[Casper] leopard migration

[John Wetter]

I'm on the path of considering this as well.  We've been testing Leopard roll-outs and the imaging time is just insane.  Configurations just keep getting larger, so a multicast solution really would be what we'd need to look to.  Even with spreading the load out around to several XServes to push the files, the imaging times just are too long.  It'll be fine for the initial roll-out when we can just let the machines work on them, but down the road, I'm not sure it'll work for on the spot re-imaging without having spares.

I'd be interested to hear from the jamf folks as well on some ideas to this.  I also am interested in the Casper netboot image creator.  The one that ships with leopard is picky as heck, so I'd love to see the Jamf solution...  I remember someone telling me about it but haven't seen software.

Thanks,
John

--
John Wetter
Technology Support Administrator
Technology & Information Services
Hopkins Public Schools
952-988-5373
john_wetter at hopkins.k12.mn.us
________________________________
From: casper-bounces at list.jamfsoftware.com [casper-bounces at list.jamfsoftware.com] On Behalf Of Chad Brewer [chad.brewer at bend.k12.or.us]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 5:33 PM
To: Thomas Larkin
Cc: casper at list.jamfsoftware.com
Subject: Re: [Casper] leopard migration

I have a similar project planned for the summer.  I have already determined that Casper's unicast imaging is not going to work very well for us.  I am planning on using multicast ASR to deploy the image.

Basically, I have taken my casper image and run "asr -imagescan" on it.  Then I am dropping Casper's FirstRun script into it to take care of the JAMF client service.  I haven't tested this in mass, but it seems like its going to work fine.  I'm open other ideas, but we've had problems doing 10 computers at a time with unicast imaging.  I want to be able to do 50 to 100.

Chad

"Thomas Larkin" <tlarki at kckps.org<mailto:tlarki at kckps.org>> on May 12, 2008 at 3:24 PM -0700 wrote:
So, summer projects here....and you guessed it we are migrating to
Leopard (well i guess the subject of the email tipped you off).

here is what I have to do with my co-workers over the summer

Upgrade about 20 Xserves to 10.5 as well as 5,600 to 5,800 macbooks,
plus some desktops here and there.  I got some images made, and will be
migrating the servers (clean installs) next week.  Upgrading the ODM and
1 building first.  Then the rest of the ODRs.  So far in my test images
the casper client works and checks into inventory fine.  I will be
updating the JSS to 10.5 as well because word on the street is they
approved my request for a new server for the JSS, which will have 10.5
preloaded on it.

So, any pointers, caveats, suggestions, warnings, blessings, prayers,
etc. will be greatly appreciated.

This will be the first time I have ever used the Casper netboot imaging
this massively.  I have used Bombich's netrestore in the past and to be
honest I like how more robust the casper client is.  I know there is
currently no multi-casting available with Casper but that is not a huge
deal.

What do you guys use to create your NBI's for casper imaging?  Do you
use the casper image creator utility?  Also, I have a beta copy of that
I got from JAMF support is there another version out now, I guess this
is directed towards JAMF support staff?

I have some configuration scripts I want to run using the casper binary,
I assume those will have to run after the machine is image because the
casper binary is not present beforehand, or in the NBI itself?

Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions.

Thomas Larkin
TIS Department
KCKPS USD500
tlarki at kckps.org<mailto:tlarki at kckps.org>
cell:  913-449-7589
office:  913-627-0351
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