Initial workgroup to domain switch questions. II

[Heeter]

Hi All,

I am working on a project right now of switching over a workgroup model of 15 workstations/1 SBS2003 Server to a Domain setup.

I would like to know how to best approach the installation of approximately 15 cd's of volume licensed software. Usually, the boss goes from workstation to workstation with each cd. And when it comes to installing a new workstation, it was a three day long affair of setting it up.


Hopefully with this Domain Controller setup, I can deploy the software to each workstation from the Server.

How would the best/ most effecient way to set this up? Should I enable the DHCP server on the DC and disable it from the router? I am pretty sure this job is going to be done through the Active Directory, but how do I load the CD's into the server?


Thanks in advance,



Heeter

 

[kcnychief]

What are the packages you need to install? For XP you can build an un-attended install and either load from CDs or create a RIS environment. Outside of that, you could script the rest of them to run from start to finish. Most of the MS tools come with utilities to do this, or at least the switches you would need.

 

[DwarfData]

I can't remember how, but SBS2003 allows you to configure applications/service packs on the server to be automatically rolled out to the clients when they connect. That's how it rolls out Outlook 2003 which comes with the licence.

I have a couple of SBS books at home. I'll check them out and let you know, if you're interested.

 

[Heeter]

That would be great, Thanks,
Just wondering if I copy the cd files onto a folder as well before it gets deployed,


Thanks



Heeter

 

[fitz]

yes.. depending on the packages you are trying to push out, there are many ways to deploy (MSI's can be deployed using group policies, legacy applications will require a little more work).

If they are MSI/windows installer packages, you can run an administrative install to a fileshare that users/computer accounts have access to and push the install through a GPO. You can also, usually, copy the contents of the CD to a fileshares instead of doing the administrative install.

 

[Heeter]

Great, Many Many Thanks,

Heeter