kingswood Posted July 21, 2005 Posted July 21, 2005 How do you install software on your school network? We currently use Prism Pack/Deploy on our upper site, but the Systems' Manager is reluctant to purchase the extra licenses and upgrade needed for our new lower site servers and clients. Leaving me with a problem: how will I install applications?? I have already setup an admin MSI install of Office 2K3. But how do you configure things to get your apps out? Paul
Geoff Posted July 21, 2005 Posted July 21, 2005 Imaging with Ghost and/or MSI's. With Ghost I have the Enterprise version. You can remotely image/reimage machines fairly quickly. Its great for doing large scale changes to lots of similar machines. I create my own MSI's or use pre-existing ones (I really wish more vendors would ship MSI files..*grumble*). I deploy them with GPO's in active directory. Dead easy.
MkII Posted July 21, 2005 Posted July 21, 2005 I keep my ghost images on a server - i've used enterprise multicast - our citrix installers 'left it behind' - but I prefer just vanilla ghost - I boot up with ultimate boot cd - straight onto the server and run ghost.
mrtechsystems Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Norton Ghost Corp Booting from USB pen into the network and restore image
ChrisH Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 MSI when possible and build my own when they dont come as MSI. If not then it's a case of running around!! I was going to try and do something creative with a remote command to start the setup on several machines at once.
tarquel Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Bit of everything really ... - Using a custom UA XP CD if theres only one of that model in the school (when I have more storage space I'll store images of them lol) - Imaging with Ghost and then Ghostcasting them out when needed - I use the Sysprep method which works for me - Have been using the Restore CD on one or two of them and updating after its finished (on the ones that are unattended and "decent") With all of the above - whether it be 98 or XP, I usually have some manner of updating software via batch scripts I run Office is installed either in the GHST images first or manually after depending on the machine in question. The licenses vary depending on what was bought at the time. Its (currently) easier for me to manually start the install (which is UA of course via a MST using a simple batch command). Not installing anything via GP yet, but will look into it some time. Right....think that was long winded enough. Cheers Nath
tarquel Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Norton Ghost Corp Booting from USB pen into the network and restore image How do ya do that? I've been looking to do it for ages but never got around to learning how to do it lol Nath
ChrisH Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Just make your pen drive bootable like you would a floppy disk and go from there. I have to set it up on a machine that fully supports USB booting and I run a windows 98 boot disk and use the sys command to transfer the system over.
Dos_Box Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Norton Ghost Corp Booting from USB pen into the network and restore image How do ya do that? I've been looking to do it for ages but never got around to learning how to do it lol Nath Try this as well http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/hpcpqdt/us/download/20306.html A USB drive make bootable program (and no, I couldn't make that sound better).
kingswood Posted July 22, 2005 Author Posted July 22, 2005 Hi. Thanks for that. I pretty much figured that MSI would be the main method, but I'm surprised that some use Ghost etc. Saying that, I am using RIS and then RIPREP to image systems with some applications, pushing out Office via MSI--and (hurray) the Systems Manager bought Prism Deploy/Pack today. Why do these things have to be so hard though? I wish software houses would publish all their software in MSI form...but that doesn't happen. And is it just me, or have you all got the problem of staff (teachers) approaching you on the last day of the year to give you 15 disk set software apps they want installed for September???? Cheers for the answers! Paul
GrumbleDook Posted July 23, 2005 Posted July 23, 2005 We use Deploy Center from PowerQuest (which has since been bought out by Symantec) to load machines. Powercast from a server with the image on to a full room takes 2 hours. This includes the OS and all site licenced software. We tend to build our own MSIs using Winstall LE 2003 when the product doesn't come with an MSI ... but, as with the previous versio of Winstall LE, this works less and less as the service packs increment for the OS. So every summer (and sometimes Easter too) we rebuild the master image for each room and make sure it includes the relevant software. Not perfect ... but cheaper for us than forking out for Ghost or NetRunna (a REMBO variation)
Netman Posted July 23, 2005 Posted July 23, 2005 @Kingswood... And is it just me, or have you all got the problem of staff (teachers) approaching you on the last day of the year to give you 15 disk set software apps they want installed for September???? Nah, they bring them to me in September and ask for them to be installed by.... September To stay on topic - MSI via GP. Also use Ghost(Initial deploy) and Altiris.
GrumbleDook Posted July 24, 2005 Posted July 24, 2005 @Kingswood... And is it just me, or have you all got the problem of staff (teachers) approaching you on the last day of the year to give you 15 disk set software apps they want installed for September???? Nah, they bring them to me in September and ask for them to be installed by.... September Or they come to you in the 3rd week of the new term to complain that you haven't installed the software that they bought 2 weeks earlier, didn't tell you about and they don't know where the disks are. Or they come to you with a Trial version and want you to stick it on every machine (including all staff laptops) for a training session that evening. And I suppose we do ourselves no favours when we actually manage it ... we get a reputation for performing miracles at short notice .... we should all have a sign on our doors ... "Miracles I can do today ... the impossible will have to wait until tomorrow!"
Inox Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 /quote And I suppose we do ourselves no favours when we actually manage it ... we get a reputation for performing miracles at short notice .... we should all have a sign on our doors ... "Miracles I can do today ... the impossible will have to wait until tomorrow!" /end quote lol, I want that as a bumper sticker for my car!
paullong Posted August 3, 2005 Posted August 3, 2005 Well as a teacher and a line manager I would never ask you to do such a thing at such short notice (except ...... !) The simple answer is - no problem - but you'll have to join the queue.
Inox Posted August 4, 2005 Posted August 4, 2005 paull - then you r one of the few sensible teachers as most that I know ("most") will ask this type of thing on a daily basis! As for join the Q - they dont seem to know what one is and expect to be at the top regardless! (I am not trying to teacher bash here, I have a great respect for thoses of you that DO understand that we have more to do than just YOUR work, my thoughts here r based on the majority of experiences I have had).
paullong Posted August 4, 2005 Posted August 4, 2005 Of course there are those unforeseen circumstances when sometimes it is necessary to 'jump' into action
MkII Posted August 4, 2005 Posted August 4, 2005 Welcome Paul - nice to see you here. I'm increasingly plagued by this problem - the quantity of ICT equipment increases but there's still just lonesome old me sorting it out. This is where helpdesk systems, call logging, SLA's etc come in [as hopefully addressed by FITS] to manage the problem. It's hard to appease staff tho' who are used to a fast response. Just a shame it aint possible any more.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now