joshd

Jin, we also have SIMS client virtualization working with Cameyo! Our plan is to setup a test SIMS environment in our office ( we provide managed services to a number fo schools), then qhen theres a sims update, we can package and test in our office and then deploy the same package to all the schools.

Hi Cameyo The issue we are having at the moment is in regards to centrally managing and deploying the virtual apps, not with cameyo itself. Our initial plan was to have the virtual apps available in a shared folder on our server and get the users to run them from there. The problem however, is that the majority of the small primary schools we look after are moving to an almost entirely wireless based infrastructure due to various reasons. We dont think that wireless is reliable enough, or would have enough bandwidth to be constantly streaming apps like this. Our next step was to a login script that copied the apps down to the machine at login. This has been working ok except that if a machine doesnt run a script for some reason (i.e. not connected to the network on login), the apps dont get copied down blah blah. Our current plan is to build a custom application launched along the lines of xialinks. Our idea is that the machines will run a launcher at logon (or when a teacher or students loads it up from a desktop icon), it will then enumerate a list of available apps from a network share and present this in the launcher. The user can then select an app to run which will be copied down on demand when the user clicks the icon. We will also build in a 'cache' system so that once a user has requested an app once, it will always run from a local cached version. We will build in a version checking system so that if we update an app server side, the launcher will detect this and copy down the new version. We are not primarily coders, so progress on this might not be super quick, but we think that once it is built it will be quite a good solution. Any comments? Some of the other commercial app virtualization providers have started providing launchers and streaming apps capabilities, is this something that might make it into the cameyo roadmap? (its a big ask for an opensource project i know! *update* We are also going to look at combining this with the Windows EWF feature which is kind of like Windows Steady state.

We've just done total network rebuilds for a couple of primary schools we look after and we've gone almost completely down the app virtualization route using cameyo. Its brilliant for running all the crappy cheaply made education software. All of our workstations are now essentially 'clean' and enumerate any new virtual apps at the beginning of the users session, if the script detects any new or updated apps, it downloads them to the local machine and copies the appropriate shortcuts into the launcher. Makes life so much easier.

Hey guys. Im looking at using FOG to image IT suites at a small primary school. What Id like to know is the best way to handle keeping machine hostnames the same after re-imaging. Obviously FOG does this out of the box, but what I need to know is how this works with the computers account in AD? For example, If i have a machine up and running on the domain and then i decide I want to re-image it, i tell the fog server to image it, then reboot the machine. If my image has been sysprepped as far as i understand it, the SID of the machine will change after the re-image. Do i need to delete the existing computer account in AD, or will the re-imaged machine happily resume its existing name, reconnect to the domain and assume the existing computer account? Thanks in advance!

Thats good to know cache! I will give it a try during the week and let u know how it goes.

Vik, im actually considering virtualising both servers (plus an additional linux server running fog. I have quite an extensive background in virtualization and have labs running both ESXi and Xenserver and think that re-virtualization the existing single server is quite a good fit for this school.

Thanks for your responses guys. Greed, the reason for moving back is that the schools have had some compatibility issues with 64bit server and also, they machine only has a couple of gig of RAM anyway which kind of makes using 64bit a little bit pointless. I will see how it goes in that respect i think. Vikpaw, i thought it would be fairly straightforward. I do have a fair amount of experience with SIMS from the installation of the client on teachers machines etc so I have a pretty good idea of how it works. I think i may build a virtual 2003 server in our Lab here and do a test setup and migration of SIMS onto that as a test. Thanks for the advice!

Hi Guys As part of a proposed network redesign at a school I look after, we want to move the SIMS installation do a dedicated server. At present, everything at the school runs from one single server and we want to get SIMS moved off for reasons of security and availability. I've spoken to capita who have quoted £550 to do the work for us, but Im wondering what would be involved in doing this myself? The company i work for does outsourced IT for businesses and schools so I am no amateur at SQL Server and Windows Server 2003 etc. Has anyone undertaken anything like this themselves and if so how straightforward was it? One last thing, the current server runs Server 2003 64bit and SQL 2008 64 bit aswell. The new server will more than likely be running the 32 bit server and 32 bit SQL, will this make the process any more difficult? Thanks Josh

At the moment they site has a 2003 server and xp clients, the majority of the clients wont manage Windows 7 but Im going to try and push for them to buy 2008, although it will require a ram upgrade on the server. Its the usual thing so a small school with a very tight IT budget, so I'm going to have to make do with what I have available. So any ideas in regards to program launchers or do you think its easier just to stick app shortcuts on the desktop or something?

Thanks for the prompt reply Glennda I've used fog before and quite like it so I think I may indeed look at using that, the only issue is that its quite a small schools so i dont have alot of additional hardware to play with server wise (I may consider virtualization on the existing server as it is quite a decent spec). In regards to staff i dont want to use roaming profiles exclusivly as its quite and old fashioned way of doing things, the redirected folders way tends to be a lot less network intensive and does away with the slow logon issues that you get when staff end up with gigantic profiles.

Hi Guys I've just taken over management of a school and have been tasked with setting up the system from scratch which is brilliant for me as I can get it working to everyones liking. Its been a while since I've done a fresh setup in a school so wondered what the general consesnsus is on the best way to manage user profiles shared folders etc. Im looking at using a combination of Mandatory profiles and redirected folders for both the staff and kids accounts. I want to enable as seamless experience for users when logging onto any machine in the school. I.e. consistent icons on the desktop, same programs on all machines etc. In regards to program management, im going to get a list of all of the required applications and make an image that I can deploy using WDS to the machines. I may also look at using steady state. What do you guys recommend in regards to shared folders? For example, teachers will want students to be able to save documents to a shared folder which the teacher can then access to mark work. There are obviously security implications to this. We dont want kids to be able to open other kids docs from the shared space and copy work for example. In regards to printers, im looking at writing a VBScript that will map all printers, but set the closest printer as the defauly for that session. Ive done this before but it was a bit of a pain so am wondering if there are any tools these days that can make this an easier process? Lastly, what is the best way of doing an application launcher these days? RM used to do one that looked a bit crappy but did the job. Wondered if there are any freebies out there? Thanks in advance! Josh

Hi Tommccann I dont know your level of experience with Group Policy but heres the best advice I can give... A good rule of thumb with Group Policy is to make separate policies for each task you are trying to accomplish, rather than sticking everything in one big policy. Also, try not to edit the default group policy objects, leave them alone and create your own. For example, when you want to set up redirected folders, stick all the related config in one GPO, when you want to setup desktop restrictions, stick all of thant in its own GPO. Deploying browser settings? stick that in its own GPO. It makes it much much easier when you are having problems and need to debug your config. It also makes it easier for the next admin to see how your server is setup when you leave or something. Also, get to grips with the debugging tools, RSOP is a great tool and should always be your first port of call when trying to work out why a GP setting isnt working. Hope this is useful!