Highlighting important information related to File Server Roaming in Notes and Domino 8.5

1.  What is File Server roaming?

File server roaming is the ability to house a roaming user’s files on a standard file server instead of a Domino server.  This functionality has been requested by customers who have users who roam between multiple workstations but in a location without a  “local” Domino server.  

2.  How does File server roaming differ from Domino server roaming?

From the perspective of the end user:

• The data that roams is the same for both file server and Domino server roaming users.  
• However, when configured for file server roaming, a user’s Notes 8.5 client displays an additional panel in Preferences.  The Roaming preferences panel allows the user to temporarily enable or disable roaming. The significance of this setting is that it allows the user to remain a “roaming user” but choose whether the roaming-enabled applications actually replicate.
• For more information on what data roams for users in Notes 8.5, refer to the technote titled “Summary of changes to Roaming User functionality in Notes and Domino 8.5”  << External Link Removed >>.

From the perspective of an administrator:

• A significant difference with file server roaming is how users are configured for file server roaming.  All aspects of file server roaming are configured using a policy and the new Roaming settings document.  NOTE:  It is not possible to configure file server roaming using the either the Domino Administrator client upgrade tool or the “Enable roaming for this person” option during new user registration.
• Additional considerations:
  • File server roaming is supported only with the Notes standard configuration.  For details, refer to the following Help topic:
    • Roaming user considerations
  • File server roaming is available only for Notes 8.5 clients running on a Microsoft Windows 32-bit platform. Support for Linux and Mac OS X has been added in Notes 8.5.1.  For details, refer to the following Help topic:
    • Roadmap for registering and configuring roaming users

3.  How does an Administrator configure (or “upgrade”) a user to roam using a file server?

As noted above, file server roaming is configured using policies and a Roaming settings document.

• For details, refer to the following Help topics:
  • Upgrading to and downgrading from roaming user status
  • Creating a Roaming policy settings document

4.  How does an Administrator “downgrade” a user from file server roaming?

As noted above, file server roaming is “un” configured using policies.

• For details, refer to the following Help topics:
  • Upgrading to and downgrading from roaming user status
  • Changing a roaming user to nonroaming

Note:  File server roaming is supported with Notes 851 FP1 and above on 64-bit Windows 7.