[27288] in resnet
Re: Imagex
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Doughty, Marc)
Fri Feb 10 10:46:14 2012
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Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:44:28 -0500
Reply-To: Resnet Forum <RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu>
From: "Doughty, Marc" <marc_doughty@brown.edu>
To: RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu
In-Reply-To: <CAAobDyFLcQKoPQwenD6TnSqhsa=n3baDjVrUFL7rMDBWy4JQhQ@mail.gmail.com>
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We have the machines join the AD automatically using entries in the
unattend.xml (we sysprep our machines), then they run a script I wrote to
look up their own MAC addresses and rename themselves to what they're
supposed to be.
So the whole process is:
1. Tech boots machine to PXE, which loads the 'Windows Installer' from
WDS server.
2. Tech selects image and deletes all partitions.
3. Computer reimages.
4. Computer auto-joins AD in specific lab OU. Has random name.
5. Computer looks itself up and renames to the correct name.
6. Computer reboots after a few minutes and is good-to-use.
Basically, the technician only has to boot to the network and select the
image, once they pull the trigger they can walk away. The only caveat is
that someone has to delete the existing computer objects in AD before the
script renames the machine, otherwise there's a conflict. That might just
be an AD permissions issue.
- Marc Doughty
"If you aren't sure who is the give-way vessel, you are the give-way
vessel."
On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Joanne Pohlman <jmpohlma@owu.edu> wrote:
> How much work do you have after the image is complete? I am thinking
> about it for my Windows7 labs, but now we have to visit each one, re-name
> them, and add again to Domain. It's a lot of work, especially in the
> larger labs.
>
> thanks,
> Joanne
>
> On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:40 PM, Doughty, Marc <marc_doughty@brown.edu>wrote:
>
>> We do things totally by-the-book with imagex. I actually use 'gimagex'
>> most of the time since it's easier.
>>
>> It's important to remember that WIMs are more like ZIP archives than
>> images. You need to do all your partitioning and formatting separately from
>> your ImageX'ing.
>>
>> As far as comparison to Ghost... ImageX is a whole different kind of
>> beast, and I love it. The single-instance storage of files internally means
>> that I can pack six or seven images into the space that used to fit two. I
>> can do fast incremental backups. I can edit the image on-the-fly and add
>> updates or drivers.
>>
>> If you're going down this path, I highly suggest getting VMWare
>> Workstation to build your images in a VM that you can snapshot, and get a
>> WDS server up and running so you don't have to image manually.
>>
>> - Marc Doughty
>> "If you aren't sure who is the give-way vessel, you are the give-way
>> vessel."
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 2:46 PM, Joanne Pohlman <jmpohlma@owu.edu> wrote:
>>
>>> Anyone using imagex to create images? If so, how does it compare to
>>> Ghost?
>>> Thanks,
>>> Joanne
>>>
>>> --
>>> Joanne M. Pohlman
>>> Technical Support Specialist/Lab Manager
>>> Information Services
>>> Ohio Wesleyan University
>>> 740-368-3133
>>> jmpohlma@owu.edu
>>> ___________________________________________________ You are subscribed
>>> to the ResNet-L mailing list.
>>>
>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or search the archives, go to
>>> http://LISTSERV.ND.EDU/archives/resnet-l.html___________________________________________________
>>>
>>
>> ___________________________________________________ You are subscribed to
>> the ResNet-L mailing list.
>>
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe or search the archives, go to
>> http://LISTSERV.ND.EDU/archives/resnet-l.html___________________________________________________
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Joanne M. Pohlman
> Technical Support Specialist/Lab Manager
> Information Services
> Ohio Wesleyan University
> 740-368-3133
> jmpohlma@owu.edu
> ___________________________________________________ You are subscribed to
> the ResNet-L mailing list.
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or search the archives, go to
> http://LISTSERV.ND.EDU/archives/resnet-l.html___________________________________________________
>
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We have the machines join the AD automatically using entries in the unatten=
d.xml (we sysprep our machines), then they run a script I wrote to look up =
their own MAC addresses and rename themselves to what they're supposed =
to be.<br>
<br>So the whole process is:<br><br><ol><li>Tech boots machine to PXE, whic=
h loads the 'Windows Installer' from WDS server.</li><li>Tech selec=
ts image and deletes all partitions.</li><li>Computer reimages.</li><li>
Computer auto-joins AD in specific lab OU. Has random name.</li><li>Compute=
r looks itself up and renames to the correct name.</li><li>Computer reboots=
after a few minutes and is good-to-use.</li></ol><p>Basically, the technic=
ian only has to boot to the network and select the image, once they pull th=
e trigger they can walk away. The only caveat is that someone has to delete=
the existing computer objects in AD before the script renames the machine,=
otherwise there's a conflict. That might just be an AD permissions iss=
ue.<br>
</p><br>- Marc Doughty<br>"If you aren't sure who is the give-way =
vessel, you are the give-way vessel."<br>
<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 9:12 AM, Joanne =
Pohlman <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:jmpohlma@owu.edu">jmpohlma@=
owu.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D=
"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
How much work do you have after the image is complete?=A0 I am thinking abo=
ut it for my Windows7 labs, but now we have to visit each one, re-name them=
, and add again to Domain.=A0 It's a lot of work, especially in the lar=
ger labs.<br>
<br>thanks,<br>Joanne<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div class=3D"im">O=
n Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 4:40 PM, Doughty, Marc <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=
=3D"mailto:marc_doughty@brown.edu" target=3D"_blank">marc_doughty@brown.edu=
</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div><div><div class=3D"h5"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"mar=
gin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
We do things totally by-the-book with imagex. I actually use 'gimagex&#=
39; most of the time since it's easier.<br><br>It's important to re=
member that WIMs are more like ZIP archives than images. You need to do all=
your partitioning and formatting separately from your ImageX'ing.<br>
<br>As far as comparison to Ghost... ImageX is a whole different kind of be=
ast, and I love it. The single-instance storage of files internally means t=
hat I can pack six or seven images into the space that used to fit two. I c=
an do fast incremental backups. I can edit the image on-the-fly and add upd=
ates or drivers.<br>
<br>If you're going down this path, I highly suggest getting VMWare Wor=
kstation to build your images in a VM that you can snapshot, and get a WDS =
server up and running so you don't have to image manually.<br clear=3D"=
all">
<br>- Marc Doughty<br>"If you aren't sure who is the give-way vess=
el, you are the give-way vessel."<br>
<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 2:46 PM, Joanne P=
ohlman <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:jmpohlma@owu.edu" target=3D"=
_blank">jmpohlma@owu.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmai=
l_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left=
:1ex">
Anyone using imagex to create images?=A0 If so, how does it compare to Ghos=
t?<br>Thanks,<br>Joanne<span><font color=3D"#888888"><br clear=3D"all"><br>=
-- <br>Joanne M. Pohlman<br>Technical Support Specialist/Lab Manager<br>
Information Services <br>Ohio Wesleyan University<br>
<a href=3D"tel:740-368-3133" value=3D"+17403683133" target=3D"_blank">740-3=
68-3133</a><br><a href=3D"mailto:jmpohlma@owu.edu" target=3D"_blank">jmpohl=
ma@owu.edu</a><br>
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</p></font></span></blockquote></div><br>
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___________________________________________________
</p></blockquote></div></div></div><div class=3D"HOEnZb"><div class=3D"h5">=
<br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Joanne M. Pohlman<br>Technical Support Spe=
cialist/Lab Manager<br>Information Services <br>Ohio Wesleyan University<br=
>
<a href=3D"tel:740-368-3133" value=3D"+17403683133" target=3D"_blank">740-3=
68-3133</a><br><a href=3D"mailto:jmpohlma@owu.edu" target=3D"_blank">jmpohl=
ma@owu.edu</a><br>
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</p></div></div></blockquote></div><br>
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