When iSeries™ NetServer™ is configured as a logon server, it supports roaming profiles. Roaming profiles store their personal PC configuration, including desktop icons, start menu, and registry, on a file server in addition to caching these files locally.
In this way, users can sign on from various computers and always get their same desktop and profile settings. This function is also known as roving users and as profile serving.
In many network environments, roaming profiles are not necessary because users tend to have their own workstation that they always log in from. And the extra time needed to download and save a personal profile when the function is rarely used might not be justified. However, there are PC environments where users need to move from workstation to workstation, or where they have multiple PCs that should be kept synchronized (perhaps a mobile computer in addition to a desktop PC). These are ideal cases to make use of roaming profiles.
Another benefit of storing profiles on the server is that they can be made mandatory. Users cannot change their profiles if they are mandatory. Thus, mandatory profiles are downloaded from the server at logon, but are not saved back during logoff.