Installing a Standard Image Before Deploying New Workstations

As new workstations are purchased and before deploying them, you can install a standard software platform and enable the workstation for future unattended reimaging.

1. Create a model workstation of each type that you'll deploy.
2. Create an image of each model workstation on a Desktop Management Workstation Imaging server. For more information, see Manually Taking an Image of a Workstation.

   These images should include the Desktop Management Agent, which includes the Imaging Agent. ZENworks Desktop Management lets ZENworks work with or without an installation of the Novell Client on the workstation. If your setup requires the Novell Client, you should install the Desktop Management Agent after the Novell Client installation to ensure that you are running the latest Imaging Agent. For more information, see "Installing and Configuring the Desktop Management Agent" in the Novell ZENworks 6.5 Desktop Management Installation Guide.

3. If you are using Preboot Services, install Desktop Management Preboot Services (PXE Support) on your Imaging server. For more information, see Using Preboot Services (PXE).

   or

   If you are using a bootable CD, bootable diskettes (SP1 only), or a hard-disk partition, create a boot CD or diskettes that point to the Desktop Management Workstation Imaging server where the model images are stored. For more information, see Preparing an Imaging Boot Method.

4. Create a policy for unregistered workstations that specifies which image to put on a new machine, depending on its hardware. For more information, see Defining an Imaging Policy for Unregistered Workstations (Server Policy).

As each new workstation comes in, do the following:

1. If you are using Preboot Services, check to see if the workstation is PXE capable. Enable PXE if it isn't enabled by default. For more information, see Using Preboot Services (PXE).
2. Physically connect the workstation to the network.
3. If you are using Preboot Services, boot the workstation from the Imaging/Preboot Services server.

   or

   If you are not using Preboot Services, boot the workstation with the imaging boot CDs or diskettes (SP1 only) and consider installing the Desktop Management Workstation Imaging (Linux*) partition to enable auto-imaging without needing to supply the CD or diskettes. For more information, see Step 6 of Enabling a Workstation for Auto-Imaging Operations. After you have installed the partition, reboot the workstation from the Desktop Management Workstation Imaging partition.

4. Let the workstation be auto-imaged by the policy.
5. After deploying the machine, register it as a Workstation object in Novell eDirectory^TM. For more information, see Automatic Workstation Import and Removal.