Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of pga008
pga008

asked on

Windows user profile redirection

Hi all

Is there a way I can redirect the full userprofile to a network location?

My aim is to reduce the login time because of the roaming profile.

Thanks in advance.
Avatar of ZeropointNRG
ZeropointNRG
Flag of Australia image

Can't you just change the location with the location property? Right click a folder inside the active user profile and click location then move? If its only roaming that's the problem then make sure files and folders aren't hidden and open the AppData folder and right click the roaming > location.
You will not significant reduce login time that way.
If you have to have all users profiles and data stored in network the better solution is to implement terminal server.
Use folder redirection over a roaming profile and redirect their main folders.
Avatar of pga008
pga008

ASKER

Thanks for your answers. Actually, I would like to redirect the full profile not only the Appdata\roaming. At present we have a VDI in place where the desktops are deleted and rebuild after logout. So if you login every time the whole profile has to be synced which takes longer and longer.
If you're on a virtual desktop, do an assigned VM and then a permanent disk for the profiles.

Regards
Alex
Just use regular folder redirection as noted above. Do not use roaming profiles. Too many issues for too little gain.
Avatar of pga008

ASKER

I have to look into persistent disks but I'm not sure how it is supported. How would the profile gothere?

At present I have to use roaming profiles as the computer is deleted on logoff the regular folder redirection is not good enough because some apps require appdata\local.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Tom Cieslik
Tom Cieslik
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of pga008

ASKER

Not what I hoped for but I believe it's true. Thanks for your help anyway.
Avatar of pga008

ASKER

Not what I hoped for but I believe it's true. Thanks for your help anyway.
You can redirect users folders to a network location by using a GPO.

All user data will be transferred at next login.  User will not even notice the difference.  

This process will activate automatically offline files synchronization.  This will provide the user a copy of their files in case they loose connection.

The main issue here is the hidden part of the profile the "AppData".  I don't think it can be sent over and if it is it will be very bad for your network.

Lets face it, this feature is nice in case of a computer crashing or user moving from a building to building... they just log in and all their data is there.. good!  but how often they are saving on their profile, how big those files are?  This will affect your whole network performance accordingly to your enterprise user amount, infrastructure and file use.

I don't know what your organization do but here is the most important question:  Why they even saving company matters in their stations, everything should be on network devices where you can protect that info.

Once again having users profiles on network resources will reduce overall network performance.