Folder Redirectionin Active Directory

Almaty 2008

Agenda

• Introduction• Redirection modes• Advantages• Constrains• Warnings• Consequences • Conclusion• Related subjects

Introduction

• Folder redirection is a new approach to user profile folder allocation on server.

• Four special folders are to be redirected in AD by default– Application Data– My Documents– Desktop– Start Menu

• Group policy/User Configurations/Windows Settings/Folder Redirection/%Folder Name%

Redirection modes

• Basic - Redirect everyone's folder to the same location– Target folder location• Redirect to the local user profile location• Create folder for each user under the root path• Redirect to the following location

• Advanced –Specify locations for various user group

Advantages• Supports utilizing of slow speed networks• Offline file(cached file) technology lets users utilize “My Documents”

even if network connection is failed.• User data can be archived during ongoing administration what is to be

more secure since user is isolated from the process• Administrator can limit disc quota allocated for certain folder• User data can be redirected to HD of the local computer from another

HD where system files are stored. It plays safe user files if OS reinstallation will be needed.

• Whilst profile redirection you will not move folder itself but only network path, so data does not move between client and server making logging process faster.

• Backup copies of data are safely stored on server

Constrains

• Only members of Administrators, Group policy owner and Enterprise Administrator groups

• Utilization of the facility makes sense if folder forest has been already evolved and it is to be superposed with new ones

• Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Home Edition doesn’t support redirection into home directory

• You must the owner of the folder tend to be redirection location else redirection will be cancelled.

Warnings

• Redirection into home directory should be used only if backward compatibility necessity occurs

• Administrators will have total control over “My Documents” folder if redirected

• Even if Grant the user exclusive rights to My Documents option in Folder Settings of “My Documents” is checked.

• Try to grant access to the home directory only to limited number of people working with it

Consequences

Consequences

• Triggered on:– Special folder will return to the local user profile location– The content will be copied (not replaced ) back to profile location– The content will not be erased from the redirected folder location– User will have acces to the content only on the local computer

• • Triggerred off:

– Special folder will return to the local user profile location– The content will be relocated to profile location

• Attention!– If the content was not copied into user profile location he or she will not be able to see it

– Special folder will leave in new location– The content also will leave in new location– User still have access to the content in redirected location

Conclusion

• Folder Redirection is very efficient and valuable facility of network management

Related Subjects

• Offline files• Group policy• Permissions and rights• Security groups

Thank you