GPO setting for folder redirection.

For any business environment, the location of your data needs to be addressed. With so many users on the move, they tend to carry their data with them. For IT staff, this is a nightmare to ensure the users data gets backed up. To help resolve this, Folder redirection is available in Group Policy.

Folder redirection allows you to specify that any documents saved in a location on the users hard drive, is actually saved on a server. That way you can provide fault tolerance and backups. You will find the folder redirection policy at Users Configuration à Windows Settings à Folder Redirection.

Using folder redirection, you can specify that all user data is redirected to the same location, or you can filter the location based on Security Group membership. The following folders are availible for redirection:

Desktop
Start Menu
Documents
Pictures
Music
Videos
Favorites
Contacts
Downloads
Links
Searches
Saved Games.

You can choose which ones you want to redirect, where they go, and which ones to keep on the client. For your mobile users, their data will be automatically synchronized with the server when they log on or log off. You may want to point out to your users of large data that this may cause delays in starting work in the morning, and leaving in the evening.

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Jason Yoder, MCT

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