[Casper] Deploy Studio

Thu Feb 5 08:12:37 PST 2009

We use Windows Deployment Services (Included in Win Server 2003 SP2 and
Win Server 2008) for PXE booting and imaging our Windows machines.

I have adapted this method to imaging Windows onto our Macs as well and it
is working fairly well.  The only downside is having to boot the Macs from
a WDS deployment CD since they won't PXE boot.   Once booted from the CD,
I can deploy my windows image using the Window pre-execution environment
just like we do other PC's.

Chad

Miles Leacy <miles.leacy at themacadmin.com> on February 5, 2009 at 8:07 AM
-0800 wrote:
>Thanks for the vote of confidence.  While I don't claim the title "Casper
>Trainer", I'll try to answer your question.  I invite anyone from JAMF to
>correct me if my understanding is flawed.
>
>
>Casper is not intended to image without a JSS.
>
>
>If I had to, I think I could "trick" Casper Imaging into deploying an
>image without a JSS by pre-caching the necessary packages and scripts
>onto my external device.  I'd have to experiment a bit to see if I am
>correct, but my gut feeling is that it would be possible though require
>doing things in an unsupported way.  Casper Imaging having the built-in
>and supported ability to cache configurations and the contents of a
>distribution point could certainly be useful.  I'd recommend that anyone
>who finds it useful contact JAMF with a feature request.
>
>
>Deploy Studio is free, and it does provide a decent imaging solution for
>the price.  When used from portable drives, it seems a bit better than
>having a monolithic image deployment.  When used in its server model, it
>seems to be of only slightly greater utility than using Apple NetInstall.
> The difference being that you would have to build and store
>a separate NetInstall image for each "configuration" if you went with the
>pure Apple solution.
>
>
>As far as deploying Windows goes, I'm of the opinion that Casper is the
>"best of breed" solution for deploying and maintaining Macs.  If I ever
>assumed responsibility for deployment and maintenance of Windows PCs, I'd
>research the "best of breed" deployment and management utility/suite for
>Windows.
>
>----------
>Miles A. Leacy IV
>
> Certified System Administrator 10.4
> Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
> Certified Trainer
>Certified Casper Administrator
>----------
>voice: 1-347-277-7321
>[ mailto:miles.leacy at themacadmin.com ]miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
>[ http://www.themacadmin.com ]www.themacadmin.com
>
>
>
>
>On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 10:35 AM, Criss Myers <[ mailto:CMyers at uclan.ac.uk
>]CMyers at uclan.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>Hi Miles 
>
>
>I think the point Thomas was making was imaging PC clients from a Mac
>server, ive downloaded the documentation and installed the DS and for the
>mac side it is a very basic imaging and packing deployment product, but
>FREE for those that cant afford Casper, not that i can say its a patch on
>Casper. 
>
>
>As your the Casper Trainer you might be able ti tell me if you can use
>casper from a usb/ external drive without any server/network? As i am
>only 6months into using capser. 
>
>
>DS can support external drives, you can use scripts, install packages and
>image computers and theres even a database of known approved computers to
>image as well as a live activity monitor. 
>
>
>On the PC side, it installs a vmlinux pxebooter and alters the dhcp
>settings, atm i dont have a PC to test with, but from the forums allows
>the PC to pxe boot however it doesn't support all NIC's nor necessarily
>new or future PC's 
>
>
>I would have thought that maybe in the future with EFI that PC's and
>windows might start going that way making it easier to preboot them. 
>
>
>The DS does not make a PC image, its just a pxebooter. 
>
>
>You also need DHCP on your mac server as well as cifs or nfs support. 
>
>
>Criss
>
>
>Criss Myers 
>Senior Customer Support Analyst (Mac Services) 
>Apple Certified Technical Coordinator v10.5 
>LIS Business Support Team 
>Library 301 
>University of Central Lancashire 
>Preston PR1 2HE 
>Ex 5054 
>01772 895054
>
>
>
>>>> On Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at  9:50 PM, in message <[
>mailto:ec2e75ff0902041350k58624731n26266194def6eb4d at mail.gmail.com
>]ec2e75ff0902041350k58624731n26266194def6eb4d at mail.gmail.com>, Miles
>Leacy <[ mailto:miles.leacy at themacadmin.com ]miles.leacy at themacadmin.com>
>wrote:
>
>
>
>
>I had a cursory look at it a few months ago. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>My first impression is that it's an immature product/project. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I can't download the Architecture document from their site (the link
>appears to be broken), but if I recall correctly, DeployStudio is
>attempting to deliver features found in Casper, NetRestore and Radmind. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I think it's an admirable effort by the project's creators and
>contributors, however, I'll be sticking with Casper for several reasons. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Before Casper, I used Radmind and a collection of my own homebrewed shell
>scripts to handle deployment, software distribution, patch management and
>general system maintenance.  Tasks using these technologies are not very
>duplicatable in junior staff due to the learning curve.  That means I
>have to be around all the time.  That's bad. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>If one of my scripts or Radmind doesn't work as expected, I have to fix
>it with no support, and I can potentially pull my hair out for days
>trying to fix it.  With Casper, I pay for support and get excellent
>response times and resolution rates. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>I know a constructive criticism was recently made on this list about the
>Casper documentation, but this project's documentation is downright
>skeletal.
>
>
>
>
>It appears that DeployStudio may have some interesting ideas regarding PC
>deployment, but I don't manage PCs, and if I ever need to manage
>BootCamp, Parallels or VMWare, I can do that through Casper. 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>If there are any specific compelling features you find in DeployStudio,
>I'd be interested to hear about them, and perhaps they can be presented
>to JAMF as feature requests. 
>
>
>
>----------
>Miles A. Leacy IV
>
> Certified System Administrator 10.4
> Certified Technical Coordinator 10.5
> Certified Trainer
>Certified Casper Administrator
>----------
>voice: 1-347-277-7321
>[ mailto:miles.leacy at themacadmin.com ]miles.leacy at themacadmin.com
>[ http://www.themacadmin.com ]www.themacadmin.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>2009/2/4 Thomas Larkin 
>
>
><[ mailto:tlarki at kckps.org ]tlarki at kckps.org> 
>
>
>
>
>
>has anyone looked at this?  While I don't see anything it does that
>Casper Doesn't, it does do one really neat thing.   I supports PXE
>booting.  So, you can feasibly have PC clients netboot (or PXE boot as
>they call it) to it and image Windows or Linux to them.  This sounds very
>interesting for mixed client environments.  While, I have not played with
>it yet, I was curious if anyone on the list has used it with Casper or
>what not.   
>
>
>I mean if I could also use one server technology to image all of our
>Windows clients, that would be kind of neat.  You could then have one
>Xserve do it all.  Casper does have some, unsupported, but working tools
>to image Windows on a Mac.  I have used them and they do work.   
>
>
>I have way too much on my plate to even attempt looking at Deploy Studio,
>however, if anyone else has tinkered with it, what are your thoughts?  I
>was thinking if possible down the road I may run Deploy studio on my
>Xserves in each building for netboot and imaging the PCs only, and then
>keep Casper for the Macs.  I really like the auto run data and would not
>want to give that up. 
>
>
>[ http://www.deploystudio.com/Home.html
>]http://www.deploystudio.com/Home.html 
>
>
>Thoughts?  Experiences? 
>
>
>Thanks, 
>
>___________________________
>Thomas Larkin
>TIS Department
>KCKPS USD500
>[ mailto:tlarki at kckps.org ]tlarki at kckps.org
>blackberry:  913-449-7589
>office:  913-627-0351
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
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