How to create images with NetRestore or Deploy Studio; How to use NetRestore or Deploy Studio to image Macintosh's; Getting Started. Netboot is Apple's way of booting into a network. This how-to will teach how to change your FOG server to add support for Macintosh's through Netboot. When complete, the image is now ready to deploy. To deploy the image, NetBoot the Mac unit(s) you would like to deploy to. Access the same utility only select the Deploy Image tab. NOTE: Not all Mac systems can be upgraded to Lion (10.7.X) if you are in fact trying to image an older Mac computer with Lion. Make sure the Mac system meets the.
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␡- Understanding System Image Creation
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Chapter Files | Deployment Planning Template.pdf, available at www.peachpit.com/acsa.deployment Mac OS X v10.6 installation media |
Time | This chapter usually takes approximately 4 hours to complete, but it could take much longer depending on the complexity of your deployment. |
Goals |
|
For many deployments, the best solution is a unified system disk image, which involves creating an ideal system, saving it to a disk image, and then deploying that system to all your computers. A unified system image requires a significant time investment up front, but it saves a great deal of time in the long run. Computers with identical configurations are much easier to manage; the fewer the differences between your deployed systems, the more uniform their performance and the less time spent diagnosing problems, updating software, and reconfiguring hardware.
A unified system image also greatly accelerates the deployment process for any deployment larger than a dozen computers. Once you have fully configured, tested, and created a custom system image on one computer, it can take as little as five minutes to copy it to another machine. Compare this with the time needed to deploy the system individually on every computer, and it's easy to see the benefit of a deployable system disk image. In this chapter you will learn two general methods for creating deployable system disk images: cloning from a model system and building a modular system.
Understanding System Image Creation
Before starting the process of creating a system image, you must consider your deployment requirements: what software and configuration settings will be part of your system image? Consider your users, your systems, and the limitations of identical-system deployment on multiple computers. You also need to consider which of the two image creation methodologies will best suit your needs and abilities. The choices you make while planning your system image will affect every computer on which this system is deployed.
Defining System Image Requirements
When identifying all the specific items and configuration settings that you want to include in your system image, you must take into consideration the requirements of your users, the technical requirements of your systems, and the limitations of deploying an identical system on multiple computers.
User Requirements
Your primary focus when developing system image requirements should be on maximizing system usability, for both users and administrators. In some cases your target audience or usage policies may require tighter system control. This is often the case when users are inexperienced or cannot be trusted to manage any part of their systems. In this scenario you would limit application access and lock down as many system configuration settings as possible. You would also want to make things easy for the user by preconfiguring any system setting you can. In scenarios where you will be performing a significant amount of client management, you should incorporate directory services–based managed preferences.
In professional or creative environments, you may not need to be as restrictive in the application or settings, but you should still make sure to prepare the system based on the users' needs; for instance, install third-party applications and peripheral drivers for inclusion with your system image.
No matter the level of your users, your system image should be as fully configured as possible, with both Apple and third-party software installed and updated, any necessary support files such as third-party drivers and fonts installed, and any systemwide configuration settings implemented. Note, though, that many settings are not well suited to deployment via a unified system image—more on this topic later in this section.
Computer-Specific System Requirements
Before you create your system image, you must determine which version of Mac OS X you intend to use. A major administrative advantage of using Mac OS X v10.6 and Mac OS X Server v10.6 is that they include all the hardware drivers necessary to work with any Mac that meets the minimum system requirements, allowing you to build a single system image that can work on any Mac.
Although creating a unified system image for computers that support Mac OS X v10.6 is simple, creating a system image for brand-new Macs can present a significant problem. In many cases, because the release of new Mac computers is not in sync with the release of the retail version of Mac OS X, a custom intermediate version of Mac OS X is created just to support the new hardware. However, new Macs cannot run versions of Mac OS X released prior to their introduction—that is, the oldest version of Mac OS X supported by a new Mac computer is the version that it ships with from the factory.
Thus, a previously created system image will not work on new Mac computers, and you will have to create a new system image based on the version of Mac OS X that shipped with the new Macs. Further, these custom intermediate versions of Mac OS X may technically work with older Mac computers, but they are not officially supported by Apple to do so, presenting a problem when you are trying to build a single unified system image.
How To Share Netboot Image For Macbook Air
Fortunately, every general Mac OS X version update includes support for all Mac computers introduced prior to the update. For example, if you were to acquire new Macs that were introduced this week, the next general update of Mac OS X will include support for those new Macs and will support older hardware as well. Therefore, if you can wait to build your system image until you can base it on the next general update for Mac OS X, you can create a single system image for all your Macs. If you can't wait that long, you will need to create a separate system image just for your new Macs.
It's important to note that custom intermediate versions of Mac OS X for new computers do not use different version numbers from the general releases. They do, however, have different build numbers, which can be identified by clicking once on the version number from the About This Mac window.
Software Update Requirements
You should strive to build your system image using the latest versions of your selected software. To do this, you'll need to collect and keep track of all the necessary software update installers that you'll apply when building your system image.
First you need to determine and acquire the latest version updates for Apple software. Apple's downloads website, www.apple.com/downloads/, lists all the latest updates and can be searched and browsed so you can locate and then download specific Apple software updates. However, it may not seem obvious which Apple updates are needed; for this reason you can open Software Update from the Apple menu.
Apple Software Update will compare your Mac's current installed software with the latest versions available from Apple. Obviously, you should run this on one of your test deployment systems to verify exactly which updates are necessary. The Mac OS X v10.6 version of Software Update no longer allows you to download updates without installing them. Thus, if you want to acquire the updates for later installation or deployment, you will have to do so from Apple's downloads website.
You should also verify that you are using the latest versions of third-party applications and drivers. Many third-party products feature a built-in automatic update system that will check online for updates. However, few of these third-party update systems will allow you to download the individual update installer so that you can later use it to build your system image. Again, in this case, visit the software developer's website to download the individual update installers.
Limitations of a Unified System Image
You should include as many configured settings as possible with your system image so you don't have to spend time setting these items on each individual computer. However, there are many settings that you should not, or cannot, deploy with the same configuration to every computer.
Mac Netboot Image
For example, in most cases, user-specific settings should not be included with your system image. Computer-specific settings also should not be configured on the system image. For instance, a unique IP address and network name needs to be set for every Mac. Both user- and computer-specific settings are best handled using dedicated client management tools and techniques.
In deploying a Mac OS X Server system image, your primary goal will be to strike a balance between what you can safely configure as part of the generic server system image and what settings you must leave for after deployment.
Choosing a System Image Methodology
When using the tools built into Mac OS X to create a deployable system disk image, you have a choice between two different methodologies: cloned system images and modular system images.
With a cloned system image, you first set up a model computer that is configured with all the software and settings you intend to deploy. Then you create a duplicate copy of the system volume saved to a disk image that has been specially prepared for deployment.
Home > Articles > Apple > Operating Systems
See Full List On Lowendmac.com
␡- Understanding System Image Creation
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Chapter Files | Deployment Planning Template.pdf, available at www.peachpit.com/acsa.deployment Mac OS X v10.6 installation media |
Time | This chapter usually takes approximately 4 hours to complete, but it could take much longer depending on the complexity of your deployment. |
Goals |
|
For many deployments, the best solution is a unified system disk image, which involves creating an ideal system, saving it to a disk image, and then deploying that system to all your computers. A unified system image requires a significant time investment up front, but it saves a great deal of time in the long run. Computers with identical configurations are much easier to manage; the fewer the differences between your deployed systems, the more uniform their performance and the less time spent diagnosing problems, updating software, and reconfiguring hardware.
A unified system image also greatly accelerates the deployment process for any deployment larger than a dozen computers. Once you have fully configured, tested, and created a custom system image on one computer, it can take as little as five minutes to copy it to another machine. Compare this with the time needed to deploy the system individually on every computer, and it's easy to see the benefit of a deployable system disk image. In this chapter you will learn two general methods for creating deployable system disk images: cloning from a model system and building a modular system.
Understanding System Image Creation
Before starting the process of creating a system image, you must consider your deployment requirements: what software and configuration settings will be part of your system image? Consider your users, your systems, and the limitations of identical-system deployment on multiple computers. You also need to consider which of the two image creation methodologies will best suit your needs and abilities. The choices you make while planning your system image will affect every computer on which this system is deployed.
Defining System Image Requirements
When identifying all the specific items and configuration settings that you want to include in your system image, you must take into consideration the requirements of your users, the technical requirements of your systems, and the limitations of deploying an identical system on multiple computers.
User Requirements
Your primary focus when developing system image requirements should be on maximizing system usability, for both users and administrators. In some cases your target audience or usage policies may require tighter system control. This is often the case when users are inexperienced or cannot be trusted to manage any part of their systems. In this scenario you would limit application access and lock down as many system configuration settings as possible. You would also want to make things easy for the user by preconfiguring any system setting you can. In scenarios where you will be performing a significant amount of client management, you should incorporate directory services–based managed preferences.
In professional or creative environments, you may not need to be as restrictive in the application or settings, but you should still make sure to prepare the system based on the users' needs; for instance, install third-party applications and peripheral drivers for inclusion with your system image.
No matter the level of your users, your system image should be as fully configured as possible, with both Apple and third-party software installed and updated, any necessary support files such as third-party drivers and fonts installed, and any systemwide configuration settings implemented. Note, though, that many settings are not well suited to deployment via a unified system image—more on this topic later in this section.
Computer-Specific System Requirements
Before you create your system image, you must determine which version of Mac OS X you intend to use. A major administrative advantage of using Mac OS X v10.6 and Mac OS X Server v10.6 is that they include all the hardware drivers necessary to work with any Mac that meets the minimum system requirements, allowing you to build a single system image that can work on any Mac.
Although creating a unified system image for computers that support Mac OS X v10.6 is simple, creating a system image for brand-new Macs can present a significant problem. In many cases, because the release of new Mac computers is not in sync with the release of the retail version of Mac OS X, a custom intermediate version of Mac OS X is created just to support the new hardware. However, new Macs cannot run versions of Mac OS X released prior to their introduction—that is, the oldest version of Mac OS X supported by a new Mac computer is the version that it ships with from the factory.
Thus, a previously created system image will not work on new Mac computers, and you will have to create a new system image based on the version of Mac OS X that shipped with the new Macs. Further, these custom intermediate versions of Mac OS X may technically work with older Mac computers, but they are not officially supported by Apple to do so, presenting a problem when you are trying to build a single unified system image.
How To Share Netboot Image For Macbook Air
Fortunately, every general Mac OS X version update includes support for all Mac computers introduced prior to the update. For example, if you were to acquire new Macs that were introduced this week, the next general update of Mac OS X will include support for those new Macs and will support older hardware as well. Therefore, if you can wait to build your system image until you can base it on the next general update for Mac OS X, you can create a single system image for all your Macs. If you can't wait that long, you will need to create a separate system image just for your new Macs.
It's important to note that custom intermediate versions of Mac OS X for new computers do not use different version numbers from the general releases. They do, however, have different build numbers, which can be identified by clicking once on the version number from the About This Mac window.
Software Update Requirements
You should strive to build your system image using the latest versions of your selected software. To do this, you'll need to collect and keep track of all the necessary software update installers that you'll apply when building your system image.
First you need to determine and acquire the latest version updates for Apple software. Apple's downloads website, www.apple.com/downloads/, lists all the latest updates and can be searched and browsed so you can locate and then download specific Apple software updates. However, it may not seem obvious which Apple updates are needed; for this reason you can open Software Update from the Apple menu.
Apple Software Update will compare your Mac's current installed software with the latest versions available from Apple. Obviously, you should run this on one of your test deployment systems to verify exactly which updates are necessary. The Mac OS X v10.6 version of Software Update no longer allows you to download updates without installing them. Thus, if you want to acquire the updates for later installation or deployment, you will have to do so from Apple's downloads website.
You should also verify that you are using the latest versions of third-party applications and drivers. Many third-party products feature a built-in automatic update system that will check online for updates. However, few of these third-party update systems will allow you to download the individual update installer so that you can later use it to build your system image. Again, in this case, visit the software developer's website to download the individual update installers.
Limitations of a Unified System Image
You should include as many configured settings as possible with your system image so you don't have to spend time setting these items on each individual computer. However, there are many settings that you should not, or cannot, deploy with the same configuration to every computer.
Mac Netboot Image
For example, in most cases, user-specific settings should not be included with your system image. Computer-specific settings also should not be configured on the system image. For instance, a unique IP address and network name needs to be set for every Mac. Both user- and computer-specific settings are best handled using dedicated client management tools and techniques.
In deploying a Mac OS X Server system image, your primary goal will be to strike a balance between what you can safely configure as part of the generic server system image and what settings you must leave for after deployment.
Choosing a System Image Methodology
When using the tools built into Mac OS X to create a deployable system disk image, you have a choice between two different methodologies: cloned system images and modular system images.
With a cloned system image, you first set up a model computer that is configured with all the software and settings you intend to deploy. Then you create a duplicate copy of the system volume saved to a disk image that has been specially prepared for deployment.
The modular system image methodology, a newer method, requires a bit more work up front, but it has several advantages over the older method and is the Apple-recommended best practice. With this method you build a fresh system by installing a series of installation packages to a sparse disk image. The installations include the full Mac OS X system, any software updates, any additional Apple software, any third-party software, and any custom installation packages that you have created to set up your system image. This sparse image is then converted to a disk image that has been prepared for deployment.
Cloned System Image Pros and Cons
Pro—Easier workflow for novice administrators
Pro—Less time spent creating initial system images
Con—Requires that the model computer be purged of any unnecessary or troublesome files
Con—Prone to issues if model not properly 'cleaned'
Con—Prone to more issues when deploying to different models
Con—Increased workload when creating multiple system images
Con—Increased workload when it's time to update system images
Con—New system images are never consistent with prior images
Con—Difficult to document and audit system image configurations
Con—Increased workload to test system image modifications
Modular System Image Pros and Cons
Pro—System images are clean because they have never been booted.
Pro—System images have no model-specific settings.
Pro—Apple updates won't interfere with your customizations because they are always applied before your customizations.
Pro—Your workload is lighter when creating multiple system images that require unique software and configurations.
Pro—Your workload is decreased when it's time to update system images.
Pro—Multiple and updated system images are perfectly consistent for similar items every single time.
Pro—All configurations are easily documented and easily audited.
Pro—Testing of updates and image modifications are simpler.
Pro—System image creation process is automated.
Pro—It's easy to integrate modular system images with system maintenance workflows and third-party deployment tools.
Con—Workflow is more difficult for novice administrators.
Con—You must create custom installation packages for some third-party items and any configuration settings.
Con—You will spend more time creating an initial system image.
The cloned system image methodology requires less effort up front, and you can get your first image set up quickly. However, in the long run you'll have to spend much more time fixing bugs, updating software, and adding modifications than with a modular system image. The modular system image methodology requires more initial effort to properly configure your first system image, but maintaining your systems will be much easier because you'll be able to build new modular images with additional items and updated software.
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This blog post is being reprinted with permission from the original author, Ian North. We are extremely excited and pleased to get to share his post as a special guest blog this week. Read on for Ian's how-to for configuring a Mac image in Microsoft SCCM and Parallels Mac Management, and let us know if you are experiencing an increase in Macs in your network and the steps you're taking to keep them centrally managed.
I touched briefly on using Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM to build Macs in my overview article but I thought it might be a good idea to go through the entire process that I use when I have to create an image for a Mac, getting the image deployed and getting the Mac configured once the image is on there. At the moment, it's not a simple process.
It requires the use of several tools and, if you want the process to be completely automated, some Bash scripting as well. The process isn't as smooth as you would get from solutions like DeployStudio but it works and, in my opinion anyway, it works well enough for you not to have to bother with a separate product for OSD. The Parallels team is working hard on this part of the product and they tell me that proper task sequencing will be part of V4 of the agent. As much as I'm looking forward to that, it doesn't change the fact that right now we're on V3.5 and we have to use the messy process.
First of all, I should say that this is my method of doing it and mine alone. This is not Parallels' method of doing this, it has not been sanctioned or condoned by them. There are some dangerous elements to it, and you follow this procedure at your own risk and I will not be held responsible for damage caused by it if you try this out.
Requirements
You will need the following tools:
- A Mac running OS X Server. The server needs to be set up as a Profile Manager server, an Open Directory server and, optionally, as a Netboot server. It is also needed on Yosemite for the System Image Utility.
- A second Mac running the client version of OS X.
- Both the server and the client need to be running the same version of OS X (Mavericks, Yosemite, whatever) and they need to be patched to the same level. Both Macs need to have either FireWire or Thunderbolt ports.
- A FireWire or Thunderbolt cable to connect the two Macs together.
- A SCCM infrastructure with the Parallels Mac Management SCCM Proxy and Netboot server installed.
- This is optional but I recommend it anyway: a copy of Xcode or another code editor to create your shell scripts in. I know you could just use TextEdit but I prefer something that has proper syntax highlighting and Xcode is at least free.
- Patience. Lots of patience. You'll need it. The process is time consuming and and can be infuriating when you get something wrong.
At the end of this process, you will have an OS X Image which can be deployed to your Macs. The image will automatically name its target, it will download, install and configure the Parallels Mac Management for Microsoft SCCM agent, join itself to your Active Directory domain, attach itself to a managed wireless network and it will install any additional software that's not in your base image. The Mac will do this without any user interaction apart from initiating the build process.
Process Overview
The overview of the process is as follows: App macos.
- Create an OS X profile to join your Mac to your wireless network.
- Create a base installation of OS X with the required software and settings.
- Create a Automator workflow to deploy the Parallels agent and to do other minor configuration jobs.
- Use the System Image Utility to create the image and a workflow to automatically configure the disk layout and computer name.
- (Optional) Use the Mac OS X Netboot server to deploy the image to a Mac. This is to make sure that your workflow works and that you've got your post-install configuration scripts right before you add the image to your ConfigMgr server. You don't have to do this but you may find it saves you a lot of time.
- Convert the image to a WIM file and add it to your SCCM OSD image library.
- Advertise the image to your Macs.
I'm going to assume that you already have your SCCM infrastructure, Parallels SCCM management proxy, Parallels Netboot server and OS X Server working…
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