Roaming User Profiles

Roaming user profiles allow users to wander among computers within the corporate network. When using roaming user profiles, users can log on to any computer that is running Windows 2000 within the user's domain. After they log on, all of the user settings and documents they stored on the server in the roaming user profile copy to the local computer. Users can run applications, modify documents, and work on the computer as they normally would until they log off. When a user logs off, the user profile is copied to a server. When the user logs on to another computer, all of that user's profile information is copied to the second computer.

Many of the IntelliMirror technologies work together to specify the information available to a user who is using a roaming user profile. You use roaming user profiles primarily to preserve the user's customizations because the My Documents folder is often redirected to another share.

You can combine roaming user profiles with Remote OS Installation and Software Installation and Maintenance for use with computer replacement. If a computer system fails and loses its data, you can use Remote OS Installation to install Windows 2000 Professional, Software Installation and Maintenance to restore applications, and roaming user profiles to restore critical information. Because a network copy of the data exists you can easily reestablish links to critical information

For a more detailed description on how to set up and manage roaming user profiles, see "Roaming User Profile Settings" later in this chapter.

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