[Casper] Software Update - laptop labs, progress indicator

Thu Apr 2 09:19:06 PDT 2009

Wait a second--Is it possible for a laptop, closed and in a cart, to  
run scripts and such?  If so, will it go back to sleep when it is  
done, and is heat an issue?  (The carts are ventilated, mind you.)

Also, is it possible to throttle software update?  If I wanted my  
clients to download the updates while the computers are in use (and  
not hammer the network too hard), is there any way to do that  
(preferably on the client side)?

Cheers,
Clinton

On 2-Apr-09, at 10:09 AM, Miles Leacy wrote:

> Sitting in a cart powered off or asleep seems to be the main problem  
> here.  You can use MCX (via scripting or WGM) to schedule a boot/ 
> reboot/wake time.  If you schedule this during off-hours, and then  
> have a software update policy following closely behind, this should  
> solve the issue, assuming the machines are connected to your network  
> while in the cart.
>
> At one school I worked with, we had a closet built with a secure  
> lock, ventilation, power and ethernet.  The laptops went into this  
> closet over the weekend where they could sit on the network and  
> receive any maintenance or updates.
>
> ----------
> Miles A. Leacy IV
>
>  Certified System Administrator
>  Certified Trainer
> Certified Casper Administrator
> ----------
> voice: 1-347-277-7321
> miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
> www.themacadmin.com
>
>
>
>
> 2009/4/2 Thomas Larkin <tlarki at kckps.org>
> There is also a softwareupdate binary from the command line.  You  
> could create a policy to run or do it via ARD admin
>
> $ softwareupdate
> usage: softwareupdate <mode> [<args> ...]
>
> -l | --listList all appropriate updates
> -d | --downloadDownload Only
> -i | --installInstall
> <label> ...specific updates
> -a | --allall appropriate updates
> -r | --recommendedonly recommended updates
>
> Per-user preferences:
> --ignore <label> ...Ignore specific updates
> --reset-ignoredClear all ignored updates
> --schedule (on | off)Set automatic checking
>
> -h | --helpPrint this help
>
>
> If you have a SUS set up you can say run all approved updates from  
> the SUS and such.
>
>
>
> ___________________________
> Thomas Larkin
> TIS Department
> KCKPS USD500
> tlarki at kckps.org
> blackberry:  913-449-7589
> office:  913-627-0351
>
>
>
>
>
> >>> Matthew Butch <matt at pennmanor.net> 04/02/09 9:52 AM >>>
>
> What we have been doing is just pulling them off the cart, running  
> Casper Remote on them and telling them to "Install all available  
> updates". Its a pain, but it seems to be the best way to do it.
>
>
> For the progress bar, we have a Unix command to run Software Update  
> as sudo which allows non-admins to install them. This is set as a  
> Self Service policy (the last tab allows running commands). The  
> command is:
>
>           sudo /System/Library/CoreServices/Software\ Update.app/ 
> Contents/MacOS/Software\ Update
>
>
>
>
>           It gives them a nice UI to run them. We've had good  
> feedback about it, and it saves us from forcing them.
>
>
>
>
>           -Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Apr 2, 2009, at 10:22 AM, Clinton Blackmore wrote:
>
>> Greetings.
>>
>> How do you handle software updates on laptop labs?  We have carts of
>> laptops in our schools, and, if they are not being used by a student,
>> they are charging in the cart.  That doesn't provide for a nice way  
>> to
>> update them after hours without pulling each machine out of the cart,
>> and yet, I don't really want to pop up a message to a student saying,
>> "Your computer is going to reboot now.  Deal with it!"
>>
>> Also, when you use the GUI tools to do software update, the machine
>> logs out and you get a nice progress indicator showing that updates
>> are installing.  Is there any way to do that from the command line?
>> (Yes, I know one can install updates, and Casper handles it nicely,
>> but can I get the progress bar?  We had some machines set to update,
>> and then found they had kernel panicked.  We wondered if a user
>> noticed the machine became sluggish and forced it off.)  More
>> generally, how do you convey to users that updates are in progress?
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Clinton Blackmore
>>
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>
> --
>
> Matthew Butch
> Technology Support Analyst
> Penn Manor School District
> 717-872-9500 x 2385
> http://www.pennmanor.net
>
> Apple Certified Macintosh Technician
> Apple Certified Help Desk Specialist 10.4
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>
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