javabeat
asked on
Implementing outlook roaming profiles.
Hi all, I have a Windows 2003 installation and a number of domain users. I've implemented folder redirection of my Documents and have user profiles stored on the server. Currently i'm making changes to allow the users to be able to log into other machines on the network and have their outlook mail available. The way i'm doing this is as follows.
a) Using file explorer, copy the user's pst file from the C drive (Documents and Settings) to the users's Application Data directory on the server (as set up automatically when implementing folder redirection)
b) Open Outlook which then complains that it cant find the pst file but then allows you to specify the path
c) Specify the path to the server Application Data directory
d) Reopen outlook which is then happy with the new location
User can then log into other machines and pick up their mail. Question is, is there a better way? i.e through Active directory or GPO etc?
a) Using file explorer, copy the user's pst file from the C drive (Documents and Settings) to the users's Application Data directory on the server (as set up automatically when implementing folder redirection)
b) Open Outlook which then complains that it cant find the pst file but then allows you to specify the path
c) Specify the path to the server Application Data directory
d) Reopen outlook which is then happy with the new location
User can then log into other machines and pick up their mail. Question is, is there a better way? i.e through Active directory or GPO etc?
tigermatt
Note that accessing PST files over a network is not a supported configuration. The better way around this problem would be to either invest in an Exchange or some other mail server which allows for much better collaboration anyway. Alternatively you could set it up so users get their mail via IMAP instead of POP3, which means the mail is stored at your ISP and then Outlook goes off and retrieves it when the user requests it. This is a supported Outlook configuration and wouldn't need the PSTs to be moved around since no mail is stored in them (except sent items).
Not all ISPs support IMAP though so you'd need to find out if they do or not, and if they do support it get the appropriate server addresses to configure outlook with. Email is still sent the same way through SMTP.
ASKER
good points there. I looked into sorting out exchange but the company i'm working with dont have (nor can affort) full time IT staff. Exchange I think needs that kind of resource as once you've committed to it, it underpins an awful lot of information. Its a small company of perhaps 30 people, and a charity too hence its probably not the way to go here. In terms of IMAP, does that mean that all mail would be stored on the host? I'm guessing you'd need a fairly big host if you have users with large attachments etc. I'd also have the concern that it might cane the internet connection?
When you say the pst files are not supported other than locally, is there good reasons for this? i.e is there known problems in doing this?
When you say the pst files are not supported other than locally, is there good reasons for this? i.e is there known problems in doing this?
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