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Best practices with re-installed computers (Virtual Desktop)

Hi there,

In our school environment we have approx. 2000 Client Computers. Several of those are Virtual Desktops for courses, which will be often reinstalled (restoring by images).

How can it be ensured, that a computer after a "re-image" (same name and in the same OU) will receive all the software deployments again?

In PDQ Inventory we have created collections for applications (old, not installed, actual deployed etc.). The scan after deployment is enabled.

Is it the right approach to disable the option "Stop deploying to Computers once the succeed"?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards,

Andreas

 

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Comments

5 comments
Date Votes
  • When I read ur question I directly asked myself on thing:
    Why you don't create an image which include the necessary software?
    -But I guess u don't want to have the same software on all PCs, right?

    Back to ur question I think the easiest way is:

    1) First create an install bundle package (for each purpose)
    2) Create dynamic collections and filter so u can assosiate each install bundle to one collection
    3) Create a schedule for each bundle and choose collections for "Link to" in Targets
    4) Like u mentioned u should uncheck "Stop deploying to Computers once the succeed"
    5) Choose a trigger (once=manually or e.g. every month)

    PS: I'm not using this at all, but it should work like this.

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  • Hi Benedikt

    Thank you for your help!

    The reason of those schedules is, that we have to deploy the new version of Java, Adobe Reader, Flash etc.. For this, we have configured Auto Deployment Packages with manual approvements.

    When I create an install bundle (for example for Adobe products), and I deactivate the Option "Stop deploying to Computers once they succeed", how can I prevent, that a computer, which have the actual Flash version but an old Reader installation, Flash installs again and again?

    Actually, I have created a schedule for each Auto deployment (e. g. Flash, Reader, Java). Each schedule has as target a dynamic collection (with old installations of the application).

    Maybe, I have missunderstood the concept of PDQ Deploy ;-)

    I would be glad to hear from you. Thank you.

    Regards,

    Andreas

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  • Hey Andreas,

    ok, I understood that u "reinstall" the the PCs and want to install all software again.

    If u only want doing updates u have to create multiple schedules for each software.
    There for u create for each software a dynamic collection (e.g. "lower than *version*") and always update this collection in inventory.
    With a (e.g. weekly) trigger in Deploy all machines in "lower than *version*" collection will get the update u scheduled.

    So u have to seperate "updates"-deploy and the "install"-deploy, which u do when a machine is clean and want it to have all necessary software.

    But the behaviour should always be the same:
    1) Create dynamic collection
    2) Link the Deploy schedule to the collection
    3) Set trigger or start it always manually

    Hope I could clarify my thoughts understandable.

    CHEERS

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  • Hi Benedit

    That's great, thank you.

    What I have done now: In each schedule I have deactivated the the aforementioned Option "Stop deploying to Computers once they succeed". The filter in the respective collection avoids, that a Computer installs an application again, even though the newest version is already installed.

    With this configuration, I hope to ensure, that each "re-imaged" system will be updated again.

    Regards,

    Andreas

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  • Yes, this is what I do. uncheck the "Stop Deploying to computers once they succeed" and have the package deploy to a dynamic collection. Once the deployment is successful it should fall out of the dynamic collection.

    As soon as the newly image machine is scanned, the missing software will pop the machine back into the dynamic collection causing the package to deploy to it.

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