Alternative to Ghost? 2

[search66]

I'm a programmer turned IT Manager, and I'm in charge of setting up barebone PC's and equip them with our software, etc...

I'm not too familiar with Ghost, but does anyone suggest any other product that is better? Or, should I just bite the bullet and learn the ropes with it?

I'd basically like to have ONE pc with all of our goodies on it, and then smack the image onto new PC's instead of re-installing everything.


-Shane

 

[campyracr]

OK Ghost has improved since I last used it - Kudos.
And Altiris does have a bit of a learning curve. However, once it is set up to your liking, it blows Ghost away. So much easier, so much automation, so much time savings and you know what that means = $$$$$$ savings.

 

[msalyers]

But the question you have to ask is how many platforms you will support. If you have multiple hardware configs and multiple OS versions Ghost can be a pain to keep up with all the upgrades patches and such. We are moving to RIS installs of 2000 with MSI packaged apps dished out through a menu system written in winbatch allowing custom install with a silent install of all apps. Saved alot of time on hardware support and image upgrading. We have three hospitals and aquired 70 plus images before moving to RIS installs. Saves alot of grey hair.

 

[b5passat]

However if you have standard hardware platforms, Ghost would still save you time there. You have your standard build and then deploy your MSI (or SMS) packages to the client as needed for jub function.

At a recent trade show put on by IBM, they were touting a product called Image Ultra. If you purchase IBM PC's it is included with the per machine cost. This allows you to develop one image across a wide platform and apply customized software applications. They claim that you can develop an image for one model laptop, and use it on any of their laptops, and then install the custom apps as needed. Likewise for the desktops and workstations. I plan on implementing this in our next PC purchase. We will have two desktop styles, two laptops, and a few workstation models. I'm hoping that this is really as great as they claim it to be!
Matt

 

[microgeek]

Does the Microsofts Sysprep only apply to WinNT workstations and NOT win2k or both?

Where can I download it?

Also, what is the Altris Product called that does what is similiar to Ghost?

thx,

geek

 

[CitrixEngineer]

This link (to an independent review) should explain it - the software product we use for imaging is called Altiris eXpress;

http://www.ncmag.com/2001_02/altiris/

(there's also a link to Altiris' site in this article)

Hope this helps CitrixEngineer@yahoo.co.uk

 

[ITR]

I use a windows 2000 unattended install disk I made to install the OS, then I have a script I made that install all the apps. Much better than something like ghost imho because you dont have to continusally update the ghost image when the network apps get updated.

 

[campyracr]

B5passat - The IBM thing isn't new. Compaq has had that for over a year. If you standardize on the chipset, which Compaq did, you can have an image that works (with some degree of accuracy) across laptop & desktop platforms. The concern then becomes the specific drivers for each device.

Microgeek - the Altiris tool is eXpress or Deployment server it works on win 9X, NT, 2K, & XP.

 

[TechNut02]

ITR,

Tell me more (how you set them up, scripting language, etc) about your disk and application scripts.

 

[MGMcGinn]

Replying to the start of this thread, if you have ghost and you're just using it to image a few machines occasionally, then stick with it. Going for another tool will be overkill unless you need additional functionality.

What I would say though is that if you want to extend imaging functionality across your LAN and WAN, then only one tool can give you that as all other imaging tools are designed for use within a Lab environment whatever their marketing blurb tells you. If you have multiple subnets and routed WANS, you will end up dedicating server hardware and configuring multiple systems to host services.

The only tool that doesn't require this is LANDesk Management Suite. It is admittedly a full-blown desktop management suite, but it also includes imaging functionality designed for use across the WAN including automatic multicasting across subnets with no router configuration, PXE boot with no server requirements or router configuration (and central control over boot menus), the ability to automatically customise sysprep files on the fly and provide correct names, add new drivers, manage multi-processor systems, remote boot into DOS (and perform remote DOS commands during the DOS session)and much more.

Best part is that to gain this additional functionality does not mean dropping your existing imaging tool. It can use PowerQuest, Ghost, Altiris and any other imaging tool that supports commandline parameters.

Check out the LANDesk website

http://www.landesk.com.

I admit that I'm from a reseller, but we have dealt with PowerQuest and Ghost up until now and still will in environments where other tools assist with LANDesk.