[Casper] Imaging Macs

[Don Montalvo]

On Oct 9, 2009, at 10:32 AM, Don Montalvo wrote:

>
> On Oct 8, 2009, at 6:07 PM, Zach Halmstad wrote:
>
>> Hey everyone-
>>
>> Just wanted to chime in from JAMF on a few things...
>>
>>
>>>> The base Mac OS X software is installed using block copy if you
>>>> create a
>>>> package. :-) But then you don't get the flexibility of multiple
>>>> configurations for one package file. :-(
>>>
>>> I'm not sure I follow. An image would be block copied to a target
>>> computer. A pkg installer would be a file copy. Are you saying  
>>> Casper
>>> has a way of doing block copy using a pkg installer?
>>>
>>> Not sure if I'm confusing things. If we have an image containing  
>>> OS X
>>> and common applications/tools (essentially, stuff every computer at
>>> the firm needs), can Casper deploy that image? Can the deployment
>>> process include running pkg installs for additional software?
>>
>> I think that the main issue here is related to our rather liberal  
>> use of the term package. We don't limit the use of the term package  
>> to only PKG and MPKG packages. We also consider the following items  
>> "packages":
>>
>> - Disk images of an OS ("OS Package")
>> - Disk images of any files that mirror the directory structure  
>> ("DMG Package")
>> - Disk images of a Mac OS X Installer DVD ("OS X Installer Package")
>> - Disk images of an Adobe Installer DVD ("Adobe Installer Package")
>> - Disk images of an Adobe Updater ("Adobe Updater Package")
>> - Winclone bundle ("Winclone Package")
>>
>> The imaging process is capable of utilizing any combination of  
>> these at installation time. The Adobe installers actually have to  
>> run the silent installation at the time of the first reboot (that  
>> is automated with the same process that handles the directory  
>> bindings at reboot), but all other installers run before the reboot.
>
> Zach,
>
> I appreciate your response. I guess I was confusing the Apple pkg/ 
> mpkg format with the generic "package" term. I had a conversation  
> with my Wintel colleagues (who manage huge environments) over lunch  
> about the Adobe installer fiasco and they all had the same  
> opinion...if it works, go with it. I'm all for it, since we all have  
> the same goal, to distribute stuff using the most efficient,  
> reliable, manageable and cost effective method. That said, as some  
> of use have experienced, the Adobe silent install can fail and leave  
> you with a mess on your hands. How does Casper handle failure of  
> Adobe silent install?
>
> I'm a huge fan of InstallDMG since it uses a very consistent and  
> manageable method for image management. We have many environments  
> set up with InstaDMG image workflows. How does the Casper Imaging  
> workflow differ from the InstallDMG? Is it reasonable to assume that  
> we can continue to use InstaDMG to manage our images (since it  
> strictly uses Apple pkg/mpkg format installers as building blocks),  
> and have Casper distribute the images - and along the way have  
> Casper handle the cr at ppy Adobe installers on reboot? Trying to see  
> if Casper can be used without having to re-architect workflows that  
> are in place now (that work).
>
> Thanks,
> Don

Of course I meant InstaDMG...