The roaming user feature is available for the Notes client, IBM® Lotus® Domino™ Administrator client, and IBM® Lotus® Domino™ Designer.

Note Roaming user is not supported in Lotus Notes 8. Roaming user in Lotus Notes 8 basic configuration remains available.

Registering roaming users on DB2-enabled Domino servers

When registering a roaming user, you have the option of choosing the preferred data store for that user's roaming files. If DB2 is not enabled for the roaming server, the database(s) are created as NSF files. If you are registering a roaming user on a DB2-enabled Domino server, you can choose NSF or DB2 as the data store but be aware that the user's local copy of the Domino Directory, NAMES.NSF, is created and stored as an NSF file. NAMES.NSF cannot be created or stored as a DB2 file.

Creating a roaming user

To create a roaming user, complete the steps in the procedure "Using Advanced Notes user registration with the Domino Administrator" but in addition to the other registration selections, be sure to make the roaming user-specific selections listed here.

• From the Basics tab, choose "Enable roaming for this person", to enable roaming capabilities for a user.
• Select the Advanced check box.
• Select the Roaming User tab. Complete any of the following Roaming User fields.

  Note The roaming user fields do not appear if you did not click "Enable roaming for this person" on the Basic tab and "Create a Notes ID for this person". Domino uses default values, if available, for fields you do not modify.

  • Put roaming user files on mail server: Click to store the user's roaming information on the same server used for mail. If you select this option, the Roaming Server defaults to the user's mail server.
  • Roaming Server: Click to open the "Choose Roaming User Files Server" dialog box, where you specify the server that stores the user's roaming information.
  • Personal roaming folder: This is the subdirectory that contains the user's roaming information. By default, this is based on the sub-folder format you specify, but you can customize it.
  • Sub-folder format: The method used to name roaming subdirectories on the roaming server. This determines the default Personal roaming folder for each user.
  • Create roaming files now or Create roaming files in background: Choose when you want roaming files to be created. The "Create roaming files in background" option forces the Administration Process to create the files the next time it runs, and saves time during the user registration process.
  • Roaming Replicas: Click this button to open the "Roaming Files Replica Creations Options" dialog box, where you can designate one or more servers on which to create additional replicas of a user's roaming databases. This option only applies to clustered servers. Note that roaming replica server(s) can only be specified during the user registration process.
  • Clean-up option: Choose one of the following Roaming User client clean-up options. Clean-up will only occur on clients that have been installed and configured for multiple users:

After you set up a roaming user, when the Roaming User starts Notes on any computer, Notes replicates three databases: Contacts, Bookmarks, and the Personal Journal. If a user has upgraded from non-roaming to roaming, the Personal Journal only replicates if a personal journal already exists with the default filename, JOURNAL.NSF. Notes also copies some information from other databases and from the configuration file, NOTES.INI, and stores it in one of those three databases.

Note For Macintosh users, it copies the information from the Notes Preferences file.

When a roaming user logs on to a machine for the first time, any databases that exist in the roaming user's subdirectory on the roaming server are included with the three databases that Notes replicates by default. To add other databases, create a replica of those databases in the Roaming User's directory on the roaming server.

If you selected the option to allow the user's personal address book to be replicated by the user, the user's Personal Address Book may also contain a Roaming User's ID and the user's dictionary as file attachments. The user ID is double-encrypted for added security before being attached. Because the user ID replicates, users no longer need to copy their IDs to different computers when it is modified (for example, by changing the password). Changes may not take effect; however, until replication occurs. In this case, the roaming user can use the old user ID.

Most of the settings in the User Preferences dialog box, except for those that are specific to the operating system's configuration, are replicated. Examples of preferences that do not roam include fonts, communication ports, background printing, bi-directional language settings, and file paths.

Bookmarks are replicated. Bookmarks include personal Welcome pages, toolbar preferences, all bookmarked databases, folders, icons, and other bookmark preferences, and settings for framesets.

Personal Journal (journal.nsf)

The personal journal database is replicated if it is named JOURNAL.NSF, or if it has been set via the Welcome Page.

Information that does not replicate on a roaming server

The following items do not replicate; therefore, they do not have the same data on all computers used by the roaming user.

• Signature files
• IMAP and NNTP proxy databases
• NOTES.INI file (except for User Preferences stored in Contacts)
• DESKTOP.DSK
• CACHE.NDK
• HEADLINE.NSF
• Private views
• Any other data files or databases that are not replicated to the roaming subdirectory on the server

Using Advanced Notes user registration with the Domino Administrator
Setting up Notes users
Changing a nonroaming user to roaming
Changing a roaming user to nonroaming
Roaming Users -- Troubleshooting

Glossary