jonathanml86

Q: Mac Server with DeployStudio. (really need some solid guidance)

So long story short, I work for a company that purchases hundreds of Macbook Pro’s at a time. My job is to take usb thumb drives with the OS X install > wipe the current HD, and write a fresh OS X to the laptop, and then set it in the “ready to be sold” pile.

 

Needless to say, this method worked fine. But as I needed to reformat/fresh install OS X’s at a larger volume per week, I looked into better methods.

 

So I downloaded and installed the latest version of Apple’s ‘Server’ application. Also went out and bought myself a 24 port switch.

 

I have 2 Macbook Pro’s acting as the ‘blueprint’ and ‘admin’ machines. The ‘blueprint’ machine is a fresh 10.10.5 mac OS X. So I went into the System Preferences > Startup Disk > Target Disk Mode. Essentially, this machine is the machine I’m capturing my image from. It doesn’t have Apple’s ‘Server’ application installed on it, unlike the other machine, ‘admin’. I don’t think our end customers would want the ‘Server’ app. So this machine has restarted in Target Disk Mode.


>>>>Plug in a thunderbolt cable into the ‘blueprint’ machine, into ‘admin machine’>>>>

 

I ran the Disk Utility to ‘Repair Permissions’ on the mounted drive which is the ‘blueprint’ machine. I then ran System Image Utility, created a ‘Netrestore Image’.  The source was the mounted drive which was the ‘Blueprint’ machine, I chose to customize the creation,  added user account (so all would be default username and password). I saved the creation to a different location than the default (library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0). Because I decided to host this image on a SSD 4 bay OWC Thunderbolt 1 drive. So I formatted the drives, and then created my own Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP1 folder, and used this folder as the save to directory.

 

Process completed fine, had 23 machines ported into the switch, using the option at startup method to boot from hosted netrestore image(s). Install works fine on about 3-5 machines, but any more than say 5 machines, the install processes ALL FREEZE. Ideally, I want to have the 'Admin' machine plugged into Port #1, and Ports 2-24 will get a new machines as fast as I can clean wipe/os x install/

 

People had been recommending Deploy Studio, so I installed it, set up a DeployStudio Server, even “Created a DeployStudio NetBoot set”. Which I set up, and it worked. Then I realized this is a boot method to RUN the ‘Blueprint’s image it captured through the network. Versus what I need it to do, which is to INSTALL the ‘Blueprint’s Image’. So I can unplug it from the network, and there won't be any previous personal data on there, and it will be a fresh install of the os x, ala the 'Blueprint' machine.


I need a method that won’t freeze up the 23 machines. I want to plug in a fleet of 23, power them on holding Option, select the NetRestore Image to install on the 23’s internal harddrives, go through just the necessary prompts, which should be 1.) Choose English as default language, 2.) Confirm the hard drive listed is the install directory for the Netrestore Image.


I want to come back in the room, all machines are at the log in screen, ready to be used for the first time, I power down the machines, grab 23 more and do it again, and again and again. These machines will never be hooked up to my switch again.

 

Thanks to all who read this, and thanks in advance for any input and thoughts.

 

Cheers guys and girls!

Jonathan

OS X Server, OS X Server

Posted on Sep 8, 2015 1:41 PM

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Q: Mac Server with DeployStudio. (really need some solid guidance)

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  • Helpful answers

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 8, 2015 6:12 PM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 8, 2015 6:12 PM in response to jonathanml86

    Buehler?

  • by John Lockwood,

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Sep 9, 2015 2:35 AM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 6 (9,349 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Sep 9, 2015 2:35 AM in response to jonathanml86

    You probably want to look at using the multicast feature in DeployStudio - see http://deploystudio.wikispaces.com/Multicasting+Basics as a starting point. You probably also want to visit the DeployStudio forums rather than here - see http://www.deploystudio.com/Forums/index.php

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 9, 2015 11:38 AM in response to John Lockwood
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2015 11:38 AM in response to John Lockwood

    So I got a little further...

     

    I used DeployStudio Admin > workflows

     

    1.) I made a master, source was my clean os x install machine 'Blueprint' booted into Target Disk Mode

    -this went fine, it put itself in the HFS directory within the DeployStudio folder

     

    2.) I then made a custom work flow. Used the 'Restore' function, set the HFS folder, and selected my master dmg I created in the above step.

    -this went fine, I then ran 'Runtime'

     

    This is where I'm scratching my head. Does DeployStudio need to be installed on every single machine I plan on re-imaging? That would create a lot of unwanted time for my process. I am trying to find a great/consistent alternative to using the NetRestore Image process. Which was wiping out a machine's current HD, and installing my image of a fresh os x install. Again, this older process was freezing up when only using the Netrestore feature within Server. Again powering off a machine > OPTION + Power on, selecting the Netrestore Image from the startup disks. It will work fine on 1-4 machines, but anything more would freeze the image install process. Thought Deploy Studio would solve this, but right now I'm under the impression while yes, DeployStudio could work, but I would need the Deploy Studio software on EVERY single machine I intend to reimage???

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 9, 2015 11:54 AM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2015 11:54 AM in response to jonathanml86

    So I plugged in a machine to my switch, did the OPTION + Power on

     

    My deploystudio option is present, used that as the start up disk > saw the Runtime menu!!! Selected my customized workflow!

     

    Testing now!

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 9, 2015 12:30 PM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 9, 2015 12:30 PM in response to jonathanml86

    Screen Shot 2015-09-09 at 2.28.18 PM.pngSo the install/reimage process but it had an error and didn't complete. It said to check the log (on ther server machine) so I am in the log in the DeployStudio admin program. My log photo is attached.

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Sep 9, 2015 1:28 PM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 5 (7,629 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 9, 2015 1:28 PM in response to jonathanml86

    Your error looks like it is running from the disk with DS installed - it can't unmount… something is not right.

     

    Have you been through the Deploy Studio docs?

     

    There are several ways to setup Deploy Studio…

    With a netboot server or as a standalone HD as covered in the guide

    http://www.deploystudio.com/Downloads/Extras/Quick_Install_Guide.pdf

     

    To use over a network you need to make a net boot set that is capable of booting the various models, depending on how many hardware versions you have this could be several images, to do this clean install a Mac, install Deploy studio & generate a net boot set for that hardware - you will need to have access to your server so that it works .

    See "Creating a DeployStudio NetBoot Set" in the linked doc above. It will help to have the server setup first (that's OS X server & Deploy Studio server).

     

    Then you can net boot a Mac that is in your 'blueprint state' & use the DS GUI to image that volume(s) onto the server (I'm not sure about the recovery partition, it has been a while since I used DS). After that completes you can image the other Macs via the net boot image & a workflow managed on the server.

     

    Try testing with a single Mac without multicast until everything is functioning. Multicast can put excessive loads on the network, so isolate this network if possible (it sounds like you are already doing this).

     

     

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 10, 2015 11:05 PM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 10, 2015 11:05 PM in response to Drew Reece

    Ok so everything I did last, worked. Granted at the time I only had 1 machine to test the deploy on. But nevertheless, it worked. Reimaged/Restarted, on to the next one....However, I did this trial run on my personal machines, but I took my notes to the office, to do the EXACT same thing. Went step by step, NO room for any mismatched variables, except the actual computers I was using as the 'admin' and the 'blueprint'. Same model of Macbook Pro.

     

    When I boot up even just one computer into the DeployStudio Netboot, it gets to the Deploy Admin screen where I select my custom workflow (which is just a restore with multicasting, skip recovery, automate.

     

    I get a long list of log error (which I will attach below) and it ends up failing, and the machine ultimately restarts to a blinking question mark white screen. So I at least know it's 'wiping' the hard drive in the process, but not reimaging the machine(s).

     

    Can someone give me a solid idea as to why (if I used the same guide in my setup) it would have log errors and fail with the only variable being, different computers for the 'admin' & 'blueprint'. I beat my head against the wall for nearly 10 hours today, and 30 over the weekend. I am needing some good veteran/pro help!

     

    Thanks in advanced guys :)

     

    PS, there is much missing in the screenshots between image 3 and image 4. It was all the same-ish log, so I didn't include it because you can see some of it in both 3 and 4


    01.png

    02.png

    03.png

    04.png

  • by John Lockwood,

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Sep 11, 2015 1:28 AM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 6 (9,349 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Sep 11, 2015 1:28 AM in response to jonathanml86

    I cannot say for certain why your multicast test failed at the office but I can suggest a few things to consider.

     

    • Depending on how your office network is setup and the values you set for multicasting you might risk flooding the entire office network with network traffic to a level that will severely impact normal use by other users, multicast traffic could cross between all network switches
    • Due to the above a network manager might have configured network switches to block multicast traffic either between switches or maybe even within an individual network switch
    • I would suggest using a standalone network switch and if possible server dedicated purely to imaging, however this means the system would not have Internet connectivity and this would prevent some possible workflow steps working e.g. enrolling to Profile Manager, if this is not possible then working with the network manager to either limit the speed used by multicasting, or limiting multicasting to within a single switch while still allowing Internet access might be a compromise that would work
    • Having the DeployStudio server on the same network switch as the clients being imaged is as you can see going to be necessary
    • At home your network would have been unlikely to block multicast traffic
  • by Antonio Rocco,

    Antonio Rocco Antonio Rocco Sep 11, 2015 2:30 AM in response to John Lockwood
    Level 6 (10,606 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 11, 2015 2:30 AM in response to John Lockwood

    It does appear as if you've a problem with multicast routing at your workplace as John alludes to?

     

    Did you read this article?

     

    http://deploystudio.wikispaces.com/Multicast+Routing

     

    It might begin to point you in the right direction or at least get you thinking as to what questions you should ask and to whom? In a corporate network environment you can't really begin with deployment without consulting with your network administrators first especially if you've hundreds of machines. In the large enterprise deployments I've worked in I usually stick to no more than 16 machines at a time PC or Mac anyway. Mainly because the size of the deployment image itself which is the other side of the equation. Some Mac and PC images can get quite large, 70+GB or more. Multicasting a monolithic slab that large to lots of machines will tax any network as already mentioned.

     

    When considering deployment your choice of which method you're going to use - ie: large all-in-one image with few workflow components versus smaller image with many workflow components - will govern in some way the choice to unicast or multicast.

     

    My 2p.

  • by jonathanml86,

    jonathanml86 jonathanml86 Sep 11, 2015 2:48 PM in response to Drew Reece
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 11, 2015 2:48 PM in response to Drew Reece

    I think I may have done something wrong in the beginning. So I had 2 machines. 1 was my 'admin', had the Server app installed, and DeployStudio. I set up the server, then the deploystudio server on this 1st 'admin' machine. Then I created the DS Netboot set from this same machine HOWEVER, @ the 'Source Base System' selection, I chose my 'blueprint' machine that I had in Target Disk Mode connected via Thunderbolt.

     

    Is this step messing me up???

     

    Should I be:

    on the 'admin' machine install Server, Install DeployStudio, and set up its server

     

    Then >

    running my 'blueprint' machine, install Deploy Studio, and then create the Netboot set from here, but place it to the server for use?

  • by Drew Reece,

    Drew Reece Drew Reece Sep 11, 2015 3:21 PM in response to jonathanml86
    Level 5 (7,629 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 11, 2015 3:21 PM in response to jonathanml86

    Ideally the netboot set needs to be made on the hardware that will use it. The 'blueprint' machine can work for this, however I prefer to avoid 'gunking' up this system with Deploy Studio since you will have to apply updates to it & reuse it in the future - the DS pref pane can confuse users

     

    If you have a clean Mac, install Deploy Studio and don't start the service, use the app in /Applications/Utilities to make a netboot set & copy that to the server. That makes a minimal image with the DS workflow app for accessing the server.

    It's about 1/2 way though the guide…

    http://www.deploystudio.com/Downloads/Extras/Quick_Install_Guide.pdf

     

    Since your system booted from the image & appeared to find the server may have been OK, it's unclear why you lost packets earlier but DS & netboot is a complex beast. I don't think it helps to use target disk mode for the source, but I don't have direct experience of that.