Planning for User Profile Migration: Active Directory

Planning for User Profile Migration...

Planning for User Profile Migration

Updated: March 28, 2003

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

User profiles store user data and information about the user’s desktop settings. User profiles can either be roaming or local. The migration process is slightly different for local and for roaming profiles.

Profiles are translated during the migration process. Only the primary SID is used to assign a profile to a user; SIDs in SID history are ignored. If you translate profiles in add mode, the user accounts in the target and the source domains have access to the profile. In this way, if you roll the user account back to the source domain, the user account in the source domain can use the profile. If you translate profiles in replace mode, you must retranslate the profile by using a SID mapping file to restore the environment to the premigration state.

Important

In the event that you need to roll back to your original configuration, notify users that profile changes made in the target domain are not reflected in the source domain.

Some organizations might choose not to migrate user profiles. Other organizations might choose to replace users’ workstations during the user account migration process, and use a tool such as the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to migrate user data and settings to the users’ new computers. Table 10.1 summarizes the migration requirements for user profiles.

Table 10.1 Migration Requirements for User Profiles

Type	Description	Migration Requirements
Roaming profiles	User profiles are stored centrally on servers. Profiles are available to the user, regardless of the workstation in use.	Select the profile migration option during the user account migration process. Then migrate local user profiles for a batch of users immediately after migrating those users.
Local profiles	User profiles are stored locally on the workstation. When a user logs on to another workstation, a unique local user profile is created.	Migrate as a separate step from the user account migration process. Migrate local user profiles for a batch of users immediately after migrating those users.
Profiles not managed	Same as local profiles.	No migration requirements. Users lose their existing profiles when their user accounts are migrated.
Hardware refresh	User state information is stored locally on the workstation.	Migrate as a separate step from the user account migration. Migrate the profiles to the user’s new computer by means of a tool such as USMT.