Client Management Suite

ok so we are building a new datacenter...
no need to take our current NS6.x and DS 6.9SP3 with deployment solution for dell servers 3.2MR1 over there..

going to go new.. so ill build a new DS.. ds 6.9 SP4.. plus we are going to HP... need to evaluate if we will ever re-use the dell's or not...

anywho...

NS 7.0 is out and NS7.1 proposed for spring...
so anyone running NS7.0... do you regret going forward to this version? do you plan on going to NS 7.1 immediately?

the features we use in NS 6 are:
Application Metering and denial
patch management
inventory solution
task servers
package servers
software delivery


i just dont want to upgrade 100 sites worth of package servers to go to NS 7 if NS 7 isnt worth it and NS 7.1 is more of a chosen way???

just curious on peeps thoughts out there running what they are....
thanks
Jeff

We worked on migrating to NS7 last spring.  Overall, we were very happy with the product (ran into a few bugs, but nothing that we couldn't work around).  We ended up not going live because ServiceDesk7 was such a train wreck, but as you are not a Helpdesk user this shouldn't be an issue for you.  Also, I understand the upgrage from 7.0 to 7.1 is fairly painless.

So, if you need to get moving, I wouldn't hesitate to rollout NS7.0.  However, if waiting until March 7th to get started won't be an issue you can save yourself the extra effort of upgrading by waiting.

Joe

Joe.. thanks for your input..

glad to hear from 7 to 7.1 is supposed to be painless.. i heard that it was a nightmare of a reinstall full do over.. that is why I posted this to get real experience!!!!

anyone else?? everyone agree with Joe?

You should wait for 7.1 to go to production.  7.1 must be installed on a 64-bit Windows Server 2008 box, whereas 7.0 must be installed on a 32-bit Windows Server 2003 box.  I would consider it wasted effort to roll out 7.0 to a bunch of clients and tell them to point to the ALTIRIS70 server, only to rebuild it a week after rollout on 64-bit and ask all the clients to check in with the ALTIRIS71 server.  Not to mention that it hasn't yet been published what will and what won't automatically migrate during the upgrade.  There was a page or two of items in beta that had to be manually migrated.

I would recommend setting up a 32-bit Windows Server 2003 box, if it's no trouble to do so, then installing CMS 7.  Everything in the database will transfer to the new server as part of the 7.0->7.1 migration, so any settings you adjust will be saved.  However, for the production move, you'll want to build 7.1 (after the March 7 release) on a 64-bit Windows Server 2008 box.

As an NS6 customer, you have benefits to setting up 7.0 in pre-production before March 7 so that you can begin importing data from your NS6 environment.  But I wouldn't roll to production clients until you're ready on 7.1.

ok so what i was reading was true... NS7 MUST be on x32 2k3 and 7.1 MUST be on 2k8 r2..

that is definitely it...

well i guess ill just sit back and wait.. will build out our new ds first.. get everyone on that... then start the ns 7.1 and get our new datacenter on that first... then if all is good.. keep moving branch by branch..

appreciate it...

my goal is to not use ANY data to migrate over... we are not in need of historical data or anything but since NS6 will still be up... that will help...

It sounds like you're keeping DS 6.9.  Why not use DS 7.1 since you're moving to NS7?  Is there a particular requirement in DS 6.x that's held you back?  There are many advantages to moving to DS 7.1, especially for those with many sites.

well id say baby steps...

i havent looked into DS 7.1 yet.. at all..

not sure how it works...

right now i have

1 rdeploy image... xp sp3 with no frills.

Works on Dell/HP/Lenovo | Desktops/Laptops | AMD/Intel

we support a mess of machines...

also the deployment solution for dell servers allows us to build our servers from DS too...

i heard token replacement is gone in DS 7.x.

You say many advantages... got any links handy that i can see this? (i can google but if you have any handy id appreciate it)..

im not opposed to DS 7.1... id prefer it if we could.... my main thing is go all new if we can.. but since DS 6.x works like a champ... why not..

one could get into that 2011 corvette for a daily driver.. but one will still take out that '66 convertible, 4 speed with a 427 on nice weather... both do the job... but which do you just prefer..... LOL...

i see that 2nd quarter of this year is going to be awesomely BUSY!!!!

so the NS 7.1 beta is done.. is there any way to get this installed in a test environment?

I still had the NS 7.1 SIm.exe... but tried to install and no go.. it wouldnt do anything..

i wouldnt mind getting started with just looking at it to see what is there....

I believe you can request the beta still.  Tokens still exist in 7.1.  The DS 7.1 manual is a good place to start: http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=DOC2085

well i just watched this on youtube..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUsUsTtTUzc

all i can say is WOW!!!! Seems like good things to come!

I don't know how big your datacenter is or what your timeframes are but personally I'd show a little caution on Symantec's first attempt at a 64 bit SMP server using 7.1.

For smaller environments there are strong reasons (usually available resource time) to just go straight from 6.0 to 7.1.  For larger environments I am more cautious.  Expect a Service Pack for 7.1 about 3 months after release with possible hotfixes for serious issues before then.

If you have to have 7.x now then I'd start proving/learning with 7.0 and plan a migration to 7.1 mid-year when a service pack comes out.  The migration should be easy as long as you plan well and keep as much content as possible off the v7.0 box (DSL, Patch files etc)

7.1 looks VERY promising but a little caution never hurt.  Almost all of its capabilities are already in 7.0.

well remember.. im not forced.. im up and running with 6.0 and will be for a long time..

figure id run them in tandem.. even though 6 is old. .it is solid for us..

well solid enough..

so ill run the new datacenter off of 7.1 to weed the bugs out...

see how all goes...

but hopefully the beta leads to good fixes and things go well.. im going to install the beta myself.. i know there will be bugs.. but ill have a first hand attempt at things with it...

I did attend an NS 7.0 class a while back... how far off do you think the books will be?

or the basics will be the same.. just the right click and drag and drop features changed?

gonna start reading those books again anyway... will see....

installed ITMS 7.1 and WOW!!!! wayyy different from NS 6 (didnt do nothing after ns 7 class so forgot the look)....

They'd kill me for saying this, but the books are always a little bit off!  It's true, though.  You send it to the presses and then a hotfix is released, what are you going to do?  Recycle pallets full of books?

They'll have to update the course for 7.1 because of all the interface changes.  There are some functionality differences, too.  And I know several of us who have taken the courses have provided feedback requesting additional focus on certain features (like DeployAnywhere and hardware independent imaging).. I would certainly hope that makes it in.

focus on independant imaging.. we do that now.. they dont have that built in?!?!?!?!?!?!

Not in the course, no.  Of course, I was in the first class to take the DS 7.1 course... so it was lacking in other ways as well.  I imagine they've improved the course since then.