darlodge

Hello, another Mac question (my last one is still unanswered )

I want to build up an image of our iMacs and then take a copy of it so I can deploy it again so all our machines are the same.

Is Net Boot the best option or are their other options? I'm not against buying a program if needed.

Thanks
Darren

mike1210

Netrestore or Deploy studio I would say for doing mass deployments. I have used NetRestore to deploy to around 250 Macs in computer labs in the Uni where I work via a Mac server, for mass deployments you would ideally need a Mac server.....or a copy of OSX server>install to firewire drive>boot off that when needed

Bombich Software: NetRestore

DeployStudio

Netrestore is technically dead but still works great, I haven't yet had time to look at deploy studio but will need to in the future

Carbon copy cloaner and Super Duper are also apps that can deploy images but these are I think "one machine at a time apps"

Depends on the scale of it really

darlodge

Thanks Mike, I'm only looking at 10 iMacs all the same so not quite in the 250 area!

I remember seeing that NetRestore had gone to End of Life.

Darren

Markus

Netboot, as Mike suggests, really needs an OS X Server for it to work, and it could be overkill for your 10 machines.

Most people seem to use NetRestore, but as mentioned it's EOL'd, so DeployStudio would seem to be the next best thing. If they are not using NR, then they'll be using Carbon Copy Cloner. I know a few people with 30+ Macs that use CCC for Lab deployment. They also have management software running on the boxes to prevent people from messing around with them too much, hence why they don't need netboot, as the machines are locked down.

darlodge

We have an OS X server in place, I wanted to keep all our Editorial Team on a dedicated platform so I bought an OS X server as well. It's all linked to my domain and it works a treat but there are a few things I'm trying to work through as this (Imaging problem) is one of them.

Our Mac's are locked down using Open Directory Computer Policies and the User Accounts are standard Domain Users so don't have admin access of any kind.

Thanks
Darren

mike1210

is there a local admin account on the Macs? If you are running workgroup manager there is an option for admins to opt out of workgroup managment which should free up the settings on the mac. You would need the diradmin password also

darlodge

There is a local account (in addition to the root) on the Macs but they do not know the passwords. I'd never disclose those .

The Directory Admin username and password are also different to the local admin account.

Darren

Markus

So the account the user logs in with, unless it's set to automatic login, is a "standard" user. Things to note are that some apps may present an admin auth dialog when they start, Adobe Acrobat (Reader/Distiller/Pro) is a classic case of this. Adobe is a aware and working on a fix, but they have said that for some time. It's an issue with their selfheal process that is requiring admin access, and there is a workaround.

I only mention the above as it can be annoying when an app is launched to be asked for admin access. Sometimes it's a first run thing, other times it's every launch. I think developers sometimes forget that in a multi user environment the user is not going to be an admin user.

jowl

I've used Netrestore quite a few times. Used it for up to 30 iBooks and about 20 iMacs (2 seperate images)

Because there was no OS X server, we created an image, stored it on a few iBooks and went around and connected each machine to the image-holding iBook using Firewire Target Disk Mode. Not idea I suppose but effective.

Can Deploystudio be used with an OSx server - just using a master machine to do the work? I have about 35 machines to setup soon. I was hoping I could boot them from CD then send an image out over the network to all of them - without going to each one at a time.

darlodge

Thanks Markus,

I've noticed that the InDesign Creative suite we have from Adobe does require Admin permissions first time around. I'm going to put this into our Default User Template so our users don't get prompted.

I'll let you know how I get on. I might post up the rest of my questions soon, I have a few.

Darren

Markus

You'll probably find all the CS products ask for admin auth on first launch, and it'll probably be the selfheal thing again. They're trying to do something, probably write a file in a directory that a standard user does not have access to.

Feel free to post up other questions

mike1210

I believe so I almost got it working couple of months ago, not sure if you can use boot CD's with it though, via the server you typically hold down N on bootup, they then go into netboot mode (across VLAN's may be trickier, it is with netrestore) and then download the image onto the machine

jowl

ooops, I actually meant *without* an OSX Server!

Might have to stick to NetRestore and local images this time. I do fancy multicasting the roll out and Deploystudio looks good for that. Just don;t have OSX server.

I did download it to my Macbook - but it's difficult to test without other 'client' machines!