OFFXP: Pros and Cons of "Run from Network" Installations

If you want to install Microsoft Office in a networked environment, you can perform an administrative installation (Setup /a) of Microsoft Office. After you perform an administrative installation, and Setup copies the files to the network server, you and other users can perform the following types of installations:

• Run from My Computer
• Run from Network
• Installed on First Use

This article explains the advantages and disadvantages of performing a "Run from Network" installation of Microsoft Office.

If you want to use the /a switch with Office XP, you need to obtain an Enterprise edition of Office.

For information about obtaining an Enterprise edition of Office XP, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Advantages

When you perform a workstation or a "Run from Network" server installation, you can take advantage of the following benefits:

• You can minimize the amount of hard disk space that is used on each computer. When you or other users perform this type of installation, the amount of disk space that Office requires is less than the amount that it requires when you perform either a "Run from My Computer" or "Installed on First Use" installation of Office. This is important if there is limited free hard disk space on your local computer.
  
  
• Because program files are stored on a server, you can easily manage and maintain install options for multiple users. When installing an administrative install of Office you can selectively choose the install options for users by using the Custom Installation Wizard.
  
  For more information about the Custom Installation Wizard, see the Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit, available at the following Microsoft Web site:
  
  http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/xp/default.htm (http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/xp/default.htm)

Disadvantages

When you perform a "Run from Network" server installation, be aware of the following disadvantages:

• When you perform an administrative installation of Office, more hard disk space is used on the server. The amount of disk space required on the server varies depending on the Office suite being installed.
• When you perform a "Run from Network" installation, program performance may be slowed by high volumes of network traffic or by heavy use of the network server.
• When you perform a "Run from Network" installation, you must be connected to the network server in order to run any of the Office programs. In addition, if the server is not operating (for example, for maintenance or repairs), you and other users cannot use the Office programs.
  
  If you have a laptop computer and you plan to use the computer outside of the Office, use the "Run from My Computer" installation option rather than the "Run from Network" installation option.
  
  NOTE: Although it may be possible to connect to your network by modem and remote network access, Microsoft recommends that you do not use this method to run Office. The amount of time that is required to download all of the files to run a single program will greatly hinder your productivity.