What are Offline Folders?
Offline folders are a feature of Microsoft® Windows® and Microsoft® Outlook®, but non-Microsoft® programs and operating systems may have similar capabilities. An offline folder is a place to store files so that they are available even when the user is not connected to a network or the internet. These folders were introduced in 2000. They are a valuable resource to Windows® users, especially those who do a lot of telecommuting, typically use mobile devices, or have long commutes to and from the office. These folders can be used on portable computers (i.e., laptops or notebooks) or desktop computers that are sometimes connected to a network. All versions of Microsoft® Windows® since 2000 have offered this feature for its users. Offline folders are beneficial to users because they offer a solution to the problems associated with safely storing your files, while still letting them be accessible from different locations. By storing files on a network, rather than your hard drive, your files
A. When you use Outlook in Offline mode, you can work in Outlook as if you were connected to server when you are not. Offline Folders allow you to compose emails, make updates to items such as Contacts and Calendar, etc., when you are unable to have a network or internet connection, such as on an airplane. Once you are connected to a network again, Outlook will synchronize these changes with your mailbox on the Exchange Server, including sending messages that are waiting in the Outbox. In order for Offline mode to work, Outlook creates an Offline Storage file (OST) on your computer. When you first enable Offline Folders, all the information in your Exchange Server mailbox is copied to this file. The size of the OST file is proportional to the amount of data in your Exchange mailbox. This initial one-time process can take a long while for larger mailboxes. Please note • Like Personal Folder files (.pst files), the .ost file can be become corrupted and can be compacted to save space on y
When you use Outlook in Offline mode, you can work in Outlook as if you were connected to server when you are not. Offline Folders allow you to compose emails, make updates to items such as Contacts and Calendar, etc., when you are unable to have a network or internet connection, such as on an airplane. Once you are connected to a network again, Outlook will synchronize these changes with your mailbox on the Exchange Server, including sending messages that are waiting in the Outbox. In order for Offline mode to work, Outlook creates an Offline Storage file (OST) on your computer. When you first enable Offline Folders, all the information in your Exchange Server mailbox is copied to this file. The size of the OST file is proportional to the amount of data in your Exchange mailbox. This initial one-time process can take a long while for larger mailboxes. Please note • Like Personal Folder files (.pst files), the .ost file can be become corrupted and can be compacted to save space on your
This answer explains what offline folders are and how they can be useful to you. When you use Outlook in Offline mode, you can work in Outlook as if you were connected to the server when you are not. Offline Folders allow you to compose emails, make updates to items such as Contacts and Calendar, etc., when you are unable to use a network or internet connection. Once you are connected to a network, Outlook will synchronize these changes with your mailbox on the Exchange Server, including sending messages that are waiting in the Outbox. In order for Offline mode to work, Outlook creates an Offline Storage file (OST) on your computer. When you first enable Offline Folders, all the information in your Exchange Server mailbox is copied to this file. The size of the OST file is proportional to the amount of data in your Exchange mailbox. This initial one-time process can take a long while for larger mailboxes.
A. Windows 2000 introduces the concept of offline folders, which are locally cached versions of network files or folders. The contents of the locally cached versions are synchronized with network versions to assure that no changes to files are lost and that the access permissions are the same as if you were connected. This process of offline files doesn’t bypass any ACLs. When your connection status changes, an Offline Files icon appears in the status area, and the OS displays an informational balloon over the status area to notify you of the change. Click here to view image You can make any shared files or folders on a Microsoft network available offline from any computer that supports Server Message Block (SMB)-based File and Printer Sharing, including Windows NT 4.0, Win98, and Win95. The offline folder and file feature isn’t available on Novell NetWare networks.
