To multicast an image is to take an image of one computer (the master), immediately send it over the network to multiple other computers (the slaves), and lay it down simultaneously on those computers. No NDS or ZfD server involvement is required.

As with all imaging operations involving a base image, the image is taken of all the partitions on the hard disks and other storage devices (such as Jaz drives) of the master computer. Before the image is laid down on the slave computers, all existing partitions are removed from the hard disks and writeable storage devices of those computers.

To conduct a multicast session, each computer must be physically visited to initiate participation in the session. You cannot set up automatic (unattended) multicast sessions in this release of ZfD.

NOTE:  For multicasting to work properly, the routers and switches on the network must have multicast features configured. Otherwise, multicast packets might not be routed properly.