Portable Home Directory
Log In & Log Out: Keys to Syncing
11.March.2011 04:57 Filed in: Tech Tips
When we introduced
Staff MacBooks, nearly a year ago, and along with
them, Portable Home Directories, one of the key
points we tried to stress was the importance of
logging in and logging out. Logging in and logging
out correctly is the best thing that individual users
can do in order to ensure that their documents sync
correctly to and from the file server.
Guidelines for logging in and logging out are:
These simple steps will greatly ensure the successful syncing of your Portable Home Directory.
Guidelines for logging in and logging out are:
- Arrival in CCSD21--Log In: When you arrive in District 21 from home, the coffee shop, or elsewhere, you should be logged out of your computer (or it can be shut down). Then, when you open your machine within District 21 and on the District 21 network, you log in. This does mean the before you will have left your previous location, such as home, you need to have shut down the computer or logged out of it.
- Leave CCSD21--Log Out: Prior to leaving District 21, you should always log out and/or shut down.
These simple steps will greatly ensure the successful syncing of your Portable Home Directory.
Syncing Your Home Directory
18.April.2010 23:09 Filed in: Tech Tips
What is syncing?
Syncing is the process that allows users to save files locally on their computer’s hard drive, while also syncing those same files to the server when the computer is inside District 21. The most recent version of the file is the one that is saved. This allows the items to continuously be backed up. If something happens to the user’s computer, they can sync their files to the new computer from the server.
Syncing versus Saving
Syncing does allow the user’s files to be saved locally on the computer as well as on District servers. Syncing goes a step further than saving by cross checking with the server to see what changes have occurred. Then, a sync finds the most recent file and is sure that is saved in both locations.
Sync Errors
A sync error occurs when the computer finds two versions of the same file, one older and one newer. However, it does not know which one should be saved. When this happens, you will see a dialogue box asking which file is the one you would like to be saved. Sync errors can be avoided by only being logged into one computer at a time and by using your laptop as much as possible.
Logging In and Out
Every time a user logs in or out, a sync is performed. Also, a background sync is happening every ten minutes (the user can tell a background sync is being performed when the two houses at the top of the screen are alternating black and grey).
The best thing to do to keep files syncing smoothly is to log out before entering or leaving the District network. For example, log out at the end of the school day before going home, and again right after entering the District in the morning. If you forget to log out before leaving the district, the computer will be looking for the District server once you open your computer at home, and it will not be able to find it. Then, it will save locally to your computer. You may notice some sync errors when you log out, so it is best to get in the habit of logging out at the end of the day--each and every day!
Syncing is the process that allows users to save files locally on their computer’s hard drive, while also syncing those same files to the server when the computer is inside District 21. The most recent version of the file is the one that is saved. This allows the items to continuously be backed up. If something happens to the user’s computer, they can sync their files to the new computer from the server.
Syncing versus Saving
Syncing does allow the user’s files to be saved locally on the computer as well as on District servers. Syncing goes a step further than saving by cross checking with the server to see what changes have occurred. Then, a sync finds the most recent file and is sure that is saved in both locations.
Sync Errors
A sync error occurs when the computer finds two versions of the same file, one older and one newer. However, it does not know which one should be saved. When this happens, you will see a dialogue box asking which file is the one you would like to be saved. Sync errors can be avoided by only being logged into one computer at a time and by using your laptop as much as possible.
Logging In and Out
Every time a user logs in or out, a sync is performed. Also, a background sync is happening every ten minutes (the user can tell a background sync is being performed when the two houses at the top of the screen are alternating black and grey).
The best thing to do to keep files syncing smoothly is to log out before entering or leaving the District network. For example, log out at the end of the school day before going home, and again right after entering the District in the morning. If you forget to log out before leaving the district, the computer will be looking for the District server once you open your computer at home, and it will not be able to find it. Then, it will save locally to your computer. You may notice some sync errors when you log out, so it is best to get in the habit of logging out at the end of the day--each and every day!
Using Sync Home Now Manually
18.April.2010 22:55 Filed in: Tech Tips
Should we ever use the option “Sync Home Now”
under the Portable Home Directory icon in the menu
bar?
If you look in the upper-right-hand corner of the menu bar, and click on the Portable Home Directory icon, you will see an option labeled “Sync Home Now”.
There is really no reason to choose this option, because the computers are set to automatically sync every 10 minutes during your work session. However, underneath this same option, you can ease your mind and verify this fact because it will tell you the time of the last home sync.
If you look in the upper-right-hand corner of the menu bar, and click on the Portable Home Directory icon, you will see an option labeled “Sync Home Now”.
There is really no reason to choose this option, because the computers are set to automatically sync every 10 minutes during your work session. However, underneath this same option, you can ease your mind and verify this fact because it will tell you the time of the last home sync.
