What is mapping a network drive and what would be it's benefits??

Answer 1

mapping a drive is setting a hard drive on another computer to use as if it where on your computer:

Answer 2

Mapping a drive comes in handy when you are constantly accessing a file on another computer on the network and you don't want to have to browse for it each time. We have a network set up between our branch office and the main office. There are 2 folders on the main office network that contains database files I use. I have each of the folders mapped on mine (for example, as drive K and M), and so when I go into the database program, I only have to choose drive K from the drop-down list in the browser and I can easily find the file I need .

Answer 3

Mapping drives are essential within a multi-computer and multi-user environment. Basically, they allow you to access files stored on a remote computer.

While you could access the files through a method known as UNC (which looks like this: \\PC\Share\Folder\File.doc), drive letters are used for ease of use and compatibility with software (some software does not support UNC quite well).

The drawback of file sharing this way is the following:
- No easy file locking: while some applications (Word, Excel, etc.) have build-in simple file-locking systems, most applications do not. What this means is that if 2 people work on the same file, you'll overwrite your changes mutually.
- Poor audit trail: you have very little way of knowing who changed the file, when, and what changes where made. All you have is the file.
- No external access: unless you're connected from your house through a Virtual Private Network (VPN), there is no way to access these files out-of-the-box. Therefore, if you have multiple branch offices, your files will need to be replicated in a certain way, and God knows that you'll have synchronization issues...

That's why some applications, mostly web, are offering file-locking mechanisms to overcome most of these problems. This technology is known as WebDAV and applications such as Microsoft Sharepoint offer this. It's not as easy to use as a local drive, but we're getting there!

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Mapping a network drive means you create a dedicated connection to a network location that will connect automatically every time you turn on the computer. It is good because it designates a drive letter to a network location (like creating a location on my network places), but it connects and is active when you start up. You then click on one place rather than going too My network places and clicking on the folder.

Answer 5

The advantage of mapping a network drive is you don't have to keep referring to the drive with the complete designation (i.e. \\ardvarkserver1\HD0021) but are able to use a drive designator, like you do with the C: drive. So you map the above drive to designator N and you can refer to it as N:\ drive for the rest of the session.

Answer 6

For more convenience, you can map a network path to a virtual drive.

If there's a place on your network, actually on a computer other than yours, that you would refer to very often, you can map it to a drive name that shows up in the list of your drives in your "My Computer" folder.

This is designed for easier, faster access to a network path; in comparison to finding it in your "My Network Places" folder, or typing the complete address.

Answer 7

Mapping a network drive makes it available to users on your network. So you can all access the same data and update the same data without having to copy is to a CD and lug it around to everyone.