[WEB4LIB] Multicasting PC images to maintain public pcs

[Jacque King]

Josh,

I have had success multicasting to Windows (95, NT, 2000) and Linux
machines.  I use Symantec Ghost Enterprise Edition v 7.5.  There is a
trick with Linux that requires you to restore the boot loader after
sending an image down, but it is a very simple process all in all.

Ghost also allows you to use "Ghost Explorer" to edit image files if you
have a minor change after cloning.  For example, say you've created a huge
image and shortly after you've edited a file or two (like deleted an IE
history folder or changed your Netscape homepage).  You can simply go
into Ghost Explorer and edit the files within the image -- no need to
completely re-create a new image just to capture those minor changes.  I
have found this very helpful.

The newer versions of Ghost also include a boot disk wizard, which creates
the network boot disks for you.  This is a major improvement over older
versions.

Hope this helps!

Jacque King
Library Technical Support Specialist
Fort Collins Public Library
201 Peterson Street
Fort Collins, CO  80524
(970) 221-6716
king at julip.fcgov.com


On Thu, 5 Dec 2002, Josh Kuperman wrote:

> I have been trying unsuccessfully to get Deploy Center to work for
> mulitcasting. I need a way to move an image from a server to multiple
> PCs. I have been using Drive Image Pro/ Deploy Center with images
> stored on a CD and it works well, but I can't get the networking
> components to function.
>
> 1. Has anyone had success using Ghost, Delta Deply (Drive Image), or
> Imagecast [am I missing some] to send images to a number of machines
> over a network. The last time I found decent support was from Ghost
> before Symantec bought it, but I'm tough on support people.
>
> 2. I would also like to be able to automatically modify some settings
> -- notably network setting and the default user login -- after
> transmitting the images.
>
> I am open to numerous options. The images at present are Windows 98
> with Gigs of installed software. This would mean that error correction
> and the ability to resume would be a big plus. I have both Linux and
> W2K machines, as well as the ability to dedicate a machine to the task
> if I have to. Basically, if there was a way to do it all with Linux
> that was simpler than with a Windows based product, I'd check it
> out. But if there was a simple W2K based method I'd go with that.
>
> --
> Josh Kuperman
> josh at saratoga.lib.ny.us
>
>
>