Run Script after IMAGEX Apply

[imbecile29]

Hi

Hope this is the correct place for this.

I'm looking at WDS Deployment at the moment and want to know if it is possible to run a batch file after the wim as been applied? I'm using a Boot image and the wizard to deploy so normally after the wizard has finished applying the image it restarts automatically.

I know I could probably use a base Winpe wim and run wdmcast to connect to the multicast session and run the script after that has finished but wondered if the above was possible.

Also when compared to Ghost WDS deployement seems to take a lot longer. I noticed that it copies the wim locally first then applys it. Is this needed? is there something I can do to speed things up.

Thanks in advance.

[Tripredacus]

Yes you can run scripts or batch files after imaging. Unlike using Ghost, which uses sessions, you have full access to the file system after imaging. I have an example here:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=126828

As far as deployment time... I must be doing something different. Average deployment time with Imagex to multiple clients is 3 minutes. Average deployment time using Ghost to multiple clients ranges between 10 minutes to 40 minutes.

I am using Server 2008 so that WDS supports full multi-cast. Server 2003 does not support multi-cast, and as such, deploying from it (my test/backup server is a WDS 2003) can only support 4 clients and deployment time is a little slower if deploying to 4 and even attempting to PXE any additional machines.

[mrbeatnik]

As far as deployment time... I must be doing something different. Average deployment time with Imagex to multiple clients is 3 minutes. Average deployment time using Ghost to multiple clients ranges between 10 minutes to 40 minutes.

Hi Tripredacus....

Just curious, what is your image size? That seems pretty quick!

Cheers

[cluberti]

I get about 7GB down to my Vista clients over PXE in about 5 minutes, although I've seen it take up to 10 when I'm really hammering the server with 15 - 20 clients at a time. One machine takes 3 - 5 minutes, however. It's probably worth noting that I am also using Server 2008 WDS in multicast mode, and I am using a Gig-E network. When I was using Server 2003 and WDS, times were much longer (between 15 - 20 minutes for the same exact image on the same exact network).

[mrbeatnik]

7 Gb in 5 mins on a Gigabit network (presume 1Gb at server and client). Very nice.

I have a XP image just over 5Gb (compressed size) with 1Gb at server, but 100Mb at Client - can take about 20 - 25 mins mcast.

Windows 7 (2Gb image) deploys in about 12 mins.

Shame we can't upgrade our entire network to 1Gb immediately!

Thanks for the info.

[cluberti]

If you do enough imaging, sometimes it pays to set up a separate network segment (with faster speeds) dedicated to imaging only. When I was an admin of a few thousand machines all in one building, we had a separate network segment for this that was 1Gb (when it was still relatively new) with just a deployment server and a switch - once the machines were imaged, they'd get turned off and sent back to their regular switch ports to be booted onto the network.