Altiris:
Using Altiris/HP RDP the concept s to automate the build process and script each process so that it is:
- Automatic, as much as possible
- Modularised, in that each separate step is done independently
What this enables is that you can switch Hardware and you would only need to change the “drivers” section of script, everything else should be able to remain as it is
VMWare:
Can be run as a host on Windows Server or Linux O/S, or in the case of ESX Server be run on “bare metal”. VMWare then is capable of running multiple Virtual Hardware emulators, where Hard Disks are effectively flat files and the BIOS is just an XML Config File.
So....
In the case of VMWare, is it absolutely necessary then to run Altiris on that?
MS’s ADS is very similar to Altiris, yet it would appear that this can not be automated to work within a VMWare Virtual environment (possibly due to PXE boot requirement?), my question was why would you bother?
Given the speed and disk capacities are increasing all the time, once you have taken time to create your “Gold Build Standard” of your server build, it is extremely easy to just keep a pristine copy precisely because it is just a simple flat file *AND* non-specific to hardware.
I will freely admit that it makes sense to me from an Architects view to script as much work as possible when creating a “Gold Build Standard” because I always want to make it easier for those that come behind me, however when looking at the issue somewhat dispassionately MS have done a good job these days at ensuring you can achieve almost every possible config change in Server 2003 in 3 fundamental ways:
- GUI – Windows Configuration, possibly through wizards
- Command Line – Direct Scripting tools from the Resource Kit
- Scripting – WSH, VBS, WMI, etc.
So although I accept that it is *possible* to script almost every step, when you are using, or intending to run servers on, VMWare – then it’s quite possible that once you have built and tested the “Gold Build Standard” and you’re happy with it – you can then use the scripting tools to *spit out* the config files that represent the build, and then use it as a “Gold Copy”
Now it could be that I’m barking up the wrong tree completely here, but given the level of commitment, not to mention resources and time, needed to take Altiris/HP RDP from the basic server build “out of the box” to a proper production scenario of making sure that ALL the issues are set correctly above and beyond what’s achievable from the unattend.txt file can typically take a few weeks dedicated time and then ongoing support and commitment – doesn’t this sound like hard work?
Don’t get me wrong, I like to scripting stuff so that it works automatically, and even in my scenario above I can still see that it would be very nice to tidy it all up and SYSPREP away the “Gold Build Standard” as well as automating the SYSPREP answer file when it’s booted This would be even sweeter if you could get it to *peek* at the new name you’ve given the VMWare Server and then use that, and discover it’s new IP address as well?
So from this little missive, I don’t think you really need Altiris *IF* you are running large number of Servers or Citrix Server Farms on VMWare – I wouldn’t throw it out if it was already in use – but I certainly don’t think I’d be insisting anyone use it on top of VMWare.
Now SoftGrid, that’s another question all together....... for another day perhaps?