Getting the basics right: SharedFolder Access
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22. února 2007 4:19
I have been playing around with WHS for a few days now. It is a pretty nice offering that solves a lot of problems even in v1. (yeah, I never did do backups - I had multiple HDD crashed and spent hours reconstructing the data with quite a lot of it being lost - I promised myself to change and make backups from then on - I never did, not even the first one)
But on the storage side I think there need to be some important changes to make this work right from the beginning. The storage solution is supposed to "stop digital amnesia" but right now we are only creating a third (official) place to store our data. On a normal XP/Vista machine you would store your personal stuff in your folder (and this is still a good idea unless you want remote access to it) and WHS will back it up for you. All your shared stuff was going into the shareddocs folder (or public folder on Vista).
And now we are creating a third location on the server that is accessible only the link on the deskop or clicking your way through the network locations and so on. How am I supposed to tell my family to place files to share there? They might not remember the location, would be unable to find them in the file save dialogue or would be unwilling to do so many clicks to get there in a file save dialogue.
Shouldn't we basically redirect the shareddocs / public folder to the server shareddocs location? This way we would be down to two file locations again. Easy and simple. One place for your personal stuf and one for things to be shared. This would also have the benefit of easier access in most files save dialogues.
What do you think about this?
Všechny reakce
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23. února 2007 0:34I had the same thought. The installation should include the option to change the default location of My Documents to \\server\users\user and then copy (or move?) the data there. Since that could take a while, perhaps that could be a post install option - similar to the to-do list on SBS. This should also redirect My Pictures, My Videos, Shared Documents to the applicable place on WHS.
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23. února 2007 1:06
I wasn't really thinking of the My folders in the first place but merely the public/shareddocs folders for starters. These are inteded to share stuff with other people on the machine (and if you enable it with other people on the network) anyway - right now you would only get to them when the particular machine is on and when you know on which machine you have to look for them. Relocating these to the server by default would be great.
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23. února 2007 1:24You could always map the shared folder as a network drive and direct them to save anything they want shared to that drive.
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23. února 2007 1:24I think when you install the connector software it should ask you if you would like to move you My Documents (& sub folders) to your shares on the server. Then provide a redirector to point your PC to your share on the server.
In Active Directory this is done through GPO, but it can also be through local policy settings. If I'm wrong please correct me, as I've just started my MCSE 2003 and it's still a bit fuzzy.
Vince -
23. února 2007 11:57I also think redirecting the local folders to the Home Server automatically would be the best idea. Then Offline Files could be used to keep a copy of the files on the local computer, so you always have you documents avaliable. I think that would be the best solution for most users.
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23. února 2007 14:01I am actually only thinking of the Shared Documents folder in Windows XP and the Public folder in Vista. These are the inteded locations for files to be shared. My Docs should stay local - they will be secured by the backup solution and the stuff you need to access from outside the network can be moved to your folder on the server manually. I wouldn'f force the user too much - but relocating the Shared Documents/Public folder seems reasonable to keep the number of locations for files to be safed down at two - one for your stuff on your machine and one for things to be shared on the server.
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23. února 2007 14:19What I did was create a "Shares" share on the WHS and made shortcuts to all the other shares. Then mapped the Shares folder onto my computer. Now, when I want to save something, I can just click the My Computer location, and select the drive letter I setup, and select which share in that folder I want.
There is, however, a Shares folder on the server, \\server\d$\shares, however, it wouldn't let me map to it, gave me a "this folder is already connected with a different username" error.
Now that I think of it though, it would probably be easier to just go in, and share the already exisiting Shares folder, then map to it directly. This would save me the trouble of updating the user created Shares folder when I create new shares.
If WHS Connect software mapped the Shares folder (instead of just creating that Desktop link) that would be a nice way to connect. Not sure something like that would work for everyone, but I think it would be an easy way to access the Shared folders in general use. -
23. února 2007 14:27
Exactly, this no matter which PC on your network you login to, you'll have access to your files...
Vince
