Re: Need solution recommends, for PC "imaging", prefer from the i

Sorry, but this is still a PC-TECH issue. You want a PC imager than uses a
server to store the images. That the server is an i is immaterial; you
would get the same results if the back-end server was Windows, Linux/Samba,
or a NAS device. Actually, given the comparably poor performance of the i
as a file server, the other options would likely perform better.

Back to your issue..

If you deploy centrally, you may have better results using a bootable USB
drive to store your images. They're cheap, perform well, and many use the
USB port for power so there's no extra plugging in. They also remove the
issue of dealing with network drivers. And pretty much every machine from
about 2003 or so on can boot from a USB device. IIRC we push out fully
configured Windows systems (Windows, Office, AV/AS, other applications) in
20 or so minutes. This is faster despite the full Gb LAN at our disposal,
and time matters as we deploy 2000+ machines a year.


In addition to Ghost, consider the offerings from Acronis:
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/snapdeploy/ or use the apparently
free Windows Deployment Services (
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc772106.aspx and
http://datanotes.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/how-to-deploy-xp-using-windows-deployment-services-wds-2/
)

On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 6:09 PM, Dave Odom <Dave.Odom@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Here I'm speaking of keeping the PC master image on the i, so I don't think
this is a PCTECH forum problem. Like we used to do from mainframes in the
mid '80s... you keep the PC OS, programs, an "image" of a master PC system
for say, regular users and one for power users, etc.. Then when, a person
get's a new PC, they get their new PC "built" from the ground up for the
type of user they are, from the i. I was hoping someone in the i
community was doing it that way like we used to do from the mainframe.
But, regardless of how you do it, I'd like your recommendation of software,
processes (high level), etc., for doing this kind of work.

I'm NOT talking about making an image of the i5 DASD for backups or any
reason.

Thanks,

Dave
--
This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing list
To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.