Standards for laptop users

[tarmbruster]

I have had standards set up on all our desktop users computers for years now. Company now is buying bunch of laptops for some users. How do I set up standard folders for fonts, printers, templates on or network when they are connected to domain but still have local copies on laptop for when they are working away from office? In the past just changed support file paths that were OOTB. Do I add 2 paths, what about working paths?


Thank You
Tom Armbruster
A+E Group

[rkmcswain]

I'm thinking you could either...

A) Use Offline Files and keep everything mapped to the network location.
B) Set up a script for the laptops that physically copies the files to the laptop and points AutoCAD to their true location on the laptop HDD.

[kwoodward]

You have many options these days:

1. you could PUSH the standards to the laptops while they are logged in to the network.This requires a Batch file be run on all machines. We found this to work well as it updates the user upon login, costs very little and also works for workstations.

2. Use a Virtual Machine with the laptops. Essentially the Workstation is back in the office and the laptop becomes a dumb terminal. All networks drives are there. This requires constant Internet Access though. $ for Software here.

3. Copy all the Standards to a thumb or external drive and provide it to the laptop users - mapped as the same drive letter - this would provide the files they need as well. Again - so $ for the drives. they would hav to be sync'ed every once in a while.

IMHO - the purchase of the laptops should have been after this was determined.

[sinc]

2. Use a Virtual Machine with the laptops. Essentially the Workstation is back in the office and the laptop becomes a dumb terminal. All networks drives are there. This requires constant Internet Access though. $ for Software here.

I think you meant "Virtual Private Network". A Virtual Machine would not be helpful for this situation.

IMHO - the purchase of the laptops should have been after this was determined.

That shouldn't matter... This issue wouldn't really come into play when deciding which laptops to buy.

[BlackBox]

I was recently 'upgraded' from a PC to a Laptop, and frequently use my employers VPN when I need to access files from home.

I find the VPN to be too slow for my liking, and frequently copy files to my Laptop's HDD, and run a simple batch to SUBST my local folders for network drives.

Just be sure that any code, menus, macros, etc. that you have does not have server paths hard-coded (i.e., (load \\ServerName\...)), and instead references one of the SUBST drive letters mentioned above.

[kwoodward]

I think you meant "Virtual Private Network". A Virtual Machine would not be helpful for this situation.

touche! VPN.

That shouldn't matter... This issue wouldn't really come into play when deciding which laptops to buy.

- Which laptops - yes however, if the VPN is used the laptops might become moot as the peson may use a home PC when at working remotely - therefore never needing to purchase a laptop at all. We have saved a significant amount of work and money doing this.

[Glenn Pope]

Another simple option that may work for smaller companies would be using a service like Dropbox or Windows Live Mesh. These allow you to setup folders that automatically sync when ever you have an internet connection.

[cadtag]

- Which laptops - yes however, if the VPN is used the laptops might become moot as the peson may use a home PC when at working remotely - therefore never needing to purchase a laptop at all. We have saved a significant amount of work and money doing this.

Are you compensating the off-site workers for the use of their equipment, or shuffling the real hardware cost to the company off to them? the latter would seem to be ethically questionable.

[cadtag]

Another simple option that may work for smaller companies would be using a service like Dropbox or Windows Live Mesh. These allow you to setup folders that automatically sync when ever you have an internet connection.

If your contracts do not involve confidential information, then maybe..... however the vendor's of those services deny any responsibility or liability for any failure of their service. If your data is (a) lost forever or (b) disseminated across the face of the planet, it's your problem, not theirs.

If any contracts call for confidentiality, then using file storage / synching services outside of the company's control is a minefield waiting to explode.

[IrishMJ]

If your contracts do not involve confidential information, then maybe..... however the vendor's of those services deny any responsibility or liability for any failure of their service. If your data is (a) lost forever or (b) disseminated across the face of the planet, it's your problem, not theirs.

If any contracts call for confidentiality, then using file storage / synching services outside of the company's control is a minefield waiting to explode.

The original poster is only talking about standard folders for fonts, printers and templates, so Dropbox, as suggested by Glenn, should be fine. The original poster never mentioned any thing about sharing Project files and folders.

MJ