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I am trying to set up a new network design for a call center with about 200 PC. Currently we have the following set up a use logs into their local machine which is a station out of the 200. This machine is very restricted and has no programs. When a user logs into it then they start a Remote Desktop session to a terminal server and from there they do all of their work.

Currently we have 5 terminal servers and we are running into issues 1) the server is full of desk space because every time a new user logs into it it has to create a profile on the server itself. 2) we keep having outlook issue.....

So I am thinking of switching this setup to have roaming profiles and have the users log into there pc and work directly from them and eliminate terminal servers. In order to make this happen I will have to 1) re-image all 200pc with a the required programs. 2) switch the users profiles to roaming. 3) set limits on the size for each profile so It won't take as long on the login/logout process. 4) I'll have 2 server where I host all the user profiles. One of them for replication to have a backup in case of falier.

Now my question in this: which one of those setup will be better? I need help to make the correct decision on such a big step. Also if roaming profile is better then is there ideas to help make it run at a high level without slowing down? Note all of the network including the data enter is hosted locally.

Thank for your help

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    you need to look up the concept of folder redirection which works together with roaming profiles do this in conjunction with terminal services. I wouldn't switch to local desktop.
    – tony roth
    Aug 13, 2013 at 14:17

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In your shoes I'd do roaming profiles on the terminal servers. You are setting yourself up for a lot of network traffic otherwise. As tony roth mentioned you should read up on folder redirection, it can be sticky. Are you going to put the users documents on a shared drive?

What ever you do have their terminal server profile and home directory in seperate locations (can be the same server but say \host\profiles\%username% and \host\home\%username%, don't put the profiles inside the user's home directories.

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  • +1 for the reminder about not putting the profile in the homedir.
    – tony roth
    Aug 13, 2013 at 15:54
  • I also was wondering if a kiosk mode would almost make better sense.
    – tony roth
    Aug 13, 2013 at 16:22
  • What is a kiosk mode? I am considering a thin client but not sure what is a decent and cheap thin client program?
    – Mike
    Aug 14, 2013 at 1:55

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