Offline files are copies of network files on the local system. Users can work on these files even when they are not online. The Offline Files feature ensures that users are working with the most current version of the network files, and that the files will be synchronized with the network version of the files when users reconnect. If users have enabled offline files, they can navigate through shared folders and mapped network drives, regardless of whether or not they are connected to a network. Users can also browse network drives and shared folders in My Computer or My Network Places.
Windows operating systems support the Offline Files feature.
Any shared file or folder on a Microsoft network can be made available offline. Users can make files available offline from any computer that supports Server Message Block-based (SMB) File and Printer Sharing. The Offline Files feature is not available on Novell NetWare networks.
There are three modes of caching files offline:
No Caching: In this mode, no files are cached onto the client computers.
Manual: This mode permits users to specify individual files to be available offline.
Automatic: This mode is applied to the entire share. When a user uses any file in this share, it is made available to the user for offline access.
Offline files allow administrators to configure the amount of disk space used to store offline files. However, this only affects the offline files that are stored automatically. It does not affect offline files that are stored manually.
