tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22311364.post3903259539968531217..comments2024-03-27T21:40:39.130-07:00Comments on Small Biz Thoughts by Karl W. Palachuk: SOP Friday: Local Docs, My Docs, and Storing Files on the ServerKarl W. Palachukhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10854725002875547297noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22311364.post-55344680729708606542011-08-02T09:38:29.239-07:002011-08-02T09:38:29.239-07:00I got one question and a few comments about this p...I got one question and a few comments about this post on Facebook. (Find me at http://www.facebook.com/karlpalachuk.) <br /><br />Comment One: <br /><br /><b>- Desktop backups are automated with Vista and W7</b><br /><br />Okay. True. But this doesn't change a thing. If you let people put files wherever they want to, then you will have data bloat. You will have non-business files backed up on the server. You will have files wherever the client puts them, and NOT backed up to the server.<br /><br />Again, as long as you have a policy, and you educate the client, then you're better off. If you want to employ "my docs" and redirection to the server, you're welcome to do so. But document it, do it consistently, and have policies about how you handle this.<br /><br />Question One:<br /><br /><b>- How do we handle NK2 files, signatures, application profiles, favourites</b><br /><br />NK2 files are only relevant in the days before Office 2010. Now those cached email addresses are stored in the Suggested Contacts folder. Anyway . . .<br /><br />It's perfectly fine to occasionally make a copy of the key things you'd move in a migration, like signatures and favorites. You only need to do this once a quarter. Maybe once a month if you really think it's necessary. But there's no point in copying over all the useless Internet cache files in the process.<br /><br />Comment Two:<br /><br /><b>- EVERYONE I know Works on their desktop despite what training they are given</b><br /><br />We don't find this to be true. A handful of people do this. But when they lose something, we go to the boss and say, "Since it wasn't on the server, restoring this file is billable. How many hours would you like us to spend at $150/hour?" <br /><br />That person learns to store things where they belong.<br /><br />People are not stupid. They want to do things the "right" way. You're not asking them to build a spaceship; you're asking them to use the "Y" drive.<br /><br />Set the policy. Propagate the policy. Educate the client.<br /><br />:-)Karl W. Palachukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10854725002875547297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22311364.post-88864281465826288202011-07-30T10:09:13.235-07:002011-07-30T10:09:13.235-07:00I think you make a good point but with one caveat:...I think you make a good point but with one caveat: it's now possible to do those workstation backups effectively and cheaply in very small businesses. Users will always have things on their workstations that they believe are important and not saved on the server. Perhaps it's files saved on the desktop (despite orders not to do that), or personal documents and music in a local My Documents folder, or Outlook files - .NK2 files or signature files, say.<br /><br />That's why I'm so excited about SBS 2011 Essentials, Storage Server 2008r2, and even Windows Home Server. Those nightly workstation backups are crucial, now that they can be delivered for almost zero cost and almost zero maintenance. I've been setting up WHS units in domain networks just for workstation backups - no user accounts, no file storage, just 10 workstations backed up in a device that costs under a thousand dollars. The files that have been saved might not be critical to the company but frequently they've been critical to my relationship with the company - the senior partner's Outlook .NK2 contacts, the vice-president's music. And to be able to put in a replacement hard drive and restore a workstation to working condition in an hour is just magical - good for my clients, good for me.<br /><br />Bruce Berls<br />http://www.brucebnews.combrucebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17240800602385542005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22311364.post-17348841489450849722011-07-30T09:33:56.447-07:002011-07-30T09:33:56.447-07:00Thanks, Sean. I'm not above having someone mak...Thanks, Sean. I'm not above having someone make fun of me!<br /><br />You know, when you get things right, change for change's sake is less appealing. :-)<br /><br />We have different approaches, but you're right about the key element: Have a well documented system. Train you client. Train your employees. <b>Standardization</b> bring profitability and predictability.Karl W. Palachukhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10854725002875547297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22311364.post-16648503853641420012011-07-29T23:27:04.889-07:002011-07-29T23:27:04.889-07:00I've fawned over this series and I still love ...I've fawned over this series and I still love it but I completely disagree with you here. I want to tease you and call you an old fuddy duddy for liking the old "I Drive" structure and reminiscing about the days of Novell. But I'm just teasing. <br /><br />For me "My Documents" and now "Documents" has been one of the greatest things to happen in file structure. Before everyone (at home) was trained to save everything to My ______ it was a fricken nightmare doing data moves and data recovery. One place to store things and after years of pain companies finally fell in line and stopped storing their data in Program Files and started storing it with all the other data. <br /><br />So now people expect to be able to use My Docs (and children). They also expect to be able to use their Desktop (folder) even though I hate that with the burning passion of 10,000 suns. Thus, I love folder redirection and how easy they are with GP. Yes, there is "work" involved in setting it up but no more so than anything else I'm doing in an SBS setup. Hell, I have the GPs done so I just import them in to each server and I'm done. <br /><br />On the client side we say it like this: Anything that is YOURs goes into your documents. Anything that needs to be shared / belongs to the company goes onto the companyweb. It is only when we have things that don't play nice with companyweb like say MAS90 that we do mapped drives. <br /><br />In the end I see merit in your approach, but I much prefer mine. But I think we can both agree that the real key (and the key of this fantastic series) is to keep it as a document SOP. <br /><br />PS - "If you have something on your desktop and you don't store it on the server, then we assume it is not important and we will not worry about it" AMENSeanpthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07183179997504697726noreply@blogger.com