You can absolutely continue to use InstaDMG to create the base image. Like you I love InstaDMG and use it for my base images. I have seen some issues trying to create 10.6 images with the 1.4 and even the 1.5 versions of InstaDMG, but I'm just testing now and can wait for those to work themselves out.<br>
<br>I create a base OS image using InstaDMG and then layer on all of the other application installs. All of this is done thru Casper.<br><br>The only item I do not push as part of the initial imaging process are my Adobe installs. I've seen the Adobe installs hang up after the first reboot and cause problems. Instead I have a policy that installs Adobe products on first login to the machine. During initial imaging I set the name of the computer to the MAC address prefixed by the word IMAGED. I then have a Smart Group set to collect all of these imaged machines. The policy that pushes Adobe installs is scoped to that Smart Group. Hence, at login Adobe software and udpates are all pushed. I capture all current Adobe updates via Composer and build a package of udpates to push to the machines.<br>
<br>Using this method I have had zero issues pushing Adobe software.<br><br><br clear="all"><br>Steve Wood<br>Director of IT<br><a href="mailto:swood@integer.com">swood@integer.com</a> <br><br>The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201 <br>
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475 <br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 10:32 AM, Don Montalvo <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:donmontalvo@gmail.com">donmontalvo@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div class="im"><br>
On Oct 8, 2009, at 6:07 PM, Zach Halmstad wrote:<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Hey everyone-<br>
<br>
Just wanted to chime in from JAMF on a few things...<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
The base Mac OS X software is installed using block copy if you<br>
create a<br>
package. :-) But then you don't get the flexibility of multiple<br>
configurations for one package file. :-(<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
I'm not sure I follow. An image would be block copied to a target<br>
computer. A pkg installer would be a file copy. Are you saying Casper<br>
has a way of doing block copy using a pkg installer?<br>
<br>
Not sure if I'm confusing things. If we have an image containing OS X<br>
and common applications/tools (essentially, stuff every computer at<br>
the firm needs), can Casper deploy that image? Can the deployment<br>
process include running pkg installs for additional software?<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
I think that the main issue here is related to our rather liberal use of the term package. We don't limit the use of the term package to only PKG and MPKG packages. We also consider the following items "packages":<br>
<br>
- Disk images of an OS ("OS Package")<br>
- Disk images of any files that mirror the directory structure ("DMG Package")<br>
- Disk images of a Mac OS X Installer DVD ("OS X Installer Package")<br>
- Disk images of an Adobe Installer DVD ("Adobe Installer Package")<br>
- Disk images of an Adobe Updater ("Adobe Updater Package")<br>
- Winclone bundle ("Winclone Package")<br>
<br>
The imaging process is capable of utilizing any combination of these at installation time. The Adobe installers actually have to run the silent installation at the time of the first reboot (that is automated with the same process that handles the directory bindings at reboot), but all other installers run before the reboot.<br>
</blockquote>
<br></div>
Zach,<br>
<br>
I appreciate your response. I guess I was confusing the Apple pkg/mpkg format with the generic "package" term. I had a conversation with my Wintel colleagues (who manage huge environments) over lunch about the Adobe installer fiasco and they all had the same opinion...if it works, go with it. I'm all for it, since we all have the same goal, to distribute stuff using the most efficient, reliable, manageable and cost effective method. That said, as some of use have experienced, the Adobe silent install can fail and leave you with a mess on your hands. How does Casper handle failure of Adobe silent install?<br>
<br>
I'm a huge fan of InstallDMG since it uses a very consistent and manageable method for image management. We have many environments set up with InstaDMG image workflows. How does the Casper Imaging workflow differ from the InstallDMG? Is it reasonable to assume that we can continue to use InstaDMG to manage our images (since it strictly uses Apple pkg/mpkg format installers as building blocks), and have Casper distribute the images - and along the way have Casper handle the cr@ppy Adobe installers on reboot? Trying to see if Casper can be used without having to re-architect workflows that are in place now (that work).<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br><font color="#888888">
Don</font><div><div></div><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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<br>
<br>
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