[Casper] Software Update - laptop labs, progress indicator

Thu Apr 2 10:11:34 PDT 2009

Far as I know not possible, but I've wanted that capability for this exact scenario. Sometimes you can make the systems fit in the cart (some carts anyway) with the lid open just enough to keep them active in the cart, but you're still going to be the one over there making that happen.

If the lid is closed...the system is just not accessible...period. This is probably for good reason in most other circumstances like someone that has their laptop in a laptop bag and then it kicks off, heats up to no end, then melts the system down because it's suffocating.

Should it be allowed...hell yes, but don't go crying to Apple if it's misused and ruins hardware would be my guess. =)

Craig E

On 4/2/09 11:40 AM, "Miles Leacy" <miles.leacy at themacadmin.com> wrote:

Closing the lid invokes sleep.  What I'd be interested in testing is if you can wake/boot/reboot the target machine while the lid is already closed, and gain network access.

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Miles A. Leacy IV

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On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 12:24 PM, Thomas Larkin <tlarki at kckps.org> wrote:

 No it is not possible from what I understand.  If it is powered on but the lid shut it kills all network connections.  I know it kills my ssh sessions when a user closes their lid.  I have had it done to me quite often.  I will get them on chat, tell them that I am ssh in and will fix their issue with out them knowing it.  I say ok the command is running but needs time to complete, they close their lid and move along, and my session was murdered.

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>>> Clinton Blackmore <clinton.blackmore at westwind.ab.ca> 04/02/09 11:19 AM >>>

 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
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voice: 1-347-277-7321
miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
www.themacadmin.com <http://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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