Using IntelliMirror to Manage User Data and Settings

Under Computer Configuration are roaming profile settings that let you delete cached copies of roaming profiles, add the Administrators security group to roaming user profiles, and specify how the system should respond to slow network connections. Deleting cached copies of profiles can be useful for limiting disk use on computers that many users log on to. If you think you might need access to the contents of the user profiles on the server, enable the policy that adds administrator access rights to the permissions set for new profiles. You can limit the size of stored user profiles by enforcing a quota, but weigh your reasoning for enforcing such quotas against the potential administrative burden of responding to calls from users whose profiles exceed the quota. A wide range of options are available for configuring the behavior of roaming profiles under slow or disconnected network conditions. You can tailor these configurations to your environment, but be sure to test them to ensure that you don't hamper user productivity. Also, be aware that if you enable the Do not detect slow network connections setting, the system ignores all settings that relate to slow connection detection.

Ensuring a Smooth Implementation
Several other policies and practices can help ensure a smooth implementation of the user settings and data management technologies we've discussed. Here are some suggestions:

• Apply the Synchronize all offline files before logging off policy under User Configuration\Network\Offline Files to provide the best performance for offline files.
• Don't redirect folders to a Microsoft Dfs volume because synchronization problems will likely occur.
• Enable the Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon policy under Computer Configuration\System\Logon for XP clients to provide the best user experience with roaming profiles. No changes are necessary for Win2K clients, whose default behavior is to use synchronous logons.
• Don't use Encrypting File System (EFS) to encrypt any data that resides within a roaming user profile because the certificate required to decrypt a file won't be available on other computers to which the user might roam.
• Fine-tune the settings that pertain to slow links for both roaming user profiles and folder redirection to arrive at an optimal solution for your mobile users. You'll have to perform some testing to determine the minimum usable bandwidth that still provides a workable solution for roaming profiles and offline folders. You can then enter the appropriate minimum speed for offline files for the Configure Slow link speed setting under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files (XP only). Roaming user profiles use a timeout setting to abort loading a profile remotely over slow connections. When you've determined a workable value, you can set the Slow network connection timeout value under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles.

A Powerful Combination
Folder redirection, offline files, and roaming user profiles all have merit as standalone features. However, when you combine these features into a comprehensive user data and settings management solution, you'll realize the greatest benefit.