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<TITLE>Re: [Casper] CS3 Strategies</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Hello Everyone,<BR>
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Great responses, and I’ll add on my two cents for what it’s worth.<BR>
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We started our deployment using the standard Composer packaging process, which took a few attempts to get it to work. JAMF at that time hadn’t implemented the Adobe CS3 installer framework at this point so you didn’t have much choice. As John Brenner mentions there are differences in the Acrobat line of product from PPC and Intel. Reader was particularly fun if you wanted to deploy that...if you install Reader when CS3 is not present it installs totally different from when you install Reader with CS3 present, and again two separate packages for Intel and PPC. The canned large package worked fine, but then you have to update that package as time goes. Benefit, it tended to be a faster install with less failures.<BR>
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Enter the Adobe CS3 framework into the JSS. Sweet, I don’t have to make a pack, I just upload a DMG and the DMG updaters. It’s too bad Adobe pretty much sucked on their part of the deal, or are very inconsistent. JAMF has done an excellent job of dealing with the different types of setup.app different applications came with. So now we use this method. And again, people have pretty much nailed all the key points. If existing software is there it can flip out. The fact that the software isn’t licensed at first run is a known issue by Adobe, but from what I know they don’t intend to do anything about it? And many of the updates we have do hang or never end, particularly on some of the older iMac systems. I’ve been trying to sort out which ones are more of a culprit, like flashlight perhaps, amongst others. Yes, running Photoshop first is the best option.<BR>
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The only thing beyond this that we’ve done is to better deal with mixed suites of CS3, for example Design Premium and Web Standard for example. I could be wrong here, but once you start mixing serialization things tend to break. Let’s say you want to deploy CS3 Premiere Pro later, with a different serialization. That may break your previous installs. We purchased one set of the Adobe Master Collection so we had two things: 1) A serialization number to use everywhere that encompassed all applications so no conflicts 2) access to download electronically the single DMG file of Master Collection so all of the CS3 applications where in one JSS Adobe Install. I’m not sure everyone gets access to the electronic downloads, but if you do this don’t try to download it from the page, don’t try to download it with their accelerator software on a Windows machine...just use the directions for a regular ole FTP client and wait.<BR>
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We still purchase Design Premium and Web Standard licenses that we track usage for with KeyServer, and when I make the installer in Casper Admin for Design Premium, naturally I only deploy the proper components to comply.<BR>
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Since we started using that things have worked well, and the only thing we have left plaguing us are getting the updates to not hang. By the time that gets sorted out, if at all, Adobe Creative Suite 4 will be out with the same issues I’m sure.<BR>
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Craig Ernst<BR>
Systems Management & Configuration<BR>
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University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire<BR>
Learning & Technology Services<BR>
105 Garfield Ave<BR>
Eau Claire, WI 54701<BR>
Phone: (715) 836-3639<BR>
Fax: (715) 836-6001<BR>
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<a href="ernstcs@uwec.edu">ernstcs@uwec.edu</a><BR>
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On 6/13/08 6:11 AM, "Paul Austin" <<a href="paul.austin@wachovia.com">paul.austin@wachovia.com</a>> wrote:<BR>
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</SPAN></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT FACE="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:11pt'>Hoping to tap the vast wealth of knowledge that is in this group....<BR>
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My company has finally purchased CS3 and I am looking for the best strategies for deployment as part of an initial configuration. I have been testing for several days with mixed results. Using the CS3 methods in Casper admin to create a deployment package seems to only function part of the time. I end up delivering CS3 that wants the License key on first run. (Note: I am using Design Premium and an open license). The time it takes to deliver is also too long for my liking. I have also been experimenting with delivering CS3 in a policy after the initial image delivery. Results are also mixed. I know I am late to the CS3 game, but how are you guys doing your deployments?<BR>
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Thanks<BR>
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Paul Austin<BR>
Wachovia<BR>
Information Technology<BR>
Enterprise Strategy and Design<BR>
704-427-0903<BR>
<a href="paul.austin@wachovia.com">paul.austin@wachovia.com</a><BR>
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