Windows Server – Difference Between Roaming Profiles and Profile Redirection

folder-redirectionwindowswindows-server-2003

What is the difference between Windows Server 2003 and Windows 7 Clients roaming profiles and folder redirection? Are they mutually exclusive of each other, or do you need roaming profiles to use folder redirection?

Best Answer

They are not mutually exclusive, you can use one, the other, or both. Although it can be advantageous, in certain configurations, to use both in tandem.

A Roaming Profile refers to storing the user's profile in a networked location which will roam with their logon sessions of different computers.

Folder Redirection is simply the redirection of specific per-user folders (e.g. Desktop, Documents, AppData) to a different location. This location is usually, but not required to be, on the network.