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Efficient Network-Based Image Deployment for Linux and Windows

Explore network-based image deployment for Linux & Windows systems in this talk by Mike Gore from the School of Computer Science. Learn about imaging tools, licensing issues, hardware challenges, minimizing problems, image creation, and recommended tools for efficient deployment.

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Efficient Network-Based Image Deployment for Linux and Windows

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  1. Network Based Image Deployment for Linux/Windows Operating Systems Mike Gore School of Computer Science

  2. This talk is on the Web in TWIKI format A more detailed copy of this talk can be access on with web page. Including dozens of links to documentation, code and examples! https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/view/CF/WatItisNetworkImaging2013

  3. Why "imaging" The really big picture • Expectations • We have students and faculty that expect rich computing environments with all of the bells and whistles tossed in. • We have many systems to setup and limited time

  4. Basic Problem statement • Installing computers one at time, from scratch, operating systems, updates and settings can be very time consuming

  5. Desired solution • So wouldn't be great if we could somehow take a copy of a fully configured system with multiple operating systems and apply it other machines? • Bonus points if we can do this on more than one at a time.

  6. Is this possible ? Yes! - There are a number of tools and solutions available. The goal of this talk is to share some of the solutions and tools we have been using in Computer Science

  7. What kinds of alternatives to manual installation are there? • Remote software package deployment tools • These let you manage the installation of software on remote workstations • Imaging tools • These make an entire copy of an existing systems

  8. Why chose imaging over remote package deployment There are cost benefits to each choice • Imaging has a much simpler overhead • Package deployment allows for continual changes after installation

  9. Experience guides your choices • In CS we update systems every 4 years • Observed that most of the packages self update • Concluded that imaging is good enough in many cases after examining implementation options • Does not imply it is the correct choice for you!

  10. What are the main difficulties of imaging? Windows • Licensing issues and copy protection • Fees to be paid in some cases Linux • Licensing issues - no copy protection

  11. Hardware driver issues challenges • Windows • Is extremely sensitive to hardware changes • Free Microsoft tool called SYSPREP to the rescue!

  12. Hardware driver issues challenges continued... Linux You can copy to identical hardware without issue Problems limited to "proprietary drivers“ or unsupported drivers

  13. Minimizing Imaging problems • Stick with standard configurations that change infrequently Say once per year • Advantages • You can now put vender specific drivers and software into the image • No special post install scripting or configuration

  14. Summary formula for creating a master image in two stages • First - we create a vender neutral configuration • That is; no special drivers or vender software • Install everything licensed or free even if only a few people use it. • Save image, then Sysprep, save again

  15. Summary formula for creating a master image in two stages • Second - we customize the image for the target hardware we plan to use • Install the image on the target hardware • Add any vender drivers and software • Save image, sysprep and save final image

  16. Imaging Tools and recommendations • Try Clonezilla - it is now a mature product. When we started imaging (many years ago) this option was not viable. • Free and open source • Web site: http://clonezilla.org/

  17. Imaging Tools and recommendations • Acronis Backup and Recovery • Costs money • Various Licensing options - not cheap • http://www.acronis.com/ • CS TWIKI ImageDeploymentAcronis

  18. Windows Specific Tools • Sysprep • Permits a Windows system to be imaged • BCDEDIT • Manage multi OS booting

  19. Linux Specific Tools • Rsync and Grub • Don't even have to create an image - just use the rsync command to clone the system

  20. Image Creation Environments VMWARE workstation • Fantastic for creating initial images • Snapshot feature allows you to try multiple configurations • You can use sysprep and the imaging tools from within this environment

  21. Network Image ServerSummary We use Ubuntu Linux Uses free open source packages • Samba - windows file server • NFS file server • DNSMASQ – PXE,DNS,TFTPBOOT • NAT firewall • Accounts

  22. Services References • DNSMASQ PXE, DNS and TFTPBOOT • CS TWIKI DNSMASQ • NAT Firewall using iptables • CS TWIKI NatMasqFirewallExample • PXE Live Booting • CS TWIKI PXELiveBoot

  23. References in the talk https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/view/CF/WatItisNetworkImaging2013

  24. IST software information and Licensing links CS TWIKI https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/twiki/view/CF/WatItisNetworkImaging2013 IST software information and Licensing links https://uwaterloo.ca/information-systems-technology/

  25. Using the PXE booting environment Example screen shots

  26. Booting

  27. PXE Boot Menu

  28. PXE Booting Acronis

  29. Acronis Boot - network settings

  30. Acronis 10 Main screen

  31. Connecting to server

  32. Find the Archive

  33. Restore

  34. PXE Live Boot

  35. Live Boot Ubuntu 14.04 prerelease

  36. Questions?

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