Deploying desktop images and software

I was looking at a package that could create an image of a machine, then multicast to a group of machines (all in PXE, as Dells are pants once you get to the SMB section of RIS). This software could also deploy software to the clients. All done in a matter of minutes.

It had other features, but these were the ones I was interested in.

[rant]Anyway, the Head has said NO, because he wants to spend the money getting projectors into classrooms, even though I pointed out that they'd never get used, and would be a huge burden in terms of costs.
He reckons that each dept would pay for a bulb when it went. Knowing this bunch of whiney teachers... they'll argue black is white, and in the end, the money will come from my budget, without my authorisation![/rant]

Therefore...... I'm looking at something that does the same, in one package, and is cheaper. This package was £4k, for 150 desktops (£21 per seat + 20% support costs).

Is anyone using a cheaper package that they can recommend, that does all of the above?

Have you looked into the price of Ghost?

According to our records we purchased Ghost Solution Suite 2 via Phoenix Software for £5.16 per PC with a £1.19 support license per PC and a media cost of £16.07 (all pre-vat)....

So if thats the case your outlay could be less than a £1000.

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all in PXE, as Dells are pants once you get to the SMB section of RIS).

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Could you elaborate more on this as we have over 300 Dell's and have no problems with RIS at all.

No RIS issues here on a purely dell based network. You do have to edit the ini files though on a lot of Broadcom cards (and some Intel IIRC) though. This is niot just a Dell issue. Ris is a fantastic tool which actually has easier configuration and running methods than most commercial products I've encountered.

I managed to get RIS working on a handbuilt machine, diverting the NIC drivers, but the Dell Optiplex refused to work, even with the latest drivers.

I know it's not me, as I got it to work with another machine... ergo... its Dell!

Do a search for DriveImage XML, it has a BartPE plugin and would probably do what you want and it is free. That is how we do it.

There is also g4l or Ghost 4 Linux - which iirc is free (as in GPL)

fooby

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I managed to get RIS working on a handbuilt machine, diverting the NIC drivers, but the Dell Optiplex refused to work, even with the latest drivers.

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Which Optiplex?? I imaged 70 of these last summer?

We use ghost here, does the job we hate. never used ris. will do soon though as i make my way through the MCSE

At least I'll know who to turn to for help!

yep done the 70-270 and 70-290 exams up to now. Think I shall start looking at the 70-291 thyis weekend.

Boys night in tonight, Spiderman 3 and pizza, wshed down with some jack daniels and coke :D

We use RIS to initiate PXE environment and then use Ghost 7.0 and use the Multicast server option to load images to a classroom. It works great providing someone hasn't disabled multicasting on your switches and lost the passwords as we had here at the start of last year!!!

Boys night IN watching Spiderman 3......???
Naughty naughty ;-)

You can rent out entire cinemas you know.. :)

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Originally Posted by Geoff

You can rent out entire cinemas you know.. :)

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on techicians salaries! :x