Understanding roaming users

Users who access Notes® from more than one Notes® client can access their customized settings and personal information automatically from any Notes® client in the domain by becoming roaming users.

When a roaming user logs on from any Notes® client, the user's ID file is accessed from the local file system, from the Contacts application, or from the Domino® ID vault, according to how the administrator has configured the user account.

Note: It is recommended that both Domino® and file-server roaming users take advantage of shared login and the ID vault to roam the ID file. Roaming users configured to store the ID File in the Contacts application (formerly the Personal Address Book), a method used before ID vault became available, cannot use either Notes® Single Logon (NSL) or shared login features. The ID vault is not supported with Notes® Single Logon (NSL).

Data for roaming users replicates between the user's client system and a roaming server, where the user's roaming-enabled files reside. The user's roaming-enabled files include contacts, bookmarks, notebook or journal, feeds subscriptions, and roaming data which stores roamed Eclipse plug-in data and settings. Any changes the user makes in these files replicates back to the roaming server, giving the roaming user a consistent experience from any Notes® client.

For the Notes® standard client configuration, a roaming user can take advantage of either Domino® server roaming or file-server roaming (not both). Use the registration process to register a user as a Domino® server roaming user. Use the Roaming Settings policy document to set up Notes® standard configuration users for file-server roaming.

When upgrading to or downgrading users from Domino® server roaming, use the roaming tools available from the Domino® Administration client, People and Groups. When upgrading to or downgrading from file server roaming, use policies. You can also perform some customization to roaming user functionality for a specific client using NOTES.INI settings; see the technote on disabling and enabling roaming user functionality in the relate dinformation.

Switching user IDs, either by selecting File > Security > Switch ID, or by selecting a Location document that switches to another ID, is not recommended for roaming users. Switching user IDs can cause unintentional user downgrade from roaming, especially when the ID being switched to is the primary ID file of a different roaming user. In a multiple-user installation, every user ID enabled for roaming should have its own associated Windows™ login profile.