Even during the beta process, the Sync Center exhibited XP-like behaviour - similar annoyances/similar interaction nags, and it always seemed to be asking pesky questions, and ultimately failing to automatically connect and synchronize upon my return to my home network.  I'm happy to say that this is no longer the case - Offline files now works properly in Vista - and I'm totally hooked.

My files are stored on a RAID-5 storage server, with VSS backing up to a 2nd volume, and nightly backups to another system.  I've built a highly-reliable and robust storage platform, and my workstations keep their data synchronized off that source.  Specifically, I now have two Windows Vista Enterprise boxes synchronized in this fashion, against a Windows 2003 R2 server.  There's a mapped drive on each workstation (defined via GPO on domain account logon) and properties are set on the file share to ensure that synchronization automatically happens to any client that connects to the share.  Standard configuration.

So I log into my domain accounts on my laptop and my desktop; the drive is mapped, and the offline files cache is automatically established.  The little green synch icon shows up next to the Documents folder (which I have redirected to the mapped drive.)

I made changes while on the road today, came back home, plopped my T40 into its dock, checked my email/RSS feeds for content, then opened up Word and promptly continued working.  On my desktop which is also on my desk, I opened up another document that I use in conjunction with this one (Writing a paper on the laptop, and have my outline and research on the other system) - and without even realising it, the changes I had made today on the road had gone on.  No pesky pop up window telling me it was ready to synch - it just did.  No stupid conflict messages that I really don't care about anyway.

The reality of being able to work anywhere you are - and still have your data protected - is finally here.  Just as Outlook's RPC over HTTPS did it for email (hey, do you still forward emails around just so you have them on two computers, in two separate mailboxes?  Or have you given up and simply used a service like Gmail, and sacrificed that offline usage scenario, whilst maintaing state information?), this Sync Center in Vista solves my document management problem.  I can now work on the road, without fear that I'll be stuck without a document I worked on, on my desktop or on another computer.  As far as I can see - it works.

I see this as one of the biggest problems for mobile users - the ability to have a timely, useful, and functional backup of all relevant data.  It will be nice once SMB over HTTPS (or similar encapsulation) allows this kind of synchronization to happen over HTTPS - just as it allows Outlook data to flow over HTTPS now.

A wonderful discovery for a Friday afternoon, after a long week.