posted
That is what is being given to me. I am supposed to set them up in two different schools.
I have never done imaging over a network, but I am thinking that will help me save time. I have a question tho: If I create an image to clone, how will all of my new laptops know the network id so they can pull the image down? Do I need to add each computer to the network one at a time in order to pull off the image?
I am looking for some resources online. I also remember once reading that you can set up your image so that during the process you can name the computer. Is that correct? Or do I need to rename all the computers one at a time after the image is installed?
This looks like a fun project. Since all of the laptops are the same, I am thinking of creating a disk image for each group of computers that need the same programs. I will probably need only 4 or five different images.
Maybe I don't need to re-image all the computers since they already have windows. maybe I can use a partial image to update the security patches, , connect them to the network, rename them, and install additional programs.
Hmmm...I am typing out loud as I try to wrap my mind how best to start this project.
How have you set up several computers on a network at once?
* I was thinking of starting off with Ghost, but I had a really bad experience last year of a Ghost image not working with Dell computers. Apparently it was a common problem that was never resolved.
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I think Microsoft SMS could do this. However, I'm not intimately familiar with it, and I don't know if you have access to it.
I can also think of other imaging programs, but those tend to involve manual work. The more automation, the better, particularly with that many laptops.
Posts: 1813 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Then you might investigate getting Microsoft SMS and allocate a computer to act as an SMS server (I don't think it has to have a lot of horsepower...not sure.) You can push the SMS images out over the network. This means that with a decent network, you can image quite a few machines at a time.
We have this system at my workplace, but it's not my responsibility and I haven't had the opportunity to learn it yet. We can image an entire lab of desktop machines rather quickly.
quote:You can push the SMS images out over the network. This means that with a decent network, you can image quite a few machines at a time.
IF these are Dell computers with XP already installed, do I need to connect them to our network first? Or can I use a pre-made boot CD or something else to to see the network so the images can be pushed to the computers?
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote: I have a question tho: If I create an image to clone, how will all of my new laptops know the network id so they can pull the image down?
You want to investigate both Microsoft SMS and, more importantly, PXE. If you don't already own SMS, you may find that purchasing Symantec Ghost is cheaper, especially if you intend to multicast.
In either case, you will want to understand what a network boot loader is. I strongly recommend Googling "PXE boot" and reading what you find there.
If you don't use a PXE boot image, there are some alternatives -- including configuration CDs -- but these are generally inferior. If your laptops aren't already pre-configured to boot to PXE by default, however, you may ALREADY have to touch them manually at least once (to turn on that feature in BIOS); if this is the case, config CDs are just as viable a solution.
No matter which deployment method you settle on, you'll also want to become familiar with Microsoft's Sysprep tool (which is intended to help resolve the naming issue you mentioned above). Google "sysprep unattended install" for more information.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Perfect. Thank you. My Sunday reading is full. Those are the terms I have heard before, forgot, and was looking for.
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Here is a follow up simple question. What is it called when you want to have a uniform naming scheme thought your business? I think it is called "UNC," but when I look that up on webopedia it says it is the full file name like, "\\server\foler\title.doc"
quote: If you don't already own SMS, you may find that purchasing Symantec Ghost is cheaper, especially if you intend to multicast.
I am looking at Ghost 10.0's instruction book , and it looks like you can only restore one computer at a time.
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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My suggestion would be to use virtual machines, using VMWare Server (which, apparently, is free). Then you can take the image, and copy and move it wherever you like. Someone installs errant or bad software, such as malware, toss the image and re-copy it.
I've fallen in love with VMWare, and I can see the benefits to it in such an atmosphere. With it, you leave the core OS basically untouched, and all software's installed in the image. It ensures that nothing gets in the way and, if it does, it does inside of the image that can be easily replaced.
It's significantly faster to create a new machine compared to a full drive "ghost" copy.
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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You'd want the Enterprise version of Symantec Ghost, which does multicast deployment. If you've got 500 laptops to configure, you'll definitely want to push this out multicast rather than unicast.
UNC is a file-path naming convention. A UNC path is indeed something like "\\server\sharename\filename.ext"
I'm not sure if you're asking about making COMPUTER names conform to convention, or asking about making universal fileshares. If the former, you'll want to use Sysprep and Active Directory computer objects to achieve that goal; if the latter, you'll want to look into DFS, or Distributed File Sharing. (DFS allows you to host multiple shares on multiple servers as if they were a single share on a single "root," so that shares stored on three different servers can all be accessed through the UNC path \\domainname\rootname\linkname. This is extraordinarily useful, although Macs don't play nicely with DFS.)
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote: Then you can take the image, and copy and move it wherever you like....It's significantly faster to create a new machine compared to a full drive "ghost" copy.
So let me see if I got this straight. I can install VM server on one machine. I get all the updates, install all the new software, configure my default user folder how I want it, and then I can create an image of just what I changed. I then take that image of the changes and I can apply it to all the other new computers, and it only updates them to match the original changed computer?
And somehow I can use the sysprep tools to make it possible to change computer names et cetera during the process?
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Yes to both questions, although I should warn you that virtualization is considerably more complex than it at first seems.
We use Virtual Server images to do all our labs, and use SMS to push out the images; we then use Group Policy in conjunction with SMS to refresh the image nightly, so that our lab machines reset to "default" on a daily basis.
Once you start using images (virtualized or otherwise), you'll wonder how you lived without 'em. But image management -- applying patches, updates, etc. -- is a subject unto itself.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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IF I use sysprep and Ghost and put this "sysprep -activated -reseal" in my sysprep.inf file, will it keep the Microsoft key on the computer before it was ghosted?
Ie: i have three computers that are exactly the same.
Computer one...I install all the programs, updates, and then ghost it for my master image.
Computer 2 and 3 come with xp installed. If I use Ghost mulicasting to install the master image on the other computers and put in "sysprep -activated -reseal" in the sysprep.inf file, then will the two other computers keep the key that is on the activation sticker? Or will they have the same key as the master image?
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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As I understand it, the keys will be replaced by the key on the master image, since nothing on the original destination drives will survive -- but I can't verify this, since I've never worked for a place that didn't use an enterprise license key. Honestly, you should look into getting an enterprise license; it's MUCH cheaper, especially for schools.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote: Honestly, you should look into getting an enterprise license; it's MUCH cheaper, especially for schools.
Actually we do have enterprise licenses, but we also have a relationship with Dell that puts on the OS at no extra charge. Our computers come with individual keys. Silly, eh?
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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Not necessarily; it actually makes them easier to sell once they're too old to keep around.
But if you have a site license, you're in the clear; go ahead and build the image using the enterprise key, and then save the original key. Since you're paying for the key and not the software, you can just reformat and reinstall Windows with the original key when it's time to sell that machine.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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