CNIT 242 Lecture 15 Windows Client Management

The cost of implementing and maintaining a new client for three years typically exceeds the cost of its purchase because of 2 general things. What are they?

Effort and time

Software images are made of a ____ installation

completed

Standardized client software installations, including the operating system

System Imaging

Reduces the time required to install the operating system and applications on each machine individually and may require that the ,machines be very similar in terms of hardware.

System Imaging

May require that the machines be very similar in terms of hardware

System Imaging

Ensures that software is installed in a consistent manner across the enterprise

System Imaging

These are indications of what having been done to a system >Applications have a common installation directory

>Default system parameters are used?

System Imaging

Very dependent on hardware consistency

System Imaging

Example technologies:

Symantec Ghost

Acronis True Image

PING (Partimage Is Not Ghost)

System Imaging

Use the _____ utility to remove all identifying information from the machine

sysprep

T/F If sysprepis not used, you will have duplicate SIDs

True

T/F Images can be copied using direct hard drive to hard drive copies

True

Images can be copied over a ______

network

Computers are configured to "network boot" and start the image installation process

Can occur on "blank" or pre-configured machines

Network image distribution

Keeping your computing hardware consistent will greatly reduce your ______ expenses

software operating

T/F Consistent hardware will make it much harder to use imaging and automated software distribution techniques

False easier

Upgrading entire departments at once, rather than single upgrades here and there

Purchasing "business class" computer hardware

Running an occasional hardware audit

are ways to maintain _____

hardware consistency

T/F Most major computer vendors offer "business class" machines that are designed for business use

True

What are somethings that business class computers are designed for?

Longer lifespans than their consumer class equivalents

Easier to expand

More consistent hardware

Typically higher cost but with better warranties

Examples:

Dell Optiplex, Vostro

HP xw-series

Others

Business Class computers

Most operating systems have a mechanism for ______

automatic patching

Windows Update

Windows

Patch Pro

Solaris

T/F In an enterprise, automatically installing all patches without testing is dangerous

True

_______ can create conflicts with required applications

Patches

_____ is a Microsoft-provided tool to automate server updates

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

Formerly SUS

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

Now does all MS products, SUS did only OS

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

Installed local to your location

You download released patches, test them in your environment, then release to be automatically installed on your clients

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) Managed update solution

Can work with the existing automatic update mechanism on windows machines

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)

Type of Installation:

Relatively easy

Very labor intensive and time consuming

Can be the only solution available if the machine base is inconsistent:

Hardware or software

Manual Installation

Type of Installation:

Usually best for relatively few clients (<20)

Manual Installation

Type of Installation:

Installation files are copied to a distribution point

Assuming permissions are correct, clients hit that resource to start the install

Clients can install the software locally or specify that the application should run from the server

Install From a Server

T/F Many applications do not support remote installation options natively

False do

Type of installation:

Provides for a single point of maintenance and support for the application

Install to Server and Run Remotely

Type of installation:

Does not completely resolve the issue of client configuration as some things must still be done to the clients

Installing a link or shortcut to the server based application

Some applications require certain DLLs be installed locally

Install to Server and Run Remotely

T/F Group Policy can be used to assign software to a user or a computer

True

Type of installation:

Requires a .msi package file to reside in a distribution point location and a GPO to tell users / computers to execute the .msi file

Install Using Group Policy

Type of installation:

Utilizes dedicated software to push software "packages" out to users across the enterprise

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Type of installation:

An agent is placed on each machine

The agents install the packages on their machine automatically with little or no user intervention such as they can be configured to happen at night or on weekends when no one is using the machine

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Type of installation:

Most effective if the machines in question have standardized hardware and software

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Type of installation:

Greatly reduces the labor required to implement a new application or upgrade across the enterprise

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Type of installation:

Does NOT eliminate the need to manually resolve problems that might arise on specific machines due to hardware or software interactions

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Example technology

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM, formally SMS)

Tivoli Software Distribution

Etc.

Automatic Installation & Distribution

Can assist in building and maintaining a hardware database

Software / Hardware Audits

What questions can software audits and version control?

-What software is installed on each workstation?

-What version of the software is installed on a computer such as what would be important for troubleshooting and what upgrade paths are available

-Is the software approved/legal/licensed

Software interactions

Name the three most popular applications for system imaging.

Symantec Ghost

Acronis True Image

PING (Partimage Is Not Ghost)

The user option will install the software when the user logs in

The computer option will install when the computer boots

The user option will install the software when the user logs in

The computer option will install when the computer boots

What are the steps involved in the process of system imaging?

Software images are made of a completed installation

This image is then copied to each machine

What is involved in image creation?

1. Install Windows and all applications on a machine with similar hardware

2. Prepare the system for imaging by using the sysprep utility to remove all identifying information from the machine and if sysprep is not used, you will have duplicate SIDs

3. Restart the system into its pre-installation environment

4. Use imaging software to create the image

5. Distribute the image to other machines and use imaging software to load it

How are the two ways that image distribution is completed?

Images can be copied using direct hard drive to hard drive copies

More commonly, images are copied over a network

T/F Hardware vendors will usually copy an image onto a computer hard drive for you if you're buying enough machines

True

What are the 3 things that standardized hardware can help with?

-Keeping your computing hardware consistent will greatly reduce your software operating expenses

-If you have consistent hardware, you have fewer variables such as taking less time will be required to troubleshoot problems and knowledge gained troubleshooting one problem will be useful on other machines

-Consistent hardware will also make it much easier to use imaging and automated software distribution techniques

T/F Its easy to achieve hardware consistency by have a large number of machines purchased over time be identical.

False, almost impossible

Automatic patching from Linux is done by___

one of several solutions depending on the distribution

T/F All operating system are perfect so they never need

to be patched.

False, No operating system, patched periodically

T/F Patches do not create conflicts with required applications

False, Patches do create

What are some options of client software installation?

-Manual Installation

-Install from a server

-Install to server and run remotely

-Install using Group Policy

-Automatic Installation & Distribution

-Software Images

-Application/Desktop Virtualization

T/F No applications support remote installation options natively

False, Many

How would MS Office offer a server install option?

by using the /a flag on the setup command

How does one install to server and run remotely?

Install the software on a server and have the clients run the application from the server

What are these indicators of >the user option will install the software when the user logs in and the computer option will install when the computer boots

Group policy that can be used to assign software to a user or a computer

What can assist in building and maintaining a hardware database which will be helpful for a number of purposes?

Software and hardware audits