Deployment Solution

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Installing & Configuring Deployment Solution 6.9 - Detailed Quick Install 

Jul 17, 2008 04:20 PM

Altiris' Deployment Solution allows you to quickly and easily maintain and manage hundreds of computers from your one computer. This guide will discuss system requirements for and explain how to configure and install the Altiris Deployment Solution 6.9.

You will need a computer of the following minimum system requirements to run the Deployment Server:

  • A modern, dedicated server with a 1 GHz or faster processor
  • 1 GB or more of RAM
  • At an absolute minimum, this server should have a PIII-compatible 600 MHz or newer processor with 512 MB RAM.
  • If the database will be hosted on the same computer as your Deployment Server, you need a minimum of 512 MB additional memory, with an additional 1 GB recommended.
  • Computers hosting additional PXE servers and file shares should meet the requirements of the operating system hosting these components.

Altiris' Deployment Solution 6.9 is designed to run on a 32 bit version of Windows Server 2003 (2000 or greater will work if 32 bit). It will run on 64 bit version of Windows Server 2003, but runs as only a 32 bit process and some functionality may be lost (the Web Console will work only if installed on 32 bit server). Altiris tech support said that DS 6.9 SP1 (the next version) will probably allow the Web Console to work on a 64 bit server and the DS 6.9 SP1 is planned to run as a 64 bit process (time will tell).

The Altiris agent will need to be installed on each client that you support and maintain (AClient, DAgent and ADLAgent). Deployment Agents require network connectivity and approximately 5 MB disk space. The system requirements are the same as what the host OS requires.

Automation Requirements: Microsoft recommends 512 MB of memory for computers booting WinPE. At a minimum, you should have 384 MB to avoid boot error.

You must install the Altiris Deployment Solution on a Windows Server. You may want to run all of the Windows Updates first. Before you begin, you will want to rename the computer and put it on the correct group or domain. Before you install the Altiris Deployment Solution, you will want to make sure your IP address is set to the permanent IP address that you will be using later because some applications (Boot disk creator, Agent installers, etc) will automatically enter that IP address in the future.

Disclaimer: If you are using any other type of database other than the one integrated into the simple installation, you may want to use the following article instead of this one: Preparing to Install Altiris Deployment Solution 6.9 – Advanced Setup, Part 1: With SQL Server 2005 Express Advanced Services.

Download the Deployment Solution and the Pre-boot Operating System

Download Altiris_DeploymentSolutionWin_6_9.exe from Altiris', which is now Symantec's, website. http://www.symantec.com/business/products/downloads/index.jsp

(You will need to create an account first)

Click the "+" by "Infrastructure Operations"

Click "Trialware" under "Deployment Solutions" by "Deployment Solutions for Servers"

If you agree to the terms and conditions, click "I Agree"

Download the Deployment Solution

A few different types of downloads are available. The integrated installation will download the file during the install and will check for additional components during the installation process - it is more time consuming unless you want to do a custom install. I prefer alternative installation, which is the larger download, because it quickly takes me to the installation process and allows me to quickly install a couple of key components that are required for the Altiris Deployment Solution.

Click "Download Now" under "Deployment Solution for Servers 6.9." Save the file to your computer. Download the next section too before you begin the installation process.

Download the Pre-boot OS

Then, click "Download Now" under "WinPE Automation Environments for DS 6.9" for the correct version (x86, x64, ia64). Save the file to your computer. You may download the Linux & FreeDOS versions in addition to or instead of WinPE 2.1.

Install Necessary Components for DS

The Simple Install Helper will install the .NET Framework 1.1 and SQL Server 2000, both of which are required to install the Deployment Solution.

Run the file you downloaded, which should be "Altiris_DeploymentSolutionWin_6_9.exe"

Click "Extract & Execute App"

Select "Simple Install Helper." This will install the necessary components for the Altiris Deployment Solution. Click "Install"

If you receive any errors, take note - doing what it says - and continue. You may need to restart and reopen the setup.exe from C:\DSSetup\

If you see the above message about going to the start menu and selecting run, we will do this in a minute. Click "Continue"

Click "OK"

If you are installing this on a 64 bit computer (I don't recommend), you will need to do the following:

  1. From the Start menu select Run then press the Enter key
  2. In the "Open" edit field enter the following command:
    "cscript %SystemDrive%\inetpub\AdminScripts\adsutil.vbs set w3svc/AppPools/Enable32bitAppOnWin64 1"
    
    

Click "Yes" - Take note that the username "sa" has the password set to "Altiris" for the SQL server (see the section "Modifying the SQL Server" for additional help with this later.

Click "OK"

Restart the computer

Run "C:\DSSetup\Setup.exe"

Run the Simple Install Helper and make sure it says everything is installed. If all the required files are installed, you will see the following message:

Click "OK"

Install DS 6.9

Now that the necessary components are installed, we will do a simple install without a PXE server (at least for my configuration).

Select "Simple Install"

If you are the only support group that might be supporting the computers on all of your subnets, I would recommend selecting the "include PXE Server" option. PXE servers allow you to boot clients to the network and they will automatically and directly connect to the PXE server and to the Altiris Server.

If you have multiple PXE servers on the subnets of the computers that you manage, you may not want to include the PXE Server option during installation. If multiple PXE servers exist on your subnets, you may still install the PXE server as long as you set up some IP helpers on your networking devices or the other option would be to setup all of the PXE servers on the subnets to use white lists. If you choose not to use a PXE server, you will need to use automation partitions (on boot disks, CDs, USB drives, or installer packages), which can be created in the Altiris Boot Disk Creator and works really well too.

Click "Install"

Click "Yes" if you agree

Make sure to select "Create Deployment Share." You will need to obtain a license file and select it here unless you are doing a trial install.

Select "License file"

Browse to the license file you obtained from Altiris

Type in the username for your Administrator account on the computer and the respective password Click "Next"

You may choose "None" and install the Pre-boot OS later.

If you do install the Pre-boot OS now, you may use the Pre-boot OS that you can downloaded from Altiris or you will need to obtain copy of MS-DOS. (For MS-DOS, I use the Windows 98 CD - on a VM you can just mount the ISO.)

Select the type of OS and the correct version, either "x86" or "x64" - these will be the type of systems you will be managing and imaging.

Browse to the WinPE version we downloaded from Altiris "Altiris_DS_Preboot_WinPE_2.1_x86.exe"

Click "OK" and then Click "Next"

You may install additional Pre-boot Operating Systems now. You may install them later too by going to the Boot Disk Manager

Click "Install"

Select "Enable Microsoft Sysprep support" if you want to use it for hardware independent imaging with Altiris (You will need a copy of Windows Server 2003 for the newest version of Sysprep or you can use the Windows XP CD.)

Click "Next"

Select the file from D:\Support\Tools\Deploy.cab

Click "Open"

You may select files for the x64 and ia64 version too if you plan to image those types of systems

Click "Finish"

Restart the Computer

Modifying the SQL Server

You will want to change the password of the SQL Server for security purposes. The default user name is "sa" = system administrator and the password is "Altiris".

Click "Start" > Run,

Type "osql -U sa"

In the command window,

  • Type "Altiris" for the password
  • Press "Enter"
  • Type "sp_password @old ="Altiris", @new = 'NewComplexPassword', @loginame ='sa'"
  • Press "Enter"
  • Type "go"
  • Press "Enter"
    You should see the output of "Password changed."
  • Type "exit" ; Press "Enter" ; Type "exit" ; Press "Enter"

You may want to create a separate user for the SQL database.

Now, you can restart the computer and your Altiris Deployment Console should be working fine.

Mapping the Network File Shares

You will need to map your file share to drive letters in two locations or three if you would like one on the actual server. These drive mappings allow your remote jobs and executions, including imaging, to access the necessary file shares. You need to map the drive in the Deployment Solution Configuration and in the Pre-boot OS (to map this one, see the section below called "Boot Disk Creation") for imaging to work properly. You may also want to map the drives on the server.

Mapping the File Shares on the Server

This will map the network drive for the server, but you should also do it for the Pre-boot OS and for the Altiris DS configuration.

Click on the Windows "Start" menu and click "My Computer"

Click on the "Tools" menu > "Map Network Drive"

Select the Drive letter you prefer

Type in the Folder path to the file share

Check the box "Reconnect at logon"

Click Connect using a "different user name" and type in the user name and password to access the file share

Mapping the File Shares for the Deployment Solution

Click on the Windows "Start" menu > "All Programs" > "Altiris" > "Deployment Solution" > "Configuration"

Click "Options"

Click on the "Drive Mappings" tab

Click "Add"

Select the desired "Drive Letter"

Type in the UNC Path of your file share for Altiris

Click "Ok"

Click "Yes"

Boot Disk Creation

Boot disk creation allows you to create bootable flash drives, CDs, and bootable partitions that may be accessed via physical media or via a network boot. You may use any of the pre-boot operating systems that were mentioned earlier. For this example, we will use WinPE 2.1.

Open Boot Disk Creator by clicking on the "Tools" menu and then "Boot Disk Creator" or you may click the blue disk icon

Click on the "File" menu and select "New Configuration"

Type in the Name and Description

Select the Pre-boot OS (ex: WinPE 2.1)

Click "Next"

Click "Have Disk" if you would like to add additional network drivers (new computer models). You may need to do this with each type of network card that is used on your network, including new computers you add to your network in the future.

Click "Next"

Make sure the IP address is set correctly to your server

You should probably check "Lock Keyboard"

Click "Next"

Type in the Workgroup or Domain to connect to

Type in your user name and password for the file server and Click "Next"

Click the "Drive" field and select the desired drive letter

Click the "Path" field and type in the file share

Click "Next"

Click "Next"

Click "Finish"

The Boot Disk Type can be a windows installer, an automation boot disk, or a network boot disk.

We will do a windows installer package for this example.

Click "Next"

Click "Next"

Click "Next"

Click "Next"

Wait for it

Click "Close"

Congratulations! You finished installing and configuring DS 6.9! Much more configuration may be done, but at least you have a head start. See the following series of articles for more information- Preparing to Install Altiris Deployment Solution 6.9 – Advanced Setup, Part 1: With SQL Server 2005 Express Advanced Services.

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Comments

Jul 21, 2009 02:45 PM

For use with other databases, see the other article below and you may need to tweak a few things, but it will be more in line with what you are doing. http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/preparing-install-altiris-deployment-solution-69-advanced-setup-part-1-sql-server-2005-expr

Oct 10, 2008 12:39 PM

"Altiris_DS_Preboot_WinPE_2.1_x86.exe" hangs on install.
Tried on 3 different servers with Windows 2003 R2 fully updated. Also Using SQL2005 Enterprise fully patched (no Express garbage). I am forced to terminate the install after hours of no reponses, causing the install to be botched and unable to utilize or uninstall Deployment Solution. Not impressed at all.

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