--- Forwarded Message from Laura Atkinson <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 14:59:23 -0400 >From: Laura Atkinson <[log in to unmask]> >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #7522 Windows updates and disk image management. >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> >References: <[log in to unmask]> We use the built-in tools of Windows to restrict any changes to the machines. We use mandatory profiles on a server and set the machines locally to not propagate changes to the profile. We are using BigFix throughout Arts and Sciences to apply patches, so I don't have to do those manually. I rebuild the master image and reimage all the machines every couple of months or so, and I add the newest patches at that time. It works well. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Laura Atkinson Technical Coordinator for Foreign Language Computing Duke University [log in to unmask] ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* --On Tuesday, May 18, 2004 2:19 PM -0400 LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > --- Forwarded Message from David Kanig <[log in to unmask]> --- > >> Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 12:12:57 -0400 >> To: [log in to unmask] >> From: David Kanig <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: Windows updates and disk image management. > > We've been using DeepFreeze on our lab machines so that changes users > make occur only in a shadow file, and on restart the machines go back > to an inviolate, constant image. Under the protection of DeepFreeze, > we've been forgoing updates both to Windows and virus definitions. > However, between DeepFreeze refreshes our machines are vulnerable to > temporary infections, making them vectors for the spread of worms, > and risking automatic filtration from our network by IT scanners. > > We want to be free of the labor of having to perform many Windows > updates. We can't automate middle-of-the-night updates because on > restart by DeepFreeze in an unfrozen state, our machines require > authentication through Novell before anything can be launched. > > More importantly, we want our machine configurations to be stable and > predictable through the academic year. In the past, one or more > Windows updates has caused a third-party program to fail, > interrupting course work. > > How do you manage the conflicting goals of keeping disk images stable > and responding to the deluge of Windows updates? > -- > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > David Kanig > Manager, Technical Services > Language Resource Center > Box 1935 > Brown University > Providence, RI 02912 > > (401) 863-7090