4 Replies Latest reply on Nov 24, 2015 7:12 AM by Gargamella

    info on provisioning

    Rookie
    Gargamella Nov 24, 2015 1:29 AM

      Hi,

      first of all, sorry if I ask something that maybe has already been dealt.

       

      This is my question (or what I'd like to do if possible).

      I have a N number of PC (same hardware and software configuration). These PCs are completely unmanaged, they are connected to TVs to display info and videos using a dedicated software. So very easy stuff.

      Whit Landesk provisioning I've already created a template that normalize the partition so that at the end I have 2 partions: C: and R: for OS and Recovery,

      What I'd like to do is to save a backup (iso or wim o "ghost like") of the OS in partition R: so that in the future, in case of problem, I can rebuild the system in minutes.

       

      Is it possible? And if yes, how?

      One of the solutions we were considering is to build and then distribute a wim image. But it generates a huge bandwidth overload as the system has to download N wim images on the N PCs.

      Could be possible to create the backup locally?

       

      thanks in advance for the help.

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        • 1. Re: info on provisioning
          Employee
          hhi Nov 24, 2015 2:05 AM (in response to Gargamella)

          Hi,

          Yes you can certainly do that and in my opinion very easy: While deploying I would deploy the image file on the first partition. Install all software required including a LDMS Agent and then use that to create an image on the second partition. That would be just one Provisioning task.

           

          The steps you have to work out is how you can reach such pc when it needs to be redeployed using the image! Options are that you make the second partition bootable or you use the PXE functionality from within the subnet.

           

          In case you chose for the first option, store all software needed to redeploy.

           

          My choice would be to use a Provisioning task.

           

          Does this help?

           

          Henk

          • 2. Re: info on provisioning
            Rookie
            Gargamella Nov 24, 2015 3:25 AM (in response to hhi)

            Hi Henk,

            thanks for your reply. Yes, it helps!

             

            how do you suggest to create an image?

            I'm reading the documentation about using Landesk ImageW but it requires PXE and I'm not sure that we have a PXE Representative installed.

            Our network is configured in many subnet (26bit) and on each subnet there is only the PC I need to deploy. Can I install PXE representative on the same machine i have to deploy?

             

            If not, do you suggest to create a wim image with sysprep and then distribute it?

             

            About your doubt: let's say that if a PC is completely faulty and not reachable remotely we will change it. But if we have a software related problem (and not OS) we can rebuild/reinstall in minutes without reconfiguring the software from the beginning.

             

            Another thing I'd like to do is to have an image to deploy on new machines. As told before the PC have the same hardware/software configuration.

             

            many stuff...

             

            thanks,

            Andrea

            • 3. Re: info on provisioning
              Employee
              hhi Nov 24, 2015 6:03 AM (in response to Gargamella)

              Hi Andrea,

               

              The choice of the imaging tool is up to you. WINPE is needed for both tools: WIM and LANDESK ImageW. The WINPE looks after the boot file of devices that currently have no OS and thus you can do minimal actions like running one of the imaging tools.

               

              I have worked with both and have no problems with either of them.

               

              A PXE Representative can NOT be the same machine as you are trying to restore at that point in time. It has to be a different one. The PXE representative sends the boot file to the machine that is requesting it in order to boot from the network. In LDMS you find a script to deploy to a device that will run this functionality. You need at least one in your network, but that depends on your network infrastructure.

               

              One image for multiple machines is definitely the way forward. When certain components require a different driver, the Hardware Independent Imaging (HII) module will insert those at the right time (you have to see that the database of drivers of course is loaded with the ones you need).

               

              Henk

              • 4. Re: info on provisioning
                Rookie
                Gargamella Nov 24, 2015 7:12 AM (in response to hhi)

                Hi Henk,

                 

                as at the moment there are no PXE Representative on our network I think that I can't use ImageW.

                 

                in the meanwhile, reading and googling a while I tried to use ImageX and Sysprep but I've found a problem (I know, I'm really a noob...)

                I've distributed with a template the wim image. Then the PC rebooted in WinPE and the wim image was installed. Then, after the first boot all looked fine. But when I rebooted the PC at the first logon I find the user Administrator asking for a password (and of course I don't know the password. I tried the known ones but without success). The problem is that in the default configuration the PC should boot with default user is "displayuser" and autologon.

                 

                I don't understand what I'm doing wrong.

                 

                thanks,

                Andrea