The thing about Windows is it is A) fragile, and b) uses (largely) a
monolithic binary configuration database (registry). Both of these mean
you can't treat it like you would a Linux host, for example. In
enterprise shops, configuration of Windows machines is done with a
combination of Group Policy Objects (GPOs) stored in the AD, and
external application deployment and configuration, with something like
SCCM (we use PDQ).
If a system breaks, you install the OS (or clone from a known good
source), and redeploy configuration and apps. The installation or
cloning can be automated as well, where a tech just needs to initialize
it, in person or remotely using various tools, and then can walk away.
Nobody wants to sit around watching the OS install on a dozen or 100
desktops at refresh time. Centralized configuration means a more
homogeneous desktop deployment where you always know what to expect when
you sit down at a machine to work on it.
Even if you are using snapshots of VMs, you need to make sure the
snapshots are healthy. If you have an "old" machine that you keep taking
snapshots of, due to system fragility, that snapshot becomes less and
less reliable. You could end up with a garbage-in-garbage-out scenario.
If you are using a VDI solution, you have more options, as it separates
the system layer from the user layer.
As for user files, in the department I manage (Computer Science at a
state university), our users are long-conditioned to save files on the
file server and not the desktop. We don't backup desktop files, but we
do backup the file server (using bareos, of course). I have a few
colleagues elsewhere on campus that do backup files from desktops for
users, but I don't and I make sure my users know that.
That's what works for me, and what I preach to future IT professionals
that come through our department. And I'm always on the lookout to do
all of this better and more efficiently.
Cheers!
Seth
On 12/17/23 10:12, Spadajspadaj wrote:
Any other hints? The point is to be able to restore system _with
configuration_ if something happens. And not use ridiculously big
amounts of space.
MK
--
Seth Galitzer
The beatings will continue until morale has improved.
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