FSLogix Office365 Containers to the rescue!

As per my previous blog FSLogix Office 365 Container – Is Full Cached mode now possible? a while ago i have had some time and opportunity to review the product

The Problem

Traditional Method

• Shared Desktop/VDI located same data centre as Exchange/File Data(mostly)
• Low Latency between Shared Desktop/VDI and Exchange/File Data
• Outlook On-Line Mode has no impact to user experience

Today’s Reality

• Shared Desktop/VDI located seperate data centre that Exchange/File Data (possibly seperate country)
• Latency between Shared Desktop/VDI and Exchange/OneDrive is increased and is now subject to external factors aka the internet (although ExpressRoutes could an option to improve reliability)
• Outlook Online-mode user expirence could be degradgated due to latency increase

The possibilities (with risks)

• Store OST file on a Local File Store (definitely not OneDrive) – back to the old OST/PST discussion OST on Network Share. Supported or Not?.
• Outlook can now limit the number of days cache in later version of outlook to prevent a full mailbox
• Same old problem with the PST/OST opening causing choas in mult-user environment
• Drive Mapping for OneDrive for Business as per my previous blog Mapping Network Drive to OneDrive for Business & Windows Server 2016 but very much subject to latency /WebDav performance

The Solution

Fslogix Office 365 Containers to the rescue,  Office 365 re-introduces a previous headache in outlook around OST files and at the same time provides a performance aware solution for microsoft’s cloud based storage (OneDrive for Business).

What is FSLogix Office365?

Essentially it is a redirection of the key Office 365 Folders using File System Filter drivers and mount point to a dedicated user VHD/VHDX. It utilises a single SMB connection to the VHD/VHDX instead of the the usually overly chatty OST in LAN/WAN.  FSLogix translates file based actions into streaming data significantly reducing the read/writes required.

See FSLogix File Access comparison graph below (taken directly from FSLogix Website/Presentation data) – https://fslogix.com/

This finally delivers a way to handle large files such as OST/PST’s, eliminate unnecessary network and file server utilisation as well as providing a workaround on accessing OneDrive for Business data with adequate performance in a Citrix/RDS/Non-Persistent environment.

If your expecting to move all your file storage to OneDrive for Business this will essentially re-introduce a percentage of that data back to the file server but only for the user’s that utilise Citrix/RDS/Non-Persistent environment and all other are unaffected.

The documentation accuracy/relevance to correct version and ability to management agents is something that is lacking at the moment but i am hoping the improvement are in the pipeline that will make a very attractable enterprise level solution that is going to only become

All credit to the FSLogix team for far for a great solution, it really does change the game and how old problem/cloud adoption can be overcome.

See the follow-on article – FSLogix Office 365 Container – Install, Configure and Testing