Terminal Server profiles

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Cary Shultz

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Good morning!

Just looking for some advice on something that should be simple but....

This looks like a long post....not really. Just a typical post from me: on
main question with some details below it and then additional questions with
a bunch of additional info!

Question: Termianl Server Profiles: Terminal Server-specific or roaming?

Backgroup: Client has - at the moment - one Terminal Server (WIN2003 SP2
R2). Clients access the Terminal Server both internally (some Thin Clients,
some PCs) and externally. Right now only a couple of users are allowed by
the client's internal policy to connect. This will be soon changing.

Additionally, three of the servers are in a co-lo (the Terminal Server being
one of them, as well as the server that I have selected - should this be the
correct way to go - to house the Terminal Server specific profiles). The
other three servers are on-site at the Clients. There is a Firewall -
to -Firewall VPN between the two locations.

Now, one of those three on-site Servers is the SBS2003 box, but we are
transitioning away from that...so, this will - in the immediate future - be
a 'normal' Windows environment.

Additionally, client is expecting (and already seeing) growth. At some
point in time we are going to need to implement additional Terminal Servers
in the environment. This is exactly the reason for my question.

Additional questions:

I am thinking that by 'terminal server-specific' profile that this means
that it is specific to when they log into the Terminal Server and differs
from the profile when the log into "Windows" (read: SBS2003 box) from a PC,
correct? I am pretty sure that I do not want to use the same profile.

I am concerned about the applications that they will be using: ACT! and
something called Spark (IM-like application) as well as Office 2007 and a
couple other applications. Currently there are several users who have a
profile on the TS box (which brings me to another question....coming after
this one....Yes, I know. I stated that only two are allowed at the
moment....I was not involved with the initial configuration and "policies"
regarding the Terminal Server). With the Terminal Server-specific Profile,
the entire profile resides in \\servername\TSPROFS\, correct? I do not need
to worry about some of the issues like with Roaming Profiles, correct?

TS-specific profiles: My Documents would normally be redirected - via Group
Policy - in this environment. However, as already mentioned, the TS box is
located in a co-lo location while the SBS Box is located on-site. Sure,
there is a Firewall-to-Firewall VPN in place. But, that is going to be
problematic. Some of these users have a pretty large My Documents folder
(400-700MB) and I am thinking that redirection over this "WAN" connection is
not going to be pretty. Outside the obvious (moving the My Documents folder
to a server on the Co-lo......which I think we are planing to do anyway)
what suggestions do you all have? I would really like to avoid a "your My
Documents are currently found in two locations" situation.

Thanks,

Cary
 
Re: Terminal Server profiles

Cary Shultz <cshultz@nospam.outsourceitcorp.com> wrote:
> Good morning!
>
> Just looking for some advice on something that should be simple
> but....
> This looks like a long post....not really. Just a typical post from
> me: on main question with some details below it and then additional
> questions with a bunch of additional info!
>
> Question: Termianl Server Profiles: Terminal Server-specific or
> roaming?
> Backgroup: Client has - at the moment - one Terminal Server (WIN2003
> SP2 R2). Clients access the Terminal Server both internally (some
> Thin Clients, some PCs) and externally. Right now only a couple of
> users are allowed by the client's internal policy to connect. This
> will be soon changing.
> Additionally, three of the servers are in a co-lo (the Terminal
> Server being one of them, as well as the server that I have selected
> - should this be the correct way to go - to house the Terminal Server
> specific profiles). The other three servers are on-site at the
> Clients. There is a Firewall - to -Firewall VPN between the two
> locations.
>
> Now, one of those three on-site Servers is the SBS2003 box, but we are
> transitioning away from that...so, this will - in the immediate
> future - be a 'normal' Windows environment.
>
> Additionally, client is expecting (and already seeing) growth. At
> some point in time we are going to need to implement additional
> Terminal Servers in the environment. This is exactly the reason for
> my question.
> Additional questions:
>
> I am thinking that by 'terminal server-specific' profile that this
> means that it is specific to when they log into the Terminal Server
> and differs from the profile when the log into "Windows" (read:
> SBS2003 box) from a PC, correct? I am pretty sure that I do not
> want to use the same profile.

Correct. You can set this up in their ADUC properties, but it's easier to
ensure that it gets done by setting it up in the GPO that applies to your TS
box(es).

>
> I am concerned about the applications that they will be using: ACT!
> and something called Spark (IM-like application) as well as Office
> 2007 and a couple other applications. Currently there are several
> users who have a profile on the TS box (which brings me to another
> question....coming after this one....Yes, I know. I stated that only
> two are allowed at the moment....I was not involved with the initial
> configuration and "policies" regarding the Terminal Server). With
> the Terminal Server-specific Profile, the entire profile resides in
> \\servername\TSPROFS\,

It goes wherever you tell it. I usually use

\\fileserver\profiles$ (for regular roaming profiles)
and
\\fileserver\tsprofiles$ (for TS profiles)

> correct? I do not need to worry about some of
> the issues like with Roaming Profiles, correct?

I don't know what that means....
>
> TS-specific profiles: My Documents would normally be redirected -
> via Group Policy - in this environment. However, as already
> mentioned, the TS box is located in a co-lo location while the SBS
> Box is located on-site. Sure, there is a Firewall-to-Firewall VPN in
> place. But, that is going to be problematic. Some of these users
> have a pretty large My Documents folder (400-700MB) and I am thinking
> that redirection over this "WAN" connection is not going to be
> pretty.

Definitely.

> Outside the obvious (moving the My Documents folder to a
> server on the Co-lo......which I think we are planing to do anyway)
> what suggestions do you all have? I would really like to avoid a
> "your My Documents are currently found in two locations" situation.

You need to set up a file server in the colo center to do this before you
begin - don't even dream of setting up any kind of roaming profile (whether
regular for desktop users, or TS for TS users) without folder redirection.
I'd redirect My Documents, Desktop, Application Data (and some also like
Start Menu) to \\fileserver\users\%username%\ (subfolders therein).

>
> Thanks,
>
> Cary
 
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