Deployment tools

[GrumbleDook]

Morning folks

As part of a presentation I am doing next week I am generating as full a list as possible of the various deployment tools / methods used out in the wild.

My presentation will be focussing on how 3 Northants schools do it but I would like to point people to a more complete list. I intend to dump this in the wiki as it progresses (or persuade one of the Wiki folks to do it ;-) !)

So ... below are the categories, please give as much feedback as you can. Once I see the sort of format of replies I will also be rolling this out as a google form for completion by schools that are not EG members so if you do see it on a mailing list, usenet or via twitter please complete it *here* so that people can see and discuss things more readily.

OS Deployment (windows tools)
(eg WDS / Ghost / etc)

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
(eg WSUS, Microsoft updates, re-image machines, push out MSIs, etc)

Application deployment (windows tools)
(eg MSI via GPO [published/assigned], MSI via script, middleware tools such as CC3/4/classlink, part of original image, etc)

Application maintenance (windows tools)
(eg patching applications, upgrading applications, removing applications, changing application settings, etc)


Many thanks to all who take part.

[mb2k01]

Hi Tony,

I currently use the following:

OS Deployment (windows tools)
Altiris Deployment Solution

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
WSUS for Microsoft updates, but Altiris Deployment Solution for MSI and other patches etc.

Application deployment (windows tools)
Altris Deployment Solution, although have also done MSI delivery via GPO before.

Application maintenance (windows tools)
Altiris Deployment Solution

Probably useful to mentioned that we are a non-RM school running a vanilla network, which is the reason we looked for a rugged solution!

Cheers

Mark

[tmcd35]

Morning folks

Morning!



OS Deployment (windows tools)
(eg WDS / Ghost / etc)
Have used Ghost, some RIS, now sticking with Clonzilla accessed via WDS/RIS Network Boot. We have a few other tools (PXE-Knife) available here as well.
Servers are going virtual so we'll have two master sysprepped .vhd images (XP SP3 and W2K3R2) which can be copied and deployed whenever we want to provision a new server.

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
(eg WSUS, Microsoft updates, re-image machines, push out MSIs, etc)
Clonezilla Images tend to include all the latest updates available when they were made. Beyond that we use WSUS. Our WSUS server points at our LEA's WSUS server for updates.

Application deployment (windows tools)
(eg MSI via GPO [published/assigned], MSI via script, middleware tools such as CC3/4/classlink, part of original image, etc)
MSI via GPO assigned. We use EMCO MSI Package Builder to create the packages. We have been playing with WPKG and may move to using this more in the future. I'm looking at using thin clients more. So Terminal Services will have an impact on how we provision software for the Admin team and who knows how VDI using nComputing and blades will change things (very long term plans). Would love to use App-V for software deployment but can't justify the numbers

Application maintenance (windows tools)
(eg patching applications, upgrading applications, removing applications, changing application settings, etc)
ATM, Remove from GPO. Add new app/updated app via GPO.

[Michael]

OS Deployment (windows tools)
Image for Windows/DOS/Linux with BartPE

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
WSUS 3.0 for Windows, Office, SQL and Logistix Packs

Application Deployment
Active Directory GPOs (MSIs), Logistix Packs, Logon/Startup scripts

Application maintenance
WSUS 3.0 for Windows, Active Directory GPOs (MSIs), Logistix Packs

[powdarrmonkey]

OS deployment: I have a single WDS image that fits all machines, with drivers and lots of automation in it that just to be given a name at the appropriate point (or, sometimes, it already knows and is completely hands-off). Takes about 45 minutes, and reboots ready for first login without any further attention.

Applications: a mixture of Prism Pack and MSIs.

Patches: WSUS and some home-grown hotfixes.

[jcs808]

Here's what we use.

OS Deployment
Ghost Suite 2

Patch deployment tools / methods
On site WSUS server

Application deployment
If the software doesn't come with a working .msi then InstallRite (Epsilon Squared) to repackage software into a .exe then Windows Installer Wrapper Wizard to deploy through AD. Have also used AppDeploy Repackager and WinINSTALL LE 2003. All freeware.

Application maintenance
Same tools as used for deployment.

[dhicks]

OS Deployment (windows tools)

SystemRescueCD installed on a partition on all computers, to reimage you boot in to that partition and a script runs that uses PartImage to reimage the Windows partition. Script has the ability to nuke the MBR should any of these dodgy new viruses turn up.

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)

WSUS server, when I can get the darned thing configured and working.

Application deployment (windows tools)

Special "install" user with admin rights that runs a script that runs an application's installer whichever way is best - msiexec for MSIs, silent-install switches for those applications that support it, or AutoIt if the application is too crummy to want to be installed easily.

Application maintenance (windows tools)

Reimage the machine.

--
David Hicks

[jamin100]

Primary School

OS Deployment
Ghost Solution suite 2

Patch deployment tools
WSUS for all updates

Application deployment
Ghost solution suite 2.0 AI packages

Application maintenance
Again Ghost solution suite 2 AI packages - It just works


Vanilla server 2k3 setup

[CyberNerd]

OS Deployment (windows tools)

IBM Tivoli, moving to FOG
Vmware

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)

Scripts, Wpkg

Application deployment (windows tools)

Moodle (SCORM)
Citrix deployment tools.
WPKG
Scripts
Citrix published applications

Application maintenance (windows tools)

Moodle (SCORM)
reimage

[webman]

OS Deployment (windows tools)
RM CC3 build tools. (Boot workstation with USB flash drive, type in details, rest is automated)

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
Use CC3 tools to push out packaged MSIs based on OU location

Application deployment (windows tools)
Use CC3 to allocate MSI packages. WinInstall LE to create MSIs (with RM wrapper), and sometimes Inno Setup Compiler where MSIs are over-kill.

Application maintenance (windows tools)
Same as above

[gshaw]

OS Deployment
SMS 2003 with OSD Feature Pack

Patch Management
WSUS 3 for App and OS updates

Application Deployment
Majority of it is standard on the image but for any extras deploy via SMS or in some cases via NetSupport School on our Teaching machines (when we need to be 110% sure the software is installed OK)

Application Maintenance
SMS but reimage usually comes first

[SYNACK]

Primary Schools

OS Deployment
WDS configured and maintained by MDT

Patch deployment tools
WSUS for all updates

Application deployment
GPO MSI + starting to use softgrid

Application maintenance
GPO redeploys or VBS scripting at machine start


Vanilla server 2k3+2k8 setup with Vista and XP clients

[AngryTechnician]

OS Deployment (windows tools)
None, we just install Vista via USB and add the few drivers that aren't included.

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
WSUS

Application deployment (windows tools)
MSI via GPO for almost everything; the few things that don't package into MSIs are run via an automated script when we build. On very rare occasions (maybe once a year) we use a psexec script to launch scripts remotely.

Application maintenance (windows tools)
Settings controlled via ADM templates or Group Policy Preferences. Upgrades are normally managed by pushing out a new MSI via GPO, removals handled the same way as deployment.

[GrumbleDook]

This may sound a tad strange but it is not.

I had one person email me to ask if they could do it anonymously as they use particular stuff that they may not be fully licenced for but would like to be if they had the budget.

If people do want to PM them to me instead (not going to get the google form up today) then please do so. I can understand the worry about sticking something on here when the restriction is the cost or available budget. If this is the case then I will treat all responses in strictest confidence but please explain that you operate in a certain way because of finances.

It may be that the solutions mentioned so far might actually save you some money or help to give weight to your request for the right software.

[Sylv3r]

We are similar to Webman with slight changes in red.

OS Deployment (windows tools)
RM CC3 build tools. (Boot workstation with USB flash drive, type in details, rest is automated) Ghost images to our staff / student laptops. NLite installs for our eeePC's

Patch deployment tools / methods (windows tools)
Use CC3 tools to push out packaged MSIs based on OU location WSUS to roll out MS updates to our Non CCC3 servers and Admin workstations on their own Windows 2003 domain. Considering rolling out WSUS to staff / student laptops also, but not sure how often they connect to the network and how successful it will be via wireless

Application deployment (windows tools)
Use CC3 to allocate MSI packages. WinInstall LE to create MSIs (with RM wrapper),

Application maintenance (windows tools)
Same as above