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This topic discusses the Folder Redirection, Offline Files (client-side caching or CSC), and Roaming User Profiles (sometimes known as RUP) technologies, including what's new and where to find additional information. Technology descriptionFolder Redirection and Offline Files are used together to redirect the path of local folders (such as the Documents folder) to a network location, while caching the contents locally for increased speed and availability. Roaming User Profiles is used to redirect a user profile to a network location. These features used to be referred to as Intellimirror.
Practical applicationsAdministrators can use Folder Redirection, Offline Files, and Roaming User Profiles to centralize storage for user data and settings and to provide users with the ability to access their data while offline or in the event of a network or server outage. Some specific applications include:
New and changed functionalityThe following table describes some of the major changes in Folder Redirection, Offline Files, and Roaming User Profiles that are available in this release.
Always Offline modeStarting with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, administrators can configure the experience for users of Offline Files to always work offline, even when they are connected through a high-speed network connection. Windows updates files in the Offline Files cache by synchronizing hourly in the background, by default. What value does Always Offline mode add?The Always Offline mode provides the following benefits:
How has Always Offline mode changed things?Prior to Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, users would transition between the Online and Offline modes, depending on network availability and conditions, even when the Slow-Link mode (also known as the Slow Connection mode) was enabled and set to a 1 millisecond latency threshold. With Always Offline mode, computers never transition to Online mode when the Configure slow-link mode Group Policy setting is configured and the Latency threshold parameter is set to 1 millisecond. Changes are synced in the background every 120 minutes, by default, but synchronization is configurable by using the Configure Background Sync Group Policy setting. For more information, see Enable the Always Offline Mode to Provide Faster Access to Files. Cost-aware synchronizationWith cost-aware synchronization, Windows disables background synchronization when the user is using a metered network connection, such as a 4G mobile network, and the subscriber is near or over their bandwidth limit, or roaming on another provider's network.
Note Metered network connections usually have round-trip network latencies that are slower than the default 35 millisecond latency value for transitioning to Offline (Slow Connection) mode in Windows 8, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2012. Therefore, these connections usually transition to Offline (Slow Connection) mode automatically. What value does cost-aware synchronization add?Cost-aware synchronization helps users avoid unexpectedly high data usage costs while using metered connections that have usage limits, or while roaming on another provider's network. How has cost-aware synchronization changed things?Prior to Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, users who wanted to minimize fees while using Offline Files on metered network connections had to track their data usage by using tools from the mobile network provider. The users could then manually switch to Offline mode when they were roaming, near their bandwidth limit, or over their limit. With cost-aware sync, Windows automatically tracks roaming and bandwidth usage limits while on metered connections. When the user is roaming, near their bandwidth limit, or over their limit, Windows switches to Offline mode and prevents all synchronization. Users can still manually initiate synchronization, and administrators can override cost-aware synchronization for specific users, such as executives. For more information, see Enable Background File Synchronization on Metered Networks. Primary computers for Folder Redirection and Roaming User ProfilesYou can now designate a set of computers, known as primary computers, for each domain user, which enables you to control which computers use Folder Redirection, Roaming User Profiles, or both. Designating primary computers is a simple and powerful method to associate user data and settings with particular computers or devices, simplify administrator oversight, improve data security, and help protect user profiles from corruption. What value do primary computers add?There are four major benefits to designating primary computers for users:
How have primary computers changed things?To limit downloading private user data to primary computers, the Folder Redirection and Roaming User Profiles technologies perform the following logic checks when a user signs in to a computer:
For more information, see Deploy Primary Computers for Folder Redirection and Roaming User Profiles Hardware requirementsFolder Redirection, Offline Files, and Roaming User Profiles require an x64-based or x86-based computer, and they are not supported by Windows on ARM (WOA)-based computers. Software requirementsTo designate primary computers, your environment must meet the following requirements:
For additional related information, see the following resources. |