No more hiding in the server room

Deploying Desktops

What's your preferred method of deploying standard builds / images to desktop and laptop clients?

At my place we use a combination of Ghost and UIU to standardise on one image regardless of hardware but with the new resources for Win7 I find myself revisiting the project again and am intrigued as to how other people manage it.

Do you deploy standard images / builds?
How many clients do you cover?
How many different images do you have to have on hand?
What experiences good or bad have you had with the different methods?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wesley "Nonapeptide" on February 9, 2010 at 4:44pm

If there's no money in the purse, you might want to look into the FOG project for an imaging server. It also has more features such as the ability to push down non-destructive Memtest and ClamAV images, scheduling and more. It roxors. =)

EDIT: Just seconds after typing this response I see that Todd Thatcher beat me to mentioning FOG. Doh! =)

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Permalink Reply by Todd Thatcher on February 9, 2010 at 4:36pm

Right now, we're using ghost, but I want to deploy something more flexible. I have been looking at the FOG Project. It seems interesting.

I just have to get my manager to go along.

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Permalink Reply by Kirk Reynolds on February 9, 2010 at 4:41pm

I use the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT2010) for deployments and SCCM2007. I have about 500 systems in production. With the toolkit I imported the media used for the Windows install to deployment workbench. I then add the drivers for each model PC in the environment and any application executables either local or on the network. The idea behind this is to make your base image as lean as possible that will support multiple systems. I have one image that I lay on Dell desktops and loptops ranging from Optiplex GX 260 - Optiplex 760 desktops and Latitude D400 - E6400. But best of it is a FREE download that is capable of creating an image for any version post Win2K. This includes Windows 7, server 2K8 and 2K8-R2. I included some documentation as a reference point.

You get more information and documentation here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd407791.aspx

Attachments:

Using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.docx, 6.7 MB
What's New in MDT 2010 Guide.docx, 128 KB
Release Notes.docx, 116 KB

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Rogers on February 9, 2010 at 6:35pm

We're starting to use SCCM - previously relying on ghost images per model, the number of which has recently ballooned!

We're not yet using the MDT, primarily because I've not come across a decent tutorial as to what it'll give us extra :)

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Permalink Reply by Kirk Reynolds on February 9, 2010 at 6:48pm

There is tutorial with MDT. You could download and install in your lab to test the features show in the tutorial. It can run on any version Windows from XP to Server 2k8-R2. I am very happy with the MDT 2010 and with you using SCCM you can utilize the ZTI (Zero Touch Installation). There is also an LTI (Lite Touch Installtion) feature as well. You can also utilize database functions to assign applications to install, patches and updates, and to assign computer names prior to deploying your image. You can control which OU containers you systems are placed after they join the domain. You also have the USMT4.0 ( User State Migration Tool) which can migrate user settings including desktop background, internet favorites, registry settings, Outlook profile & .pst setting, and documents.

take a look at the docs I attached in my previous post as well as the web address. It maybe well worth it.

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Permalink Reply by Stephen White on February 10, 2010 at 12:06am

I've been using RIS and WDS for several years. In my current environment, I have Windows Server 2008 WDS and maintain 3 different images for Dell laptops (several models), Dell desktops (several models), and Dell Servers. Whenever there have been changes to the base hardware, I simply blast the image down to the new hardware, install the new drivers, then repackage the image (sysprep) and upload it to the WDS server.

I created a vbscript which automates some of the post image deployment tasks (joining domain, setting computer name from system Tag#, setting admin password, etc.).

Prior to RIS/WDS, I used Ghost + Sidwalker but I find WDS to be much simpler.

We have approximately 100 laptops and 20 desktops and are adding 1-2 systems/month. With WDS I am able to deploy a new laptop/desktop in about 30 minutes.

I hope this helps!