Setup/Deployment of workstations

[wharp]

My situation is this. I work for a midsized organization. We are ordering an increasingly large number of computers and have previously been manually updating the OS, installing software and configuring registry and OS settings. It is getting to the point to where we need to automate this process and I am trying to figure out how to best accomplish this with our very limited resources.

We purchase Windows 2000 machines (all Dells) and are running on a Novell network. I also have a 10 user license of Symantec Ghost 6.5. I need a solution that will allow modifications to the registry, install my default applications and configure all the settings for the machine. Also, there are settings in Group Policy and other windows components that I would like to include.

I have thought about setting up a system and then making a ghost file to put on the new machines as they come in. I have 2 (at least) issues with this method. My first is that although we order the same computer, minor changes may be made that I would be unaware of and I'm concerned that this could cause problems with the ghosting process, or the machine after it is ghosted. My second issue is that when the machine comes in, it knows what its serial number is, but after it is ghosted, it has the serial number of the machine I created the ghost file from. The serial number is still on the case, but it is convenient to have it in the OS as well.

Does it sound like ghosting would be my best option or are the others? Would batch files and scripting accomplish what I need? What are your thoughts on this? I don't have any experience with this so I'm pretty much in the dark. Any resources you might have would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[ReddLefty]

Windows 2000 Server comes with Remote Installation Service.

It can install Windows 2000 Professional from scratch and prompt you for the serial number, computer name and all the info you need.

If you have all Dell's, you can use a RIPREP image of the computer after you install all the basic software (office, novell clients...). Then, when you run the RIS setup, it will also contain all the software you installed and still prompt you for the information, like serial number and company name.

It's a little complicated to just tell you how, but you can get lots of info on the Microsoft site. Just look for Remote Installation Services. It will do all of what you asked above. In fact, when you ghost, I hope your running NEWSID at every new ghost.... cause it will cause you weird problems. RIS takes care of the SID too while it installs.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

That would be nice, but we don't have the resources for a new server and we don't currently have any Windows servers. Is there some (cheap) way to accomplish this without having a Windows server?

 

[ReddLefty]

Well, honestly, the Remote Installation Services come included with Windows 2000 Server... If your budget cannot include a computer and the O/S, then you might as well stick with your current scenario cause anything else is alot more expensive.. Ghosting works well when you have all the same type of computers.

You have one main ghost template file. You ghost that image to a new workstation, run NEWSID. In your ghost, you should have included all the software needed for a template (Office, Winzip, Explorer 6.1, Service Packs, Patches, Adobe Acrobat Reader... )

I ran with that setup up to 125 users as long as you have pretty much the same makes and models of computers.


My suggestion would be to stick with Ghost until you can unlock enough money to get the Windows Server. You don't need any CAL's since you are not using the computer to serve clients, but only to remotly install a computer when it first arrives or when you need to reinstall a computer. You could get the smallest Windows 2000 Server with 5 CAL's (5 computers at the same time). RIS comes with it.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

Ok, thanks! Maybe I'll be able to work a server in the budget but I doubt it. Now that I think about it we have an old server lying around (not too old) and we might be able to order a license for it.

Two questions, what are SYSPREP and NEWSID?

 

[ReddLefty]

SYSPREP is short for System Preperation. It's another service that comes with Remote Installation Services. The command is SYSPREP. It basically takes a system and does like Ghost, but every system that is installed with an image from Sysprep will have the Hardware scan done and you can set it up to prompt you for the serial number, user name and all that information. Basically, the SYSPREP strips the information out of the image so that you may install them without having to worry about most problems you may get with Ghost. Ghost needs pretty much same network card, same hardware, same video card to work really well. SYSPREP strips this from the image and will run the hardware wizard and stuff, just like a brand new installation, but will also plug back in stuff like Office and all software installed if it existed during the original image.

The drawback of Ghosting with Norton is that the image is an IDENTICAL copy. Every Windows NT/XP/2000 has a SID key. It's like an identification key that is used to identify the uniqueness of the machine. A bit like a MAC address is to a network card. You may encounter problems, like network disconnection and password failures (mostly on a Windows 2000 domain) for no apparent reason if you do not change the SID on every machine that you Un-ghost. You run the NEWSID software right after you finish you extract an image out of Ghost so it will give it a new SID, one that is not like the original one. In other words, you cannot have the same SID in the same network or you may encounter problems. Ghost will produce identical machines unless you run that little software called NEWSID. Look on the internet for NEWSID.

Good luck.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[mcsereed]

Reddlefty is correct. One thing I did not see though, DO NOT JOIN YOUR DOMAIN! You cant run SID changer on the computer while it is on the domain. You can run into issues with duplicate names and services shutting down if you have it joined on the the domain and make an image. Make sure your image is not on the domain when it is made. We have typically the same environment as you do. There are many SID changing softwares out there. Use the one that you feel comfortable with and use the one that will change your SID and computer name at the same time. that will illiminate a step. Good luck!

 

[ReddLefty]

I didn't forget to mention "Not to join the Domain". He doesn't have any. He's on a Novell Network. But, then again, it won't hurt to know.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

Thanks, I'll keep all that in mind for future reference. Hopefully I'll get all this figured out before our next big rollout.

 

[ReddLefty]

I never touched RIS until a few weeks ago. It took me 3 weeks to get it running the way I like (I'm fussy). But the payback is worth it. It takes me 2 hours to fully install a computer with all the latest patches and O/S. Two hours may sound long when you use Ghost, but since it's installed from scratch, it works with ANY make and model of computers, as long as you have a compatible network card (Network Boot). The three weeks it took me also includes software distribution too. It's also 2 hours, unattended. I boot up on the network, type a username/password and off it goes. When it's done, the computer is ready with all the softwares installed (Office and stuff).

Plus, with Ghost your "supposed" pay a fee at every ghost you make (or un-ghost). With RIS, it comes with the operating system, so no extra fees.

Ghost still has it's advantages, since it can ghost almost any partition type (ext2, ext3, NTFS, FAT, FAT32).

Good luck




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

One more question about RIS. One of the requirements is Active Directory. First, how hard is Active Directory to setup? And second, since it requires active directory does that mean I need CALs?

 

[ReddLefty]

I'm not gonna promote piracy, but you can install your server for test purposes before you go out and buy anything. You only need the most basic package of Windows 2000. I think Windows Server comes with 5 CALs as the smallest package for sale. Since you install the client computer, force the installation of the software (if you want) and then remove it from the domain, you'll never bust your 5 licenses.

For active directory, just run the wizard. It will install the Active Directory for you with all the necessary trimmings. I suggest you install it on a closed network environment and configure it in a subnet of its own. You want to make sure the DNS does not conflict with your network.

Although Active Directory is quite easy to install, RIS is not as simple and will require reading and configuration and ALOT of testing... but it's worth it in the long run. Especially for the price.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

We aren't allowed another subnet so that might be a problem. I was worried about it interfering with out network (and so will everybody else) because the last thing I want to do is end up causing more problems (we have enough already). Is installing Active Directory on its own subnet the only way to ensure it doesn't interfere with the network? I'll have to check with our Network Admin to see if there's another way we can separate it from the network.

This may be a stupid question, but will the server need access to the internet or is it possible to configure one machine, connect that to the server and then pull what I need off of it?

 

[ReddLefty]

Not a stupid question. It's the perfect answer. Just leave it stand alone. Plug the client computer you want to configure and then pull it out when it's done. Simply reconnect it to your original network afterwards.

Make sure you remove it from the domain before you unplug it from the Windows Server.

You don't even need a hub/switch. You can use a cross-over network cable to plug the client and server together to do your installations.

If you want to do more than one at a time though, you will need to put one.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[wharp]

Again, thanks. You've been a great help. If I can get some support for this I may have more questions for you. I really appreciate it.

 

[ReddLefty]

Just post your stuff here. I keep an active lookout for RIS stuff, since I got a bit of experience with it... well. maybe a bit more that a little.. hehe.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[turkeyshoot]

This is possibly another option that won't require active directory. Haven't used it myself but it looks reasonably simple.

http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

 

[Coach47]

I have been out of the business for a few years now, but if you are on a Novell network you might consider using Zenworks. it may not solve all your issues but could reduce them to a managable number. If you don't already have it it could be expensive, depending on the number of Licenses needed.

 

[wharp]

Yeah, I would actually love to be able to use Zenworks. It is included with our netware licenses (since we buy so many) but nobody knows how to set it up and out netware admin is less than eager to do anything new. But Zenworks is my eventual goal.

For now I've discovered Symantec Packager. Its not exactly what I want because I don't think I can do everything I want to with it, but I'm going to see what I can do. Right now I'm looking at it because its something we already have.