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Operating System: Microsoft Windows 2000
In the October 2002 article "Keep local and network files in synch with W2K's Offline Files," we showed you how you can use Windows 2000's Offline Files feature to configure both your server and your off site users' computers so these users can work with network files offline, and then once they dial back in,
their changes are automatically synchronized with the file existing on the network. In this way, the files existing on your network and the files your users store locally will be identical. The Offline Files feature satisfies your mobile users' need to stay connected to changes made at corporate headquarters, while at the same time freeing you from the troubleshooting nightmare of version control.
However, if your offsite users are synchronizing large files, and don't want to have to wait for the synchronization process to run before they're able to log on or log off the network, or perhaps they simply desire more freedom to synchronize their offline files at a time of their choice, there's an easy way for you to configure Windows 2000's Offline Files feature to adhere to your users' specific working styles. By scheduling an alternate synchronization time for their offline files, your users can tailor their file synchronization to occur how and when they want. This gives your offsite users the flexibility they're probably clamoring for, and provides you with a reliable way to keep those users working with the files on your network in the most efficient way possible.
In search of a little flexibility
To avoid the potential log on or log off delays resulting from having your offline files automatically synch with those on the network, you can configure your Windows 2000 offline files synchronization to occur when your computer is idle, or during a time of your own choosing. We'll begin by showing you how to configure the Offline Files feature to switch from automatic synchronization to being able to synchronize your files when your PC is idle. Then, we'll show you how to set up a schedule for synchronization so that your offline files are synched with the network files according to your own personal preferences. Let's get started.
Making the most...