Slow logon times can be very frustrating for end users, and also indicate issues for IT administrators. There's multiple reasons why users may experience slow logon times, but among the most common are profile loading, slow GPO and script processing, print queue creation for the user, and storage of the virtualization system. IT admins may find workarounds for some of these issues, but there are effective solutions to make the logon process more efficient and quick for end users.
One of the top reasons for slow logon times is bloated roaming profiles. Several types of profiles exist, but roaming profiles are the most common because they stay consistent across servers and individual sessions while maintaining personalized settings. The downside to this, however, is that profiles often become bloated and significantly slow the logon process. Roaming profiles take all user information and copy it from the server. When a user goes to logon to a desktop, the information located on the server is used to create a local account for the user. The logon process is often slowed by user files, either a high number of files or larger files, or by a large registry file. The copy process compounds quickly when multiple users are logging on to a shared virtual server and the storage system and network have to process a large amount of files at the same time.
Tricerat's solution, Simplify Profiles, solves the issue of slow logons when it comes to profile loading. Tricerat's patented technology uses a slimmed down local or mandatory profile, with user customizations and personal settings layered on top. This method results in a much faster logon process, but the user still has access to personal settings. Here, the base profile can be optimized, and all of the settings are available in a database designed to deliver the personalized settings in an efficient way.
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Another issue that contributes to slow logon times for users is often the processing of GPO's and scripts. GPO's themselves can be organizationally difficult for admins to keep track of, and they can quickly become bulky. The processing of GPO's and scripts upon logon can significantly add to wait times, especially if there are many GPO's or scripts set for a user. This process involves copying the policies from the domain controller, parsing each file, and then applying the settings into the session. At scale, these complexities can add valuable seconds to the logon process for each user.
Tricerat can help eliminate GPO's and scripting altogether. With Simplify Profiles, the user settings are stored as a database records, so during logon they are processed as simple database queries which are much quicker than loading bulky scripts or numerous GPOs. Admins can more easily manage the settings per object and assign those settings as a drag-and-drop operation to users and groups that require them. Even customized user settings from the session are saved into the database for quick operations at both logon and logoff.
The printer mapping process during the user logon can also contribute to delays in the desktop or application loading. If normal Windows printers are used, the network printers will download and install the print driver and then connect to the printer. This is iterated for the number of printers and often slows down the perceived logon time for the user. When utilizing Citrix printers, the printing policies must be evaluated and then the print queues created while the user is waiting.
Tricerat Simplify Printing solves these problems by using a several methods. First, printers are built asynchronously with the logon process, allowing the desktop or application to load while the printers are still being created. Printers show up in the session shortly after the applications load so the user doesn’t notice a delay. Simplify Printing also uses database queries to determine what printers need to be created for the user, offering the fastest possible processing. Finally, the only driver that is required is already loaded on the system, drastically reducing any time required to copy and load the driver. Every print queue utilizes this one driver, so regardless of the number of printers built, the process is much more efficient.
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The Windows logon process is complex and can be very frustrating for end users when they have long wait times. Contributing to these long wait times are very often profile loading, GPO and script processing, and print queue creation, and sometimes the storage and virtualization infrastructure. Solutions like Tricerat's Simplify Printing and Simplify Profiles optimize the logon process and provide a more efficient alternative to the built-in Windows methods. By utilizing these solutions, administrators gain more control over the user logon process and improve the performance experience for end users, saving company time and money through added efficiency.
