instaDMG Mac Settings

You use InstaDMG to create your OS image, and then use scripts, MCX settings, or user preferences captured via Composer to lock down the image afterwards.

For example, you would have a configuration in Casper Admin to apply the InstaDMG image and then run a post image script (scoped to run at rebbot) that would set your date and time, disable IPv6, and do any other configuring you needed.

Make sense?

Steve

I always use some method like InstaDMG to create my base OS images, and then apply any management via MCX or post install scripts.

The benefit in keeping the OS package separate from security settings is that the scripts and MCX shouldn't change that often. When you need to make a new image (because Apple introduces new hardware, for example) you can just redo the InstaDMG and replace it into the policy.

If you baked all of your management into the core OS image, you would have to redo all of that management (and testing) every single time you redo the image.

The 10.6 Apple Training Series book from Peachpit on Deployment gets into some of this methodology. Apple calls this "Modular Imaging" as opposed to "Cloned Imaging".

Sounds like a plan. That sounds like the way to go, I will just have to learn how to capture the sleep settings and others. I do use MCX and policies for some things but like I said sleep, setting the clock to our server etc... Can these be captured in Composer? Or do I have to have a script? I use the "Region Code" and "Add Printer" scripts that were in the Resource Kit.

its not a simple one size fits all answer, some things are better done via a script and others are fine to capture with composer.

I love InstaDMG for creating a base OS image file. However, after that I use Casper Admin for everything else. InstaDMG however is definitely not needed, since Casper does a lot of that on it's own. However, some people do like it, and I am one of those people. My imaging work flow looks something like this:

1 - Create base image of OS X + updates with InstaDMG

2 - Drop in Casper Admin and compile base image + standard apps

3 - Create smart groups that run asr scripts to block copy image to client computer via casper imaging

4 - set up smart configurations based on the above to do modular package based deployment for users, groups, buildings, and so forth.

5 - Post image shell script configures system, post image Casper binds client to server, policy is also enforced when user logs in and client binds to server.

I wrote a tutorial on InstaDMG, found here:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=3683

I posted my post image shell script here:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=51

This should give you an idea of what you want to do post image wise. This script should just be looked at as an example, and it requires Casper because I use the Casper binary to create local users post image. I have a few separate post image scripts. I have one for students, one for teachers, and one for administrators that set up different local accounts and different settings.

I also posted about using a compiled configuration as a parent configuration to get a completely modular approach to a compiled config. Unless JAMF changed how package priority works in the newer versions you cannot have smart configurations based off a compiled configuration because package priority messes it up. I want one image to rule them all, so I came up with this work flow. This is unique to my environment and how I wanted to have it set up, so don't feel you have to do it this way, it is just the way I came up with.

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=65

There are always many ways to do things and the Casper Framework makes anything possible if you want to roll your own solution so to speak. If not, Casper still does the heavy lifting for you as well.

-Tom

Neall,

For setting the network time server, there's a number of ways to go. I've got a couple of methods referenced in this post:

http://derflounder.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/setting-multiple-network-time-servers-from-the-command-line/

For setting your sleep settings, I've got a sample script for Energy Saver settings that may help out here:

https://github.com/rtrouton/rtrouton_scripts/tree/master/rtrouton_scripts/setting_energy_saver_settings

Tom I used your instaDMG example to make mine so thanks for that, I will also look at your workflows seeing that mine are not etched in stone. Thanks rtrouton for the scripts.

This is the method that I will use for any Mac user outside my Artist group. They are "Special" meaning all kinds of CS4, CS5 plugins, ESKO settings, and other special mess. I just had a power user build a machine for them and I just imaged it. I know it isnt the right way to do it, but with all of the plugins, special file permissions, EFI printers and such it was the easy way for now.