Deployment servers - WDS is out...

D

Decibel

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I have the need to set up a small utility box for remote management and monitoring... This client will need desktop imaging, but isn't springing for a Server 2008 license so I can't handle it the way I usually would and set up one of the servers with extra storage as a deployment server.

Has anyone played with any of the recent deployment tools like Symantec Ghost Solution Suite, Acronis Snap Deploy or the like?

Thoughts, preferences? Comparisons to WDS would be appreciated.

And yes... this will be running on a Win7 32bit desktop.

Dammit.

TIA
 
If they won't pay for server 2008 license, they sure as hell won't pay for snap deploy!

I used snap deploy a few years ok, it was ok, but i'm not huge on deployment stuff
 
k1pp3r said:
If they won't pay for server 2008 license, they sure as hell won't pay for snap deploy!

I used snap deploy a few years ok, it was ok, but i'm not huge on deployment stuff
Click to expand...

that's what I was just thinking... pretty sure the 2008 license will be cheaper than any other option.... :confused:
 
Once you get WDS setup and working properly, it works awesome and flawlessly. I have it running on a regular desktop here at work for imaging machines. Works VERY well. Much better than when we were using Ghost to image (I moved over to WDS when I started.) One Windows 7 image for any desktop and any laptop.
 
Another vote for FOG... worked great when I used it and the price was right. Doesn't run on a a win7 32 bit machine though :D Works on PXE boot, WoL, you can task machines from a web based GUI that is reasonably easy to use, allows up to ~10 clients at a time to image. This is from memory so double check things to be certain.
 
MDT is free and can be very flexible for deployments. It is a task based solution, so you can keep a base Windows 7 image and use post installation tasks to deploy software after Windows 7 is deployed, or use a customized image(s). Drivers do not have to be added to the images, MDT will use PnP calls to pull the correct drivers from the driver store. All you need to do when a new model computer arrives is download the drivers for that model and import them into MDT. Here is a short video (4:21) to show you how MDT can help you.

Hope this helps,
David
Windows Outreach Team - IT Pro
 
Several months ago i've found an interesting OS for Deployment.

It's called UDA (Ultimate Deployment Appliance)
It's linux based, but it's so light you can easily make a virtual machine for this.

Regards.
 
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