Mirror on a laptop

[agibsonsw]

Hello. Outlook 2007 and, possibly, 2010.

Users have asked me about copying archive files (and presumably other folders) from V: to C: drives (or C: to V: possibly). I'll be chatting to them tomorrow. I think the issue is that they can access their emails via their network and on their laptops (presumably via a VPN). But they cannot access email folders on their laptops when not connected.

The IT guy says that they wanted to keep all email folders on the shared drive in case there are any issues, as they will have backups, but that users are free to copy folders if they want.

Qs: Is there an easy way from within Outlook to check the physical location of folders? Or should this copying be done using the Import and Export Wizard?
If you have experience of such requests I would appreciate any advice - it's not something I come across often..
Andy.

[HansV]

Outlook looks for data files in a fixed location.
Are these users on Exchange?

[agibsonsw]

Outlook looks for data files in a fixed location.
Are these users on Exchange?

Hi Hans. Yes, I believe so.

[HansV]

Can't they use Outlook Web Access?

[agibsonsw]

Can't they use Outlook Web Access?

I won't be able to ask this til tomorrow, but I was assuming they meant completely offline; you know, like in the old days.. internet-less.

[HansV]

Do they take their laptops with them? If so, they could have Outlook create and update .ost files (offline storage). An .ost file will automatically mirror their Exchange items when they're online, so that the items will be available when they're offline.
See Switch between working offline and online.

[Goshute]

As Hans states, leaving the message base on Exchange and using an OST on the C drive is the optimal solution, but some administrators limit server space per user, so not all messages and other items may be available. So if the files are truly PST or PST Archive files (which are the same thing), simpler to leave them on the C drive and back them up to local server using whatever system Admin prefers (or doesn't care about - I use a batch file for mine).

And yes, Outlook internally knows the file location of PST files it opens on startup, and one could write an Outook exit event to back up the PSTs to server, but there are simpler solutions.

[agibsonsw]

Hello.
They do have Outlook Web Access but it only displays the Inbox.

The guy has a peculiar way of working. He has a number of Archive folders - or, it has just occurred to me, folders named Archive! And when he's checked emails he moves them into these folders. He has HUGE folders going back to 1997!

Anyway, I showed him how to import and export his folders, so that he could copy to his C: drive if he wants to.

The company do have VPN access but he doesn't use it. He will find out how he can do this and, I suspect, this will be the solution.

Regards, Andy.

[HansV]

If he wants to work "completely offline; you know, like in the old days.. internet-less", a VPN connection won't be available...

[agibsonsw]

If he wants to work "completely offline; you know, like in the old days.. internet-less", a VPN connection won't be available...

Touché! Obviously had my wires-crossed (excusing the pun :) ). But at least he knows how to export a folder. Regards.