Moving from CC3 to something else?

[Joanne]

If we were to switch... then we'd probably set up a server and a client on its own domain and getting it how you like it before putting them live.

My fella runs a vanilla network and he has a lot more issues than us with stuff like creating packages, allocating software and stuff. If a teacher gives him a disk and wants it for the end of the week he runs round all the computers that they want it on. I click allocate on management console.

If one of his machines goes wrong then he has to find the image and restore it... after sysprep and all that stuff. I just click rebuild or restore!!

If you like the extra work then go for it. At least you'll have some proper experience!

[cookie_monster]

but was it tested in anger with 400+ users.

I'm not insulting your skills, I'm just saying having been through several well planned migrations my self (with and without external experties) i've never had one go completly to plan, or it has seemd to go smoothly but once users start using all of the applications in ways that you hadn't thought of testing cracks can start to appear.
I'm sorry but this sort of mass migration is never attempted in bussiness because they know the pitfalls, unfortunatly as we know in our situation it is sometimes unavoidable.

[DMcCoy]

but was it tested in anger with 400+ users.

I'm not insulting your skills, I'm just saying having been through several well planned migrations my self (with and without external experties) i've never had one go completly to plan, or it has seemd to go smoothly but once users start using all of the applications in ways that you hadn't thought of testing cracks can start to appear.

Sometimes it's just going to be managing the risk rather than never taking any. Any project can fail, no matter who's doing it - even if you had RM in to convert from vanilla they can still scew something up so it's hardly any different.

[cookie_monster]

Yep and that's what we have always done i just feel that more potential troubleshooting time could of been planned.

Anyway as stated i'm not undermining kerrymoralee9280's skill level i'm more trying to point out that we're in danger of giving reggiep the impression that this can be done quickly and as they seem unsure i'd recommend as much time as possible.

[reggiep]

@reggiep: I liked your last post so much it single handedly gave me the motivation to walk to the car, less than 40 yards away, to get my external HDD.

The bad news is it wasn't there There was the tiny USB cable that compliments it but no harddrive. I've checked the whole car now, under seats in the boot, nadda. No where to be seen.

I have a feeling that when I went to college last night I may have knocked it on the floor getting my books out the back. I just find it strange that the cable is there. I wouldn't take the drive anywhere without the cable so I can only fear the worst.

I'll keep on looking and let you know if I find it for those scripts you were after :|

I hope you find it again. I hat losing drives like that. I constantly save important stuff onto USB pen drives and lose them within 5 minutes.

[russdev]

We don't bother using the RM support here, take a look at your logged calls and try to work out how many of these problems would not have occured on a vanilla system.

I pretty sure you will find that most of your logged calls will be asking for solutions/fixes for their fisher price mananagment tools.

does anyone remember their password syncing system to enable you to run 2.4 and cc3 at the same time, what a croc and a bad way to integrate two systems.

Again you under this impression every is same as you :-) No most of our calls are not like that at all.

But then depends on your job as said I am sole person here and couldn't do my job with out support of RM as while I have the technical knowledge I haven't got time as we as a school are involved in so much.

Anyway as said we will agree to disagree as this thread has gone way off topic.

Now got to go and phone boss of eclipse to have nag at him

Russ

[Grommit]

Out of interest what do you not like about CC3?

Butuz

'cause it's for babies

[Jose]

just out of interest what sort of questions/support do you ask RM for if its not to do with their malware.

I love it when someone claims that it save them time, how does it save time, please give us examples.

2 hour complete rebuild time with cc3
30-40 minutes max with WDS (free)

nansy pansying around with user/station types with limited options to edit.

create your own GPOs in minutes with your own custom registry files etc.

Theres no contest to me,
its quicker to deploy Pcs with vanilla if you know your arse from your elbow,
Gpos are easy to get the hang off.

I know opinions are different, but these money savings that CC3 fans talk about are really only relevent if your dealing with old tech staff or single mums from primary backgrounds.
Its important to realise that secondary schools have come a long way over the last few years and due to tlrs most schools have decent support.

[webman]

I love it when someone claims that it save them time, how does it save time, please give us examples.

2 hour complete rebuild time with cc3
30-40 minutes max with WDS (free)

Or 5-10 minutes with local HD images on CC3.

nansy pansying around with user/station types with limited options to edit.

create your own GPOs in minutes with your own custom registry files etc.

Hmm - configuring pre-made templates on CC3; or creating your own in text files, referencing registry keys and then configuring them. I know which one is quicker and it's not the latter.

Theres no contest to me,

Good for you. For others that might not be so true.

[reggiep]

30-40 minutes max with WDS (free)

Do you have any good tips or website links for WDS?

I never got round to using it as I always went for the easier (at the time) ghost option?

[Jose]

Do you have any good tips or website links for WDS?

I never got round to using it as I always went for the easier (at the time) ghost option?

Try this
midteq - Windows Deployment Services (WDS)

its great it took me over 2 hours to get it perfect but now rocks,
the best tip I would give is when testing it for the first few times use PCs that have supported nic cards in them as you don't want to be trying advanced wim editing while your still learning.
2. plug the test PC straight into the core switch, as some switches do not support the pxe booting and multicasting.
3. make sure dhcp server is on the same server as wds or you will need to configure the switch to forward packets to both.

give it go, you will not regret it

[reggiep]

@Jose

Thanks for that, I will give that a good read tomorrow when I'm sure I'll have less work on, sigh. I wish!

[Jose]

[QUOTE=webman;185016]Or 5-10 minutes with local HD images on CC3.QUOTE]

The restore images are great but if you want changes to take place that are not on the restore image then its not relevent.
For example say you decide to deploy the latest sevice release/pack for a system, with CC3 you normally have to rebuild with other systems you just deploy it and its done.

Please, please tell me where it saves time

[webman]

Or 5-10 minutes with local HD images on CC3

The restore images are great but if you want changes to take place that are not on the restore image then its not relevent.
For example say you decide to deploy the latest sevice release/pack for a system, with CC3 you normally have to rebuild with other systems you just deploy it and its done.

Please, please tell me where it saves time

Whoa, did you just say something from RM was great?

Anyway, in that case, I deploy the package and re-image when convenient. On some machines we don't bother creating restore images - we just leave it [the image] as the default XP setup. If the machines goes pear-shaped then we just restore - all that needs to be done then is to install packages. Which is usually 30-60 minutes depending on network traffic, amount/size of packages allocated at the location. Using local restore images also reduces unnecessary network traffic.

It saves time because the procedure is quick; it saves time because we haven't had to set anything else up for it to work, it saves time because we haven't had to learn an additional procedure; and it saves time because we don't have to mess on creating a standard image first for each individual and different types of hardware we have.

[sparkeh]

I always find this anti-RM animosity very curious. " 'cause its for babies"? Please.

I have to run both CC3 and Vanilla domain at separate sites. There are advantages to both but to be honest I have far less trouble with CC3. Plus sales and support have always been good to us so I just dont recognise some of the stuff being talked about above.