Inside Windows® Server 2003

Creating and Managing Home Directories

If you don't want to use folder redirection policies but you still want to have users put their data on servers, you can use classic home directories. A home directory provides a convenient storage location that users seem to understand. You can say, “Put it in your U drive,” and users generally know what you want them to do.

Preparing home directories for users is a two-step process:

1.	Designate a home server and create a shared folder to host the user's home directories.
2.	Configure each user's account in Active Directory to point at the shared folder on the home server.

Home directory information is stored in the User object in Active Directory in two attributes: Home-Directory and Home-Drive.

Any server ...