Forum Discussion
Deployment best practices
I disagree with your assumptions. 95% of the software applications we use are packaged and deployed through SCCM, including updates. We do not routinely re-image machines, only when a machine has completely failed is it re-imaged. There is no difference in a machine I imaged six months ago to a freshly imaged one. If your workflow involves routine imaging then I could see the value in a thick image, but otherwise it is just extra work to maintain.
Also, what about your 5% of applications that are not deployed with SCCM?
- Since we have not used SCCM yet, I am not sure I understand. Are you saying that there are some applications that just will not work with SCCM deployments?
- 40 apps bring some challenge yes, and you have to calculate which is more important;
1. Faster deployment time of single machine
vs.
2. Dynamic (easy) management of apps in OSD
Then you will end up to;
1. Install all apps and capture image with B&C or manual capture. You will have full image (win) with static content.
2. Install all apps within Task Sequence during deployment. Your deployment time might be lot slower.So the 5% of apps that we do not deploy are because they are usually single machine installations, where the time and effort into packaging up the app and building a collection and advertisement make it not worthwhile. In general it takes thirty minutes to image a machine with all the core apps. Collections update hourly so within an hour or so after imaging any other apps that are targeted to the machine are deployed. Autodesk does a really nice job of making administrative installs painless, and their software is free for schools so double bonus. With Microsoft moving to a new build of Windows twice a year thick images are just not something that I would want to pursue.
But the great thing about SCCM is that you can go whichever way is best for your environment. PM me if you want.
