Configuring Folder Redirection and Offline Files Group Policy Settings

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Administration Instant Reference Presented by: Matthew Hester IT Pro Evangelist Microsoft Corporation mhester@microsoft.com @matthewhester http://blogs.technet.com/matthewms My Boss Martin Schray martin.schray@microsoft.com Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Administration Instant Reference

Group Policy Overview Startup and Shutdown Run in local system context Formerly part of Intellimirror Manage app installation, OS updates, patching, and removal through Group Policy Only at startup or logon Manage and customize your IE configuration Enforce settings like default home page, and proxy server settings, etc. MUCH faster and more network efficient than using .INS and .CAB files! Account Policy Password Policy Account Lockout Audit Policy User Rights Assignment Policy Local computer, domain, and network security settings, user restrictions, etc. Computer-based scripts Startup and Shutdown Run in local system context Very powerful, flexible Shutdown - clear all Temp Dirs User-based scripts logon and logoff Run in user context Map drives Logoff - clear user Temp Dir Set environment variables Provides access to network files and folders from a local disk This helps handle Remote office users Unreliable network connections Users can continue to operate from cached copies of network-based files on their system Store user profiles on a server User data can be redirected to another location, such as a network file server Must redirect to a UNC path Roamability Consistency wherever users log on Data backup Control unwanted software on workstations and servers Default Security Level Disallowed Unrestricted Rules Certificate Rules Hash Rules Internet Zone Rules Path Rules Control registry settings on domain computers Configure settings of policy-aware apps Configure user settings and enforce consistent UI behavior Offline Folders Roaming Profiles, Redirected Folders Computer and User Scripts Internet Explorer Maintenance Software Distribution Software Restrictions Security Settings Registry-based Policy

Desktop Virtualization User State Virtualization Desktop Virtualization User Data, Profile, & Settings Folder Redirection Offline Files Roaming User Profiles User Data, Profile, & Settings Applications Data Operating System Hardware Folder Redirection Offline Files Roaming User Profiles Applications Application Virtualization RemoteApp Operating System Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Session Virtualization Enterprise Desktop Virtualization

How User State Virtualization Works User settings and data – either together or separately – are dynamically available on any authorized device. Centralizes Data Increases Business Agility and Continuity Works for Connected and Non-Connected Users Offline Files User Data User Settings User Data User Settings Secondary User PCs (Remote Office, Mobile) Main User PC (Main Office)

User State Virtualization An Overview What it is… A set of Windows-based technologies that enable customers to virtualize the data and user settings within their desktop infrastructure. How it works… By synchronizing personal profiles, settings, and data in the datacenter, users can access their data and user settings from any authorized PC, at any time. Where it helps… Increases Business Agility and Continuity Delivers Anywhere Access Centralizes Data Microsoft recommends companies new to desktop virtualization segment end users and evaluate User State Virtualization as one of their first steps.

Key Elements of User State Virtualization A Technology Summary Users can access their data and folders from any connected PC. Users can access files on their PC even with an unavailable or slow connection. Users can access their unique settings and data from any connected PC.

Windows Folder Redirection Features and Benefits Enables users to access selected folders from any authorized PC Allows IT to centralize user data in the datacenter Key Improvements Improved first time logon experience Improved performance over slow links when used with Offline Files Increased list of folders that can be redirected

Windows Folder Redirection Key Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 User Experience Initial Logon Experience Client copies local folder data to server then back down prior to first logon Local folder data cached immediately, allowing user to logon then copy in the background Number of Redirected Folders Can redirect up to 5 folders (Application Data, Desktop, My Documents, My Pictures, Start Menu) Can redirect up to 13 folders (AppData\Roaming, Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, Start Menu, Videos) Can redirect up to 13 folders (AppData\Roaming, Contacts, Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Favorites, Links, Music, Pictures, Saved Games, Searches, Start Menu, Videos)

Windows Offline Files Features and Benefits Key Improvements Makes network files available to end users when a network connection to the server is unavailable or slow Maintains a local cached copy of the data on the client computer Key Improvements Seamless access to files irrespective of network connectivity Background file synchronization Exclusion list Transparent caching

Windows Offline Files Key Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 User Experience Online <--> Offline Transition Seamless online to offline transition Disruptive offline to online transition Server level network transition User cannot easily force offline mode to access cache Seamless online and to offline and offline to online transition Share level network transition Interface provided for user to force offline mode and cache specific documents Seamless online to offline, offline to online, and offline (slow link) to online transition File Sync Speed & Performance Modified files copied in entirety from local cache to the server even if only a small part of a file is modified Manual synchronization of files required when in slow link mode Non-offline files and folders read from server every time Faster file sync Manual sync of files required when in slow link mode Automatic background sync of files when in slow link mode Transparent caching feature caches previously read files and folders

Windows Offline Files Key Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Manageability Offline File Exclusion by File Type Limited ability to exclude specific file types Not able to exclude certain file types Can use Group Policy to block selected files types from being created in the cache Cache Size Management Can use Group Policy to limit disk space used for automatically cached files No Group Policy to limit disk space used for manually cached files Can use Group Policy to limit disk space usage of automatically and manually cached files

Roaming User Profiles Features and Benefits Key Improvements Provides a consistent desktop experience for end users from any authorized PC Centralizes user data and settings in the datacenter, enabling IT to quickly replace PCs Key Improvements Background synchronization of user profile and settings Simplified folder structure Improved manageability

Windows Roaming User Profiles Key Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 User Experience Profile Synchronization User profile settings sync at user logon/logoff User profile settings synch at user logon/logoff Can configure user profile settings to synch while user is online or during logon/logoff (default) Slow Network Detection User notified during logon User notified prior to logon Folder Redirection Integration Can redirect only 5 folders Can redirect up to 13 folders, which reduces the amount of data synched over the network and greatly reduces user logon and logoff time

Windows Roaming User Profiles Key Feature Comparison and Technical Improvements Windows XP Windows Vista & Windows 7 Manageability Profile Folder Structure Complex nested structure Simplified hierarchical profile structure, which enables easier separation of user data from application data Profile Age Management No policy to automatically delete dormant profiles Can set a policy to delete dormant profiles older than a defined value Error and Event Logging Very basic event logging More detailed and granular event logging

Customer Scenario – Folder Redirection The Situation Dr. Julie Smith of Contoso Health Systems sees patients on different floors of her hospital and in different hospital locations. She needs to be able to easily update and access her patient files from the closest available PC in any Contoso Health Systems location. The Solution at Work Benefits Dr. Smith can now access critical patient data from anywhere within Contoso Health Systems. Dr. Smith can thus always have up to date information so she can respond to patient needs – faster than before. At 11:45AM, Dr. Smith records the vital signs of Ms. Jones in the ER on Floor 1. At 9AM, Dr. Smith enters data on her patient, Mr. Johnson, on Floor 5. At 3:30PM, Dr. Smith returns to her office in a separate Contoso building to review today’s patient data. Contoso Health Systems 

Customer Scenario – Roaming User Profiles & Folder Redirection The Situation Paul Jones, a district manager for Woodgrove Bank, is always working from different bank branches. He needs a PC at each branch that has all of his relevant work and personal data, and he also likes having his personal PC customizations on each PC (he is especially particular about his wallpaper, screensaver, and the placement of his desktop icons!). The Solution at Work At a different branch, Paul presents his customers with important information on their retirement savings. Because his user settings were the same on this PC, he was able to quickly and easily navigate to the taskbar and open his files. Week 2 Benefits Paul can now access his data and personalized PC settings from any PC in any Woodgrove Bank branch. Paul is thus more productive and can meet business and customer needs more easily than before. Week 1 Week 3 Based on what Paul’s customers said about their savings plan, Paul made some additional updates to their financial spreadsheet from a different computer in another Woodgrove Bank branch. Paul works on a financial spreadsheet for an upcoming customer meeting , and also re-organizes his desktop taskbar and other settings, as he is very particular about the appearance of his desktop.

A Complete User Experience User State Virtualization For a complete user data virtualization experience, use the following: Folder Redirection Offline Files Roaming User Profiles User Data, Profile, & Settings Folder Redirection Offline Files User Data User Profile & Settings For a complete user profile and settings virtualization experience, use the following: Roaming User Profiles Offline Files Folder Redirection

Let’s Take a Look: User State Virtualization