Complete MAC OS Image deployment over USB

[Rahulsoni24]

Hi All,

I am very new to this forum and maybe asking a very basic question here.
Currently In my organization I am using network deployment to restore the MAC OS. We are using the Casper imaging tool to create the configuration profile and over network boot we deploy the Os and settings. Is there any way to create standalone usb media to deploy the complete set of configuration profile, which should deploy the MAC X Os along with my customs settings and policies?

[Cornoir]

I use AutoDMG to create a clean OS, then install application packages, user settings and a configuration profile to our field techs via a DMG file they restore via USB (bootable partition with base OS and DATA partition containing the DMG file). As for policies I use outset ( https://github.com/chilcote/outset ) to run on every login the sudo jamf policy command to "force" the latest policies as I have seen some policies skipped when I run sudo jamf policy only once (of course if the user logs in only once and never logs back in I have to wait for the check in schedule).

[gachowski]

While you can do this, I am not sure that you should... It's quite clear that Apple is moving away from "imaging". An Example is that FireWire install of the next OS is not supported.. there are big changes in High Sierra and I would guess that there are even more coming next year.

I would recommend that look at more modern approach like DEP and enrolling devices instead of imaging.

C

[Rahulsoni24]

Firstly Thanks a lot to both of you for your time and suggestion.

AS per my understanding DEP can be used for brand new devices but if any existing system has got some issue and unfortunately you don't have any option except reinstalling the OS, how we will manage those devices for OS installation over DEP? If i go with DEP everything will cove over network such as business applications(count may be more), policy etc and my client is too much concern about bandwidth uses.

I am using AutoDMG for now but i add only applications and OS and top of that Policy with Casper. Is there anything in JAMF/Casper imaging to support this ?

[nebakke]

Rahulsoni24 DEP is just initiated ahead of delivery in a sense, but it is effective at any point when you reinstall the OS.
Our workflow here has moved from imaging to DEP over the last two months now, if anything it's arguably lessened the network load by a fraction, although in fairness we have never imaged to get applications onto the Macs, that was always a JAMF task.

Point is, the new process for a wipe of a Mac now, is to boot into the recovery partition, format the hard disk and let it install OSX. After that, it starts the usual post-install flow which means that it gets caught in the DEP hook which points to our JAMF instance that takes care of the rest.

I'm having a problem with location services still needing to be activated even though I have told JAMF to not show it, with that, the whole thing is down to something like 9 or 10 clicks for each reimage. Any network load is largely going to be down to where you host your installation sources for JAMF I guess.

It took me a little while to come around but I have to admit that the DEP process seems to be a lot simpler and more manageable than the imaging process... With the added process that the users can do it themselves if it is designed right.

[chris_kemp]

Rather than using the Recovery partition, we advise our techs to create a USB installer for reinstalling the OS. That lessens the network load quite a bit, and lets you leverage DEP. The rest is done from the jamf server.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372