iSeries NetServer™ configured as a Logon Server is capable of supporting roaming profiles. Roaming profiles store their personal PC configuration (desktop icons, start menu, registry settings, etc.) on a file server in addition to caching them locally. In this way, they can sign on from various computers and always get their same desktop and profile settings. Other names this function is known by include roving users and profile serving.
In many network environments roaming profiles are not necessary because users tend to have their own workstation they always log in from, and the extra time needed to download and save a personal profile when the function is used only rarely may not be justified. However, there are PC environments where users need to move from workstation to workstation, or they have multiple PCs that should be kept synchronized (perhaps a mobile computer in addition to a desk 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. For example, a user cannot change their profile if it is mandatory. Thus, mandatory profiles are downloaded from the server at logon, but are not saved back during logoff.
See the following pages for more information: