OS deploy & self-managed Drivers
What I would like:
To deploy new OS image on any hardware, and let the automate managing all Windows drivers, on all versions.
- identify new hardware, from existing clients,
- collect new drivers & updated drivers from existing clients,
- prepare packages to upgrade previous drivers versions
- prepare tasks ready to launch for updating
- of course, be able to deploy old OS image on new hardwares without rebuilding the image (as it is currently already the case using new DS 6.9 sp1 option :)
We are near to reach with DS 6.9 & DeployAnyWhere Ghost integration, but only for NIC & Mass drivers, and also must be build manually.
It seems that is part of HIIS (Altrinsic Solution) job to integrate all others drivers & automate the drivers lifecycle management.
If it is the case: I suggest Symantec to buy Altrinsic & to integrate natively with CMS, so we can jump more over competitors solutions
Never sleeping pole position, must accelerate !
Opensource driver packs alternative?
Hi
Is this really necessary, when there is an excellent opensource alternative?:
http://driverpacks.net/DriverPacks/
Check the forums and you'll see that newer versions of Windows have their own branches of the project too.
Once your image has all required drivers slipstreamed you can use whatever method of deployment you desire, or have I missed something fundamental here?
Is there something that HIIS does that the BTS Driverpacks don't allow?
Yes, Keyword is AUTOMATE
I agree. Driverpacks are good, but I think what the OP wants is a fully automated environment so that the computer talks to the server via automation and slipstreams in all the necessary drivers. Drivers packs are good, but how do you append them to the eXpress DB so that it does it for you...
CondorMan's method is fantastic, but unsupported. It would be fantastic if they could adapt his methods to include more drivers via DeployAnywhere so that it is not DeployLIMITEDDRIVERSAnywhere.
"The happiness of your life, depends on the quality of your thoughts."
I agree.....
How about something like this....
The DS database knows all the different models that are being serviced by Deployment solution. So, why have an option in DS to "Check for Drivers" which sends to Altiris your model list, and by return you get the option to download the latest driver packs for these models.
These driver packs would be probably be the vendor packs, but repackaged to make them suitable for the sysprep process. These drivers would automatically be copied across in the HII process for each model deployed.
Altiris could first provide support for its main partners, Dell and HP. And perhaps add IBM/Lenovo etc later?
I think driver databases are good, but I can't help but feel that using the model information is a more reliable and stable way to go.
Kind regards,
ian./
Ian Atkin
Senior Developer for the ICT Support Team,
Oxford University, UK
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