storage and allow any user to log into any workstation using their own preferences and settings and have all of their data readily available.

In the Microsoft Windows world, these systems provide "User Profiles" for all of it's users settings. These "User Profiles" store all the registry settings, program settings, documents and other files for each individual user. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not trivial to offer "Network Wide" user profiles for all of your users.

To help maintain your sanity (and to help you keep your job), these wikis will focus on the wonderful world of Microsoft's User Profiles. They will cover how profiles work, the different options you have in implementing profiles, how to configure Samba for "Network-Side (Roaming) Profiles" or "Local Profiles", and various tips and tricks to get the most out of user profiles.


Windows Profile Basics

Implementing Local Profiles with Samba

Implementing Roaming Profiles with Samba