Person Synchronization with Windows SharePoint Services
In a Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 deployment, a person defined in Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and a person defined in Office SharePoint Server 2007 are the same. To deliver consistent objects across the deployment in both Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 and Office SharePoint Server 2007, both implement person synchronization.
Person synchronization is bidirectional. In the up direction, the Windows SharePoint Services site collection membership list is pulled into the Office SharePoint Server 2007 user profile database to inform Office SharePoint Server 2007 about which users are a member of which sites and allow incremental synchronization. In the down direction, the Office SharePoint Server 2007 user profile database sends down replicable user profile information for all members in the site collection.
Synchronization actions are either full or incremental. On first synchronization or restore, Office SharePoint Server 2007 may not have previous synchronization or site collection membership information, so a full synchronization takes place. If previous synchronization information is found, an incremental synchronization is performed instead.
Note
You can use the stsadm.exe tool to administer person synchronization yourself.
Removing Users
If a user is removed from the Windows SharePoint Services site collection membership list, that user is no longer recognized as a member of the site collection, and Office SharePoint Server 2007 no longer synchronizes profile information for that user.
If a user leaves the environment (is no longer in the Office SharePoint Server 2007 user profile store or in Active Directory), that user remains in the Windows SharePoint Services membership list for that site collection until he or she is removed from the list. Office SharePoint Server 2007 flags the user and ceases to synchronize any information for that user. However, Office SharePoint Server 2007 does not alter the Windows SharePoint Services site collection membership list in response to a user who is no longer in the Office SharePoint Server 2007 user profile store.
See Also
Concepts
What's New in User Profiles and Audience Targeting
Other Resources
Personalizing Your Portal: Overview
Key Concepts and Architecture