Active directory,booting OS from the network questions

[silvercats]

1. Is that possbble to boot an OS from a server thorough the network without having any Local OS?
   1.1 if possible, are we doing all the things on that server? logged in using active directory?
   2.if we logged into a PC on a netowork by using active directory account thorugh a client compuer, what file locations belogns to the active directory's user account and have no connection to the loca computer? (i meab, is the loaded desktop local one or the remote one?what about my documents? what about other important O/S files? local or server's(which has the active directory) locations?

2. usually when we go to the CMD in windows, it takes us to the c:\ (which Os is installed on). I did the same on my netowork's client pc but it tkes me to the Z:/ (netowrk drive) . why not c:\ default.

yes i can change back to Z:/ ,but why is the defualt Z? is the phyical location of the cmd.exe OS file on the local computer or netowrk ?

yeah too many questions. please answer to the point. at least one quetion

[JorgeM]

1) yes. The typical approach used these days is to stream a virtual desktop to a thin client. VMWare and Citrix are the two most common vendors used for this technology. In this example, you have a thin client at the desktop. The thin client has a very small OS built into it that has the ability to access the network and connect to one of the solutions just mentioned. Once connected to the server, the virtual desktop magic occurs.

1.1) or instead of a virtual desktop, Remote Desktop SErvices will allow you to connect remotely to a server and run several instances of the same application on that server. Microsoft provides Remote Desktop SErvices, formerly known as Terminal Services.

1.2) When you log into a workstation and authenticate with Active Directory, you work locally on that computer. What happens when you "log on" the domain is that you are simply authenticated and are provided with an auth token that can be used to transparently access resources that are protected by the domain. Logging on to AD doesnt mean you are logged on a server somewhere working remotely. Your documents can be stored locally on the workstation you are working on or a file server on the network.

2) If you opened a command prompt and it took you to Z:, that means that there is a network mapping (most likely your profile is configured as a roaming profile) that was initiated at logon. This is optional, not a requiremnet for AD. It just allows AD administrators to centrally manage profiles, document storage, etc...

[silvercats]

geat post .thanks
few more quetions.
1. so you are telling that, we can't boot an Os from a netwrok unless we intall small application to a newly bought computer? ( I thouht setting BIOS to boot from network will solve the problem with no extra sofs.)

1. if we didn't log in to the active directory or roaming profile or , do we lose the netowrk connection? (I mean login using a local account )

[JorgeM]

Computers that boot from the network in te BIOS is referring to a PXE boot. PXE allows to to boot and access the network with no OS. PXE is generally used to connect to a server for accessing a boot image most of the time for remote installing the OS. PXE can be used for other remote operations, but the image install is the most common.

If you do not log on to AD, that is IK. You still have network access. However if you try to access a network resource that is protected by AD, you will be prompted for username and password before you can gain access

[silvercats]

nice.thanks for answering :)

[silvercats]

one more question.
In a romaing profile, what folders are stored in local computer and what are stored on the remote computer(server)?

my documents? (local I think?)
browser cache
password fliles(SAM DB)
files in the system32.
desktop

are above given directories normally saved locally or file server?

[JorgeM]

By default, when you log on a any computer, a profile is created. The profile handles the user's "desktop" experience. In the profile, you have your my documents, my music, etc.. folders as well as the desktop folder itself. In addition, when you save Favorites in IE, those shortcuts are stored within a profile folder.

When you to provide your users with the same experience, no matter which computer they log onto that is a member of the domain, you enable roaming profiles. This way, the profile is stored on a central server. When you log into a computer, your roaming profile is downloaded to that system, rather than creating a new local profile. As you make changes to your profile, such as changing the wallpaper, saving docs, etc..., those changes are syncronized back to your central profile when you log off. If you log onto a different computer, the profile follows you.

The Windows OS system files are not included in your profile.

So, again, for a centrally managed profile, its stored on a file server. Otherwise, profiles are created and stored locally every time you log onto a new computer.

[silvercats]

thanks!