Network set up at school

[ps2mint]

Hi all,

 

Worked in a number of schools as a teacher and have never come across a network set up which is currently in use. When I log in for the first time on a machine around school it takes ages to load to the desktop. It seems as if all of my files are downloaded onto the hard drive of the computer. I have around 15GB of documents etc on the network.

 

To find files I have to go through the explorer and then locate my network user name and then go into documents. I can see a list of other users who have previously logged into the machine but cannot access there files.

 

Is this a common way to set up a network? Am I right in thinking that it works in this way? I'm not an IT specialist but just interested in computers and networking!

 

Many thanks

[Ephelyon]

It sounds as if Group Policy Folder Redirection isn't configured, or isn't configured properly. Do other people experience a similar issue? If not, it might just be something not set up quite right for your account in particular.

 

It's normal for your user profile to be loaded on logon and synced back at logoff, but documents ought to be stored centrally and not downloaded every time. The same applies to a number of other areas of a user profile, such as the AppData folder.

[ps2mint]

Everyone seems to have this issue! When I log out the computer still remembers my user name and other users have to press 'switch user' to log in

[Ephelyon]

It definitely should not be remembering the last username - in my professional opinion anyway. That's a very easy setting to change, and in a school setup it's often one of the first things to be changed. It may be the case that your IT staff have not received adequate training on Group Policy. For example, the school may have moved from a system that heavily manages such settings for you using templates (there are a number of such offerings on the market), to a new setup that is more flexible but requires these things to be done manually. Your technical staff may be facing that issue; then again, incompetence is not off the cards from what I'm hearing...

 

How long has this been the case at the school do you know? Are SLT aware and do they agree it is a hassle for staff (and students presumably)?

[ps2mint]

I'm not sure - it's always been like this since I arrived at the school. I know that 2 networks exist, one for staff and I think another for students

[Ephelyon]

Probably some kind of curriculum/admin split.

 

Do you have electronic registration there? Can you take a class register from a student PC if you needed to?

[RichCowell]

They could be using Roaming Profiles, which does exactly what you suspect (depending on the location of the files you're talking about)... anything on the desktop etc. is downloaded to the PC when you log on, and uploaded back to an area on the server when you log off - there are a lot more areas included than just the desktop, but if those aren't limited then it is likely to take an age to log on...

 

I personally can't stand roaming profiles and won't consider using them, but I know some do successfully...

 

I would also suggest disabling showing the last user logged on in the username box...

[kevin_lane]

At our school all staff have the same desktop but their own profile so settings for outlook and other programs can work however for our pupils they don't have a roaming profile just a redirected desktop

[kevin_lane]

And I'm sorry but if you had a 15GB on my network I would of moved your data to a home drive

[RichCowell]

And I'm sorry but if you had a 15GB on my network I would of moved your data to a home drive

 

He's said the 15GB is on the network, it may not be that that's affecting anything, depends where it is, it could already be on a home drive...

[ps2mint]

I've tried to login to a student PC but it doesn't recognise my credentials. There's 2 networks which are completely separate I believe.

[Ephelyon]

Hmmm, I'd say that's quite an archaic setup by modern standards, then.

 

Are you in Cheshire, by any chance?

[RichCowell]

Split networks is still goes on I believe, that's the second reference I've heard to it this week... Not going to add that to the member info though! lol...

 

What area are you in @ps2mint? Some LEA supported schools may still do separate networks for admin/curric...

[MatthewL]

2 still used in a number of schools I work in, a PITA.

[witch]

There are two in both my schools - I am only responsible for the curriculum and the LA support the admin network. I could do both but not on the limited hours I am allowed.

 

We have roaming profiles and it doesn't take that long to log on! It is quite quick and most things are redirected or mandatory