Topic: Understanding SME Server

[cjsstables]

Hello all.  I am moving from an OSX server environment.  In that environment A user could sign onto any mac and get their desktop from the network additionally any applications on the local mac were available.  Most critical is the user email.  when the user is signed on it uses the local mail app, but the mail is stored in the user up on the server.  Secondly, if documents were created using any local app and saved to the desktop or documents folder, those were also pushed to the server.  If the user moved to a different mac and signed into the network those files are also available.

I currently have sme7.3 setup with two XP machines connected to the domain.  Unfortunately the only thing that is connected is a (z:) home drive.  It appears that network users are created on both XP machines but thier profile is located on the local c: drive.

Can anyone help me to mimick the osx system using sme7.3.  It would be greatly appreciated.  I'm thinking I have to setup the server using roaming profiles but I do not know where the detailed information on this is located.  If someone could point thatout to me with a document link, that would be great.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[mmccarn]

I don't work much with Macs, so this may or may not help.

I recently started adding Mac workstations to the Windows 2003 network at one office, and was surprised to find that once the Macs had been added to the domain each new user that logs on is prompted about whether to store his 'User' folder locally (on the workstation) or in the 'Home' folder on the server.

I don't know what is prompting the Macs to behave this way, but perhaps it is the existence of a network share named 'home'?  If so, you might get this bahavior on your SME server by creating an ibay named 'home'. I don't think this is the "correct" solution, it's just an idea to try to help figure out what's up...

It is also possible that this behavior stems from the Active Directory settings for the users - all of my users have a 'home' folder configured in Active Directory that points to the network server; maybe the Macs are reading this info at login and asking how to deal with it.  I don't know how you would emulate this setting on a SME server.

[raem]

cjsstables

Can anyone help me to mimick the osx system using sme7.3...... I'm thinking I have to setup the server using roaming profiles ...

Yes you need to configure the Roaming Profiles option in server manager, mentioned here although very sparingly.
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Documentation:Administration_Manual:Chapter13#Workgroup

This takes care of users getting the same Windows "look and feel" wherever they log on, but you will also need to appropriately configure the email program for the each user. Depending how you collect email will affect how you need to set it up. If using IMAP and leaving all email on the server, then that should be straight forward and require no additional "tweaking". If using POP and downloading messages to your local workstation, then you will need to configure your email client to save it's files within the users profile eg the users home folder drive, usually drive H: by default.

Typically you would also enable the sme server to be the Primary Domain Controller, and you would be able to configure the netlogon.bat file which runs each time the user logs in eg to map shares/drives and consistently map the users home folder to drive H:

When you use Roaming Profiles, ideally each workstation will be identical hardware, and have identical software installed. As the users can switch between PC's and still get the same settings/menus, then hardware & software differences can cause issues eg different brand/sensitivity of mouse, expectation of certain cards being installed on both machines, and expectation of the same software as common menus will apply to both machines.
When you install a new piece of software, ideally you would install it on all workstations.