Looking for a Deep-Freeze-esque for School Labs?

[RLim945]

How are you guys implementing Lab style deployments in your environment where you need to keep computers in a "frozen" state or in a state that can be reverted after a restart?

We're currently looking for a better way since we're starting to see the flaws in our current implementation. (Basically, we cache a user folder, then create a logout hook that deletes the user folder, then re-create the user folder using the cache. Updating this user folder and trying to see what is "ok" to delete in Composer is not very fun; also pretty slow during reboots).

As a side note, we are working on moving over towards DEP enrollment for computers.

Thanks in advance!

[blackholemac]

If you are deleting the home folders after every login, consider simply using the Guest account...it's home folder is destroyed at the OS level after every login. You'd have to get cute with share mappings, but deleting the home folder after every login and scrubbing traces is what the Guest account was actually designed for.

[GuyK]

I'd say to take a look at Faronics Deep Freeze. It has been years since I've last used it. A lot of resellers used it years ago to protect the demo machines in their shops. But inform first and test (a lot), because I can see some issues with APFS and Fusion Drives.

[putnajoe]

We use Deep Freeze where I work and currently there is no support for APFS in Deep Freeze and Fusion Drives have to be broken apart into the SSD and HDD for Deep Freeze to work on the computers that have them.

[Wakko]

Have you thought about setting up an account the way you want it to look. Then using Composer to capture the user folder. Then you can create a policy that on logout or reboot will wipe the current user folder. Then have the policy run the user folder DMG, which will "reset" the users folder. I've used this method and continue to use without fail. Try it out, it might do what you want.

[bbrashear]

Carlos, Would you mind expanding on the details of how you set this up? I would like to try it in our lab and classroom environment.

Thanks