How're you syncing OneDrive O365 in an Enterprise Environment?

[Carter]

For our Windows environment we have the OneDrive Sync Client setup to only pull down files on request. So if a user has 50GB of used OneDrive space it's not completely synced to the computer.

 

For the Macs this is not an option. Once a user logs into OneDrive for the first time all files/folders are synced to download unless the end user goes into preferences and deselects everything.

 

Back 2-3 years ago when OneDrive was still new you could use a WebDAV link that would allow us to mount a drive through "Connect to Server" but this is no longer an option.

 

What work arounds have people done with O365 in Enterprise on Mac so Staff, Students etc. can access their files without full sync or the need to open a browser just to download the needed files then manually uploading them once done?

[free780]

These days the words Mac and Enterprise don't really belong in the same sentence.

The files on demand feature only works in Windows 10 due to changes in NTFS as MS don't have control over the file system.

It depends on the use case. If the macs are 1:1 Onedrive sync is not an issue. I'm guessing they are being used for music/video. If shared devices all you can do is use the Web version of Onedrive or look at 3rd party products

[Carter]

These days the words Mac and Enterprise don't really belong in the same sentence.

Fully agree!

 

Issue we will have is that all users have home network drives based on Active Directory but over the last year we've been testing OneDrive and now over this coming year they want to look at phasing out Network drives in favour for One Drive but as usual, the Mac users will be left in the cold.

 

The only option I see is to tell all students that you will have to have an external HD/device and that's the only way you can work on large files.

 

Feels like a step back but with onedrive being the way it is they're not giving us much of an option.

[free780]

I agree it is a backwards step. You've also got the issue of no backups with an external disk. So it's either network storage or local storage with backups to external drives. The Onedrive client until 1709 has really only had 1:1 scenarios in mind.

[Carter]

It's ridiculous. The college here is pushing hard to get rid of network drives in favour for OneDrive, heck we have a college wide meeting today with Techs about this one subject and all I can bring to the table is "Microsoft ain't do'n nut'n for the Macs, sorry, no files on demand for Macs at all!".

[free780]

I guess vote for this.

https://onedrive.uservoice.com/forums/262982-onedrive/suggestions/19320118-on-demand-sync-for-mac

 

Can't see if this works on Onedrive for Business.

 

https://cloudmounter.net

 

Out of curiosity is the push to onedrive/sharepoint to use Azure Information Protection etc?

[TwistedHelixis]

Don't see how it can be an ntfs thing stopping Macs from having on demand, Google file stream for Macs does on demand.

[free780]

Does File stream install drivers though?

[TwistedHelixis]

yes, just gives you a mapped drive

 

EDIT - ooops just re read your post, drivers???

[TwistedHelixis]

[Carter]

Very frustrating! Being asked to see what solutions are out there but right now all we can do is wait for MS to update OD. Yes macOS Clients are a smaller percentage of the computer population but none the less still a large part.