Enable home sync rules

Enable this group policy to configure home sync rules.

Home sync is used for all files in the user's home folder (~) EXCEPT for the ~/Library or ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data folders.

When enabled, a default list of "Synchronize/Skip items" will be added automatically into the "Skip/Synchronize items" group policies.

"Skip items" have higher precedence over "Synchronize items". If a folder is in both "Skip items" and "Synchronize items"; the folder will be skipped.

If a file in one home folder is modified and the file in the other home folder isn't, the newer file overwrites the older file. If both files have been modified since the last sync, the user chooses which file to keep.

Once enabled, this group policy takes effect when users log out and back in.

Note: Updating this group policy may reset prior changes made to the following group policies:

- Synchronize home sync items
- Skip items whose full path matches
- Skip items that start with

Make sure to check the above policies and re-apply back any changes.


=== Stopping Files from Syncing for a Mobile Account ===

To stop a Mobile Account from syncing home files completely, enable this policy and deselect all sync options.

If this policy is not configured or disabled, the user's sync settings on the local Mac computer will remain in effect and the user can set their own sync settings in the System Preferences.


=== Strategies for Syncing Content ===

Mobile Accounts have different sync capabilities depending on how they are created:

* Mobile Accounts created through group policy can sync any folder in the user's home folder.

* Mobile Accounts created through the System Preferences can only sync top-level folders like ~/Desktop, ~/Documents, etc.


Do not use home syncing with folders containing files accessed by multiple computers. This can cause users to load older, unsynced files. Examples:

* The user saves a file on one computer and before it is synced to the server; loads the equivalent file from another computer. The user is now loading an outdated version of the file from the server.

* A file might not exist on the server yet because it was not synced. If not, the user does not see the file or loads an outdated local version.

* The user uses the same Mobile Account to log into two computers simultaneously. This can create sync conflicts between the computers.


Carefully manage login and logout syncing because of the delay caused by syncing. If a user has a slow network connection or is syncing many files or large files, the user must wait for syncing to complete before logging in or out.

Consider syncing smaller files (such as preference files) at login and logout while syncing larger files (such as movies) in the background. This reduces login and logout times because the larger files will only sync throughout the user's session instead of while the user is trying to log out. Network traffic can be reduced further by choosing not to sync the movies folder, requiring users to access the movies folder locally.

Supported on:

Registry HiveHKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync
Value NameEnableBackgroundSynchronizationRules
Value TypeREG_SZ
Enabled Value1
Disabled Value0
Enable policy:
Registry PathValue NameValue TypeValue
Software\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync\FullPathFullPathItem1REG_SZ~/.SymAVQSFile
Software\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync\FullPathFullPathItem2REG_SZ~/Documents/Microsoft User Data
Software\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync\FullPathFullPathItem3REG_SZ~/Library
Software\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync\FullPathFullPathItem4REG_SZ~/NAVMac800QSFile
Software\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync\SynchronizeBackgroundItem1REG_SZ~

--- Sync ---

at login
Registry HiveHKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync
Value NamesyncBackgroundSetAtLogin
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Valuesync
True Valuesync
False ValuedontSync
at logout
Registry HiveHKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync
Value NamesyncBackgroundSetAtLogout
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Valuesync
True Valuesync
False ValuedontSync
in the background
Registry HiveHKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync
Value NamesyncBackgroundSetInBackground
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Valuesync
True Valuesync
False ValuedontSync
manually
Registry HiveHKEY_CURRENT_USER
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Centrify\CentrifyDC\Settings\MacMCX\Mobility\107\BackgroundSync
Value NamesyncBackgroundSetAtSyncNow
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Valuesync
True Valuesync
False ValuedontSync

centrify_mac_settings.admx

Administrative Templates (Computers)

Administrative Templates (Users)