Folder Redirection with Offline Files works that way, correct. It started working "well" with Vista. (I did some testing.) XP's version was not sufficient. The syncing goes both ways, and when the user is offline and makes changes to a file, it will automatically send it up to the server when the laptop can see the server. The reverse is true too; When a file is updated on the server and the laptop is offline, it will sync back to the laptop when it re-establishes connection. I even tested what happens when both happen at the same time: Folders are synced, then the laptop is taken offline. Then the same file is edited in both locations (Server and laptop). When the connection is re-established, the sync will bring up a dialog on the laptop. This will require the end user to make one of several syncing choices. (Keep local version, keep server version, keep both versions but rename one of them, etc...) Thus, for our laptop users, we have them set to sync both their Desktop and Documents. (That saves 99% of what they would want us to keep backed up.) The problems we have encountered mostly are due to either A) They have too many big files syncing to the server we don't want to backup, like Music or Movies. or B) we have had server name changes. When we changed a server name (a bad idea!), the laptop _never_ sees the server it was synced to... so the files never sync back. Essentially, the laptop is orphaned. FYI.
--Matt Ross Ephrata School District J- P <[email protected]> , 1/29/2014 10:14 AM: So this option, by definition, will allow the "my docs" folder to be used when out of the office (offline) and when they return to the office it will automatically go to the server? Is that correct? Jean-Paul Natola ---------------- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:51:35 +0000 I redirect “My docs” to a share, and enable offline folders for laptops only. Works perfectly. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Rankin, James R Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 2:32 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server They're not available. Unless you use Offline Files, which in my experience is a nightmare. YMMV I would definitely recommend something like OneDrive Pro or DataNow to do a sync to on-premise storage. Sent from my (new!) BlackBerry, which may make me an antiques dealer, but it's reliable as hell for email delivery :-) ---------------- From: J- P <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:31:46 -0500 To: [email protected]<[email protected]> ReplyTo: [email protected] Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server If i redirect MyDocs and Desktop to \\server\redirect\UserHome , what happens when they are out of the office? Jean-Paul Natola > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 23:50:57 +0000 > > I forgot to mention this earlier, but one problem with Robocopy is that you > can't do bidirectional syncing with it. If you don't need bidirectional > syncing though, then robocopy is perfect since it's built in and hence > available automatically on all computers. > > We use bidirectional syncing to allow a laptop user to switch back and forth > between a laptop (where we have FreeFileSync installed) to a desktop (where > we have folder redirection implemented) and have the same Desktop and > Documents. However, this may not be needed depending on your environment. > > -Aakash Shah > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Terry Dickson > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 3:39 PM > To: '[email protected]' > Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > > In the past one office I worked for wanted a free option, I just used > Robocopy in Windows 7 to accomplish the task. Worked better than the 9+ > Months I tried to get offline files working. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of James Rankin > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 5:06 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > > I redirect special folders to something like c:\users\user\DataNow\Documents > > Then the DataNow client syncs it up with the remote location of > \\server\share\user\DataNow\Documents when they're in the office. > > Lots of other solutions work the same way (DropBox, Google Drive, etc.) > > > On 28 January 2014 23:01, Sam Cayze <[email protected]> wrote: > > > All laptops here. They work remote almost daily. > > > > I used the word 'workstation' where I probably should not have. > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Rankin, James R > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 4:41 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > > > > You can use Folder Redirection GPOs effectively to redirect your users' > special folders to the place required > > Sent from my (new!) BlackBerry, which may make me an antiques dealer, but > it's reliable as hell for email delivery :-) > > ________________________________ > > From: "Sam Cayze" <[email protected]> > > Sender: [email protected] > > Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 16:37:13 -0600 > > To: <[email protected]> > > ReplyTo: [email protected] > > Subject: RE: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > > > > A lot of these solutions offered depend on your users actually putting files > in certain locations on your disk, or initiating the backup. > > > > If you want something totally automated, you need to set something up that > grabs the user's files. > > > > Such as: > > My Docs > > Desktop > > Signatures > > Firefox Profile (Or just the bookmarks file). > > > > I skip My Pictures and My Music (User are trained NOT put work related files > here) > > > > Possibilities: > > Script it from the server to go out and grab these files. Or, I personally > use SyncBack Pro on a server to grab these files from all workstations every > 3 hours throughout the day. It provides one central place to manage them. > I've also configured it to do a lot of reporting and alerts. All these > backups go to one Folder, with a subfolder for each workstation. Each night > I back up the top level folder with my normal encrypted backups that go > offsite. > > > > If you want something more hand-off, I'd suggest Mozy Pro for Business or > CrashPlan. (But I recall you specified no 3-rd parties). > > > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of J- P > Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2014 12:01 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [NTSysADM] File sync laptops to server > > > > Hi all, > > A small office (5 users laptops with docks) 1x 2012 server (can add more if > required , hyper-v) > All laptops are windows 7 pro, what would be the recommended solution > (preferably windows as software is charity pricing)? > > They are out of the office about 50% of the time, all office docs and PDF's > > > thanks > > > > JP > > > > > -- > > James Rankin > --------------------- > RCL - Senior Technical Consultant (ACA, CCA, MCTS) | The Virtualization > Practice Analyst - Desktop Virtualization http://appsensebigot.blogspot.co.uk > > ________________________________ > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential. If > you are not the intended recipient, you do not have permission to disclose, > copy, distribute, or open any attachments. If you have received this e-mail > in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and > delete this copy from your system. > > > > .
