Bare metal machines (Sort of...)

[#1]

Hi,

We've got 20 or so brand new machines arriving next week which we want to
image using Casper. I'm assuming they will be in the default new Mac state
of OS installed and booting to Setup Assistant.

Can anybody offer any sage words of advice or tips on how to just plug them
all into the network and image them headless without having to go through
all the Apple bollox?

All replies much appreciated...

Dan
-- Daniel Farnworth
IT Manager
The Creative Partnership
daniel.farnworth at thecreativepartnership.co.uk

http://www.thecreativepartnership.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7439 7762
Fax: +44 (0)20 7437 1467

PGP Public Key available<BR>

[ernstcs]

Dan,

If you had all of the information added into the JSS like the machines MAC address and configured all of the AUTORUN data ahead of time, like machine name, and desired configuration. You could then NETBOOT the new Macs to a NETBOOT image that logs root on automatically and has Casper's server configured and set to run at Logon to image the machine, and the machine would reboot to Macintosh HD when completed (if you configured that for AUTORUN).

This way you'd only have to hold down the N key out of the box. I think my logic here is sound, but perhaps the JAMF Support folks can verify that.

Craig Ernst
Learning Spaces Support
+-----------------------+
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Learning and Technology Services
105 Garfield Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone: (715) 836-3639
Fax: (715) 836-6001
+-----------------------+
ernstcs at uwec.edu

[#3]

Thanks Craig,

I pretty much figured that that was about the least interaction that we'd be
able to get to.

I did also notice this article though,
http://www.afp548.com/article.php?story061013135304205
And figured I might have a tinker around to see if I could use this as a
basis for creating a bootable CD/DVD that we could use with Casper
auto-launching with auto-run enabled.

Seems that it would be a bit handier, and would help placate my worries
about having a NetBoot image that can just plain re-image a machine without
any human present to stop it...!

What do people think about this?

Cheers
Dan

[ernstcs]

It can be a bit scary, but the only time you really need to worry about it is if the machine is specifically setup with AUTORUN data. If it doesn't have any it can't just re-image itself. This means you'd need to make sure to delete all the autorun data after the fact. The NETBOOT would then sit at a logon from for Casper.

The article seems handy, but I'd much rather not have to burn a bunch of media to update later. =)

Craig

[#5]

Thanks Craig, that makes sense now. You're right though, does seem kind of a
roundabout way of doing it (Zach v5 hint hint), but I can see how it works.

Yes the imaging process did complete in the end, it just looked like it had
hung. I did have an issue though that the package that was installing as the
message popped up never actually installed... This may be a problem with
that particular package though... Actual imaging dead quick though, 6-8mins!

Dan

[#6]

Dan, Craig and all,
I had a thought about imagaing new machines. Haven't tried anything yet,
but wanted to throw this out there.
It seems silly that we completely erase a hard drive from Apple, then
reinstall the OS, standard apps and then customize. Wouldn't it make more
sense to simply take the esixting install, remove the apps, settings you
don't want (script) then add your custom apps, users and change it to be
done. I know this would be all file copy, but maybe less work and time?
Also, new hardware with different builds would come with any hadware
specific builds already.
Something I might try to play with this summer. Other thoughts?

-Nathaniel Lindley

++++++++++
Educational Technology
Saint Paul Public Schools
Saint Paul, Minnesota
nathaniel.lindley at spps.org
phone: 651-603-4929

[#7]

I see where you're coming from Nathaniel, but I think with the amount of
changes that we make here it would just be more work than necessary. Also,
if we've already got our standard OS build ready, it's just much quicker to
re-image, that way we know everything is spot on. Might be worth tinkering
with it though...

Dan