In our work, we often receive questions about setting up workstations. There are many recurring questions, therefore we have chosen to write this article to share our answers with anyone who might be interested in knowing more about PC installation and deployment or just generally about what it is. Let's start with a definition.
What is PC deployment?
The term "Deployment" can cover many things, but for us it is the actual installation of a PC. Some call it client setup or automated computer installation. Deployment covers the entire installation process on a computer from start to finish.
After we have received and unpacked the device, we carry out a basic installation (image) and correct with company and user adaptations, so that it is 100% ready for an employee.
The value for you, who use a PC, is essentially about minimizing the time spent preparing your computer. After all, in the old days we had to use floppy disks and CD-ROMs to install operating systems and programs on your computer. Nowadays, we can do it much faster and better with the help of the Internet and a deployment system.
What elements are included in deployment?
Together with the individual company and possibly department, we have defined and produce an individual deployment package, which contains a number of automatic installation files that are repeated every time their computers are installed.
A base image consists of a raw Windows installation with a given version number. The software package or packages consist of both standard and customer-specific programs that are installed individually in an automated sequence, so that they are easier to update when updates come from the program suppliers.
Customer-specific programs are systems that have been purchased and adapted to the customer's wishes, whereas standard programs are general applications such as Java, .NET, driver updates for hardware and software, choice of Office package, 3rd party products such as Chrome, Adobe Reader, Slack, BitLocker, VPN, special shortcuts etc.
Why has Supporters developed its own deployment tool?
We have been helping companies install machines for over 10 years. Back in the 00s, we experienced that the then tools were inconsistent and the end product did not meet our quality requirements. We had challenges in obtaining the latest installation files and in addition we used a lot of resources on the installation process itself, which was a disadvantage for our customers and ourselves.
We therefore went into the thinking box to find a solution that could streamline the process, across different needs and still tailor a workstation to each individual company. In addition, we could see some opportunities in developing new features that were not part of the tools available on the market.
Today, we have developed a good and well-tested deployment tool, which means that users get a faster and more uniform installation. The program is used several times a week and often for normal basic installation, reinstallation and troubleshooting. In addition, employees can install machines themselves, we can easily take system backups and re-install machines that run less well, and then we can set up machines abroad via USB stick.
What are the advantages of self-developed tools?
In our everyday life, this has meant significant improvements to internal processes, better utilization of employee resources, as well as faster and more consistent response times to customers.
In the past, our installation time could vary from 3-7 hours depending on the wishes of the customer. Today we save approx. 2 hours on each computer we have in our hands and it is a nice feeling that we can avoid the trivial tasks when it can be automated.
Are there any limitations to developing it yourself?
When we use an automated process, one of the challenges can be the human aspect. Software is made by people and the tool needs to be updated with new installation files, so errors can occur, but this is rare.
Right now we can handle anything but MAC as it runs on a completely different platform. We are looking at opportunities to handle Apple products to the same extent as Windows installations.
Our deployment application requires that we are connected to the internet directly and this means that we cannot perform a deployment wirelessly, but that is one of the things we expect to solve soon.
In addition, we must remember to mention that we spend some time maintaining the system. Today we spend something like 5-7 hours a quarter, which involves updating software and installation packages.
What development opportunities are there?
We are currently working on functions such as backup of individual user data, restart via the Internet from the office without local servers and, as mentioned, installation without the Internet.
The user interface is well developed, but we have wishes to make the system even more intelligent.
How long does deployment of a machine take?
Det afgørende er internethastigheden, antal af softwarepakker og hvilken computer der er tale om. På en ny computer med fx core i5 og 8GB RAM udføres en grundinstallation med software installeret, dvs. klar til brugerlogin, ca. 20 -30 min.
Can anyone install a machine with our tool?
In essence, anyone can use our deployment tool and install a computer themselves, it just requires that you have a good internet connection and access to the software. We provide a customer login (username and password) and then it runs the entire process itself.
We hope that the above has helped to make you more aware of what PC deployment is and what the gain is for you.
With best regards
Supporters