User Settings caching

User Settings are always stored centrally, in the central storage location. Optionally, User Settings can also be cached locally.

Locally cached User Settings are available even if the central location is not available, for example on a laptop that is not logged on to a network. Local caching can also improve performance on persistent desktops, as there is no need to copy a User Setting from the central location to the Agent (unless it has changed since the user's last session). However, cached tracked User Settings are not immediately available across multiple simultaneous sessions. Depending on the configuration of the caching feature, cached files are synchronized at the end of the session.

Caching policy

The User Settings caching policy is determined (per Workspace Model) at Composition > User Settings > User Settings caching:

  • Cache locally at logon and logoff, unless otherwise specified.
  • Cache locally at logon, during the session, and at logoff, unless otherwise specified.
  • Do not cache locally, unless otherwise specified.

On a managed application or on a global User Settings container, use the Advanced User Setting option Override local caching and choose Always cache or Never cache to overrule the User Settings caching policy.

Terminal Servers are automatically excluded from all User Settings caching. All sessions on Terminal Servers use User Setting files from the central storage location.

Cache location

The cache location is determined at Composition > User Settings > Cache location. The default cache location for User Settings is %localappdata%\RES\WM\UserPref. This location is inside the user profile, and is therefore not suitable for environments with mandatory user profiles, or when a fresh user profile is created. In such cases, specify a different path. Always ensure that this path is unique per user, for example by including %username%. (Otherwise, files from multiple users could get mixed together in a single location.) Users need Full control permissions on the folder that is used as Cache location for their User Settings.

A cache location must be a folder on the local hard drive of the Agent running the session. If the folder does not exist, Workspace Control will try to create it. If it fails to create the folder, or if the specified cache location is invalid, User Settings caching is not possible. If available, the User Settings will then be retrieved from the central storage location instead.

Synchronization between central storage location and cache location

The in-built User Settings synchronization process uses a customized synchronization method that is more efficient than other file synchronization methods, as it is optimized for the User Setting mechanism and file structures.

Synchronization between the central drive and the local cache only takes place if the central storage location is available. Without synchronization, User Settings are not uniformly available across sessions on different devices.

The timing of caching is as follows:

  • Global User Setting files are synchronized at session start, session end and optionally during the session at defined cache intervals (ranging from 1 minute to 8 hours).
  • Application-level User Setting that are preloaded are synchronized in the background at session start, and when the User Settings are stored. Depending on configuration, this can be at application or session end, or during the session at a predefined cache interval.
  • Application-level User Setting that are not preloaded are pre-cached in the background at session start and are synchronized when the application starts and when the User Settings are stored. Depending on configuration, this can be at application or session end, or during the session at a predefined cache interval.