Deployment Solution

Previously (with Deployment Solution for Dell Servers 2.0SP1 or newer), it was only possible to have one answer file & set of corresponding OS source files for each OS it supported. Now, with Deployment Solution for Dell Servers 3.0, users are able to have as many versions of OS source files, or answer files at their disposal. This makes it possible for users to instantly redeploy any of their machines without any "tweaking".

Here's what we'll cover in this article:

• How to add an OS Configuration
• How to modify answer file settings for OS Configurations
• How to set up and maintain different OS configurations
• How to share one copy of OS Source files among many OS configurations (thus saving hard disk space)

Getting Started

Chances are that during initial configuration, you installed one or more operating systems through the Configuration Wizard. This wizard allows you to install one copy of OS files per OS type. Jobs were then generated automatically to perform Bare Metal to OS deployments for those operating systems.

Click to view.

After installation however, many new OS configuration options are available through the configuration utility. To begin, let's open the Configuration Utility by going to Tools->Dell Tools->Configuration Utility. Once the utility is launched, go to the OS Deployment Tab.

Click to view.

This tab lists all the OS Configurations that you have installed. An OS Configuration consists of:

1. A link to a location in the datastore that contains the OS Source files
2. A link to an answer file that contains all the installer "instructions" to be performed.

By properly setting up these values, you can have a single OS configuration for each particular scenario you encounter in your deployment environment. Lets start with learning how to add a configuration.

Adding a Configuration

In order to add a configuration you will need have done the following beforehand:

Windows:

1. Have in your possession an install CD (or the files contained on the install CD) for any version of Windows 2000, or Windows 2003.
2. Have a volume license key that corresponds to those files.
   Note: Non-volume license keys can be used, but windows activation issues will arise if you use this configuration to deploy more than one machine.

Linux:

1. Have in your possession a install CD (or the files contained on the install CD) for any supported version of Linux (see documentation).
2. Have those files contained on the install CD hosted on an NFS, FTP or HTTP server accessible by your network.

Steps to follow:

1. From the OS Deployment Tab within the Configuration Utility click "ADD".
2. Select what flavor of OS you are going to be using, Click OK.
3. Provide the path to the install files, Click OK.
4. Provide a Unique Name for this configuration (example "Windows 2003 - for marketing department" )
5. If Linux, provide the path to the NFS, FTP or HTTP server that is hosting the files. If Windows, provide the CD-key.
6. Click "Add OS" and wait for the copying to complete.

Once the files are finished copying, you will see two Deployment Jobs appear in the console (for each preboot). The first will be under "Deployment Solution for Dell Severs v3.0 PREBOOT" ->OS-Deployment Jobs ->Unattended OS Install and assumes that the BIOS/DRAC/BMC/RAID and disks are prepared, and ready to receive the OS. The second will be under "Deployment Solution for Dell Servers v3.0 PREBOOT" -> OS-Deployment Jobs->Bare Metal to OS and assumes that everything, BIOS/DRAC/BMC/RAID and disks need to be configured. Use this job on the server no matter what state it is currently in, and it will load the OS.

Modifying an existing Configuration

Begin by clicking a configuration, and then clicking "properties".

Click to view.

The Unique name field is the name that appears on the OS Deployment Tab, and the name by which the Bare Metal Jobs are named. For instance, this configuration has a corresponding job in the job pane called "Bare Metal to Windows 2003 (English)". This was automatically generated when the configuration was made.

This name can be changed by typing a different name and pressing OK. The folder in which the resource files are stored is also renamed. Note: Since OS Deployment Jobs retrieve source path's dynamically from that database when they are run, any jobs built using that OS Configuration will continue to work properly. The name of the Job is not changed however, that has to be done manually through the DS Console.

The browse button allows you to change the pointer to the Source files to another location within the datastore. We will be using this to create "referenced" OS Configurations later.

The "Edit Answer File" button does just what it says; it allows you to modify the answer file associated with this configuration.

How to Set up and maintain different OS Configurations

The OS Deployment Tab allows you to set up as many OS Configurations as you like. Each OS Configuration has its own answer file. This means that you can have one OS configuration for each particular OS setup you would like to Deploy. For instance, if you have a separate volume license key for different groups of machines, you could create an OS Configuration for each group, and merely use the job corresponding to that group when you deploy. You can also use different partitioning schemes that are offered by the answer files.

How to Share one copy of OS Source files among many different configurations

In order for Scripted OS installs to work, they must be able to copy down the OS Source files from the Datastore. When an OS Configuration is created, the OS Source files are copied to the datastore, or they can optionally be used from an existing location within the datastore thus eliminating the need to have separate identical copies of the same files.

Let's assume that you have just created a Windows Server 2003 OS Configuration using files from a CD. After you pressed "Add OS", those files were copied into a specific folder derived from the unique name of the OS Configuration:

C:\Program Files\Altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\Dell\OSSUP\W2K3E_Windows 2003 (English)\

Later, you receive a request to deploy 100 machines using a different license key. Instead of editing the answer file and replacing the existing key, you decide to make a new OS Configuration:

Follow these steps:

1. Click Add, and select "Windows Server 2003 Enterprise" and click OK
2. You will now be asked to locate the OS Source Files. Instead of pointing to your CD, point to the location of where the files currently are: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Deployment Server\Dell\OSSUP\W2K3E_Windows 2003 (English)\
3. The software checks to make sure that location does in fact have OS Source files for Windows Server 2003, and then detecting that this location is already in the datastore asks:
   

   Click to view.

4. Click "Yes" (If you click "No" a duplicate copy will be made of the OS Source Files)
5. You are now presented with the Add OS Dialog where you are asked to provide a Unique Name, and the CD-key. Provide the name and the new CD-key you were given , and then press Add OS.

You will now see a new OS Configuration in the OS Deployment Tab. This is a "Referenced" configuration.

Notes:

1. OS Source files can be referenced from anywhere, so long as they are in the datastore. If you are using the generic scripted OS install mechanism provided by DS, look for the OS source files in the "Deploy" folder within the datastore.
2. Once you create an OS Configuration that references the source files within another configuration, you may be reluctant to rename the referenced configuration for fear that it will break the link in the referenced configuration. Not to worry, whenever an OS configuration is renamed, a search is done to see if any other OS configurations reference that folder, and the paths are updated automatically.

An Alternate Way

Sharing the same OS Source files, but using a different Answer file can be done in another way that doesn't require multiple OS Configurations to exist. This can be done using the Job Builder's answer file "override". An advantage of this mechanism, is that the answer file itself does not need to reside within the datastore, but can be anywhere accessible by the DS Server.

Follow these steps:

1. Launch the Job builder by going to Tools->Dell Tools-> Job Builder
2. Check and complete the sections you want performed as part of the OS Deployment.
   

   Click to view.

3. When you get to the Scripted OS Install step, click Browse.
   

   Click to view.

4. Point to any location that contains the answer file you want to use. Hypothetically you could have a folder with hundreds of different answer files for all your different configurations.
5. Press OK, and then finish building the job giving it a name that would indicate to you what this specific OS Deployment job will do.

Since you selected an answer file that was not associated with that configuration, you effectively have accomplished the same thing as setting up a referenced OS Configuration. The only difference is that you built the job yourself, instead of having it automatically generated for you. Note: You can still build your own jobs from referenced configurations using the job builder.