In this post I talked about some of the reasons why a proper file server running Small Business Server 2003 might be preferred over a Windows XP file server. In the next three posts I will talk about two features, Folder Redirection and Shadow Copies, which further reinforce this argument. The middle post will talk about Offline files, which isn't a specific SBS2003 feature, but which does have a big bearing on Folder Redirection.

Quite simply Folder Redirection allows the user to continue to store files and folders in My Documents and on the Desktop in such a manner that these files and folders are actually stored on the server. (The contents of Start Menu and Application Data can also be redirected). Very often when a small business elects to adopt a server they are migrating from a situation where many files are stored in these locations on the client machines. In an ideal world these would be sorted into a set of shared folders on the server. In practice most small businesses don't have the time for that, so Folder Redirection allows them to realise the security and recoverability benefits of the server whilst continuing in their current mode of working.

Folder Redirection is switched on through Group Policy User Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Folder Redirection. My preference is to set up a security group called Folder Redirected users and then to use the setting 'Advanced - Specify locations for various user'. In this way you can make Folder Redirection selectable for each user. I use the Root Path location, using a specially created folder on the data volume. One final tip is to ensure that you select 'Redirect the folder back to the user profile location when policy is removed' in case you want to switch off the feature at some later stage.

More information can be found here: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/a1b7ce04-708b-4145-830a-cadfc003acd31033.mspx?mfr=true

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