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KACE Systems Deployment Appliance 9.2 Common Documents - Administrator Guide

About the KACE Systems Deployment Appliance Getting started Using the Dashboard Configuring the appliance Setting up user accounts and user authentication Configuring security settings Preparing for deployment Managing device inventory Using labels Creating a Windows or Linux Boot Environment Managing drivers Capturing images Capturing user states Creating scripted installations Creating a task sequence Automating deployments Performing manual deployments Managing custom deployments Managing offline deployments About the Remote Site Appliance Importing and exporting appliance components Managing disk space Troubleshooting appliance issues Updating appliance software Glossary About us Legal notices

About the KACE Systems Deployment Appliance

The Quest KACE Systems Deployment Appliance provides a network-centric solution for capturing and deploying images. The appliance a seamless cross-platform imaging solution from a single Administrator Console enabling you to provision Microsoft® Windows® and Apple® Mac® platforms. You can deploy the configuration files, user states, and applications as an image to a single device or to multiple devices simultaneously.

The appliance provides the tools necessary to automate deployments in both homogeneous and heterogeneous hardware environments, and provides reliability of large-scale image deployments with multicast and task engine capabilities. The built-in driver feed automatically downloads Quest driver models, and the Package Management feature enables uploading third-party driver packages. You can also integrate the appliance with the KACE Systems Management Appliance to image the KACE Systems Management Appliance inventory. The KACE Systems Deployment Appliance is available as a virtual appliance.

To view information on this appliance, such as its serial number, associated Agent versions, and third-party licenses and open source copyrights, click the version number at the bottom left of the appliance Dashboard page.

Getting started

You can set up the appliance by connecting it to your network to configure the network settings from the initial configuration console. After you connect the appliance to your network, you can download the tools required to build a boot environment, change the default passwords, add drivers, and configure other deployment tasks.

Tasks for getting started using the appliance

Tasks for getting started using the appliance

You can install the appliance and configure the environment to prepare for operating system deployments.

Table 1. Tasks for getting started using the appliance

Task

How to

Install and set up the appliance

Connect the appliance to your network using a monitor and keyboard, and configure the network settings.

Log in to the Administrator Console

Open a web browser and enter the appliance URL: http://appliance_hostname. This enables you to enter the license key and register the appliance.

Secure your passwords

Change the default passwords. Although not a required task, Quest KACE recommends changing the default passwords during the initial appliance setup.

Dedicate a device as the administrator device

Ensure that you have administrator rights on the device where the appliance is installed.

Download the tools the appliance requires to build a KACE Boot Environment (KBE) or NetBoot environment

Download the Microsoft Windows ADK, the KACE Media Manager, and Microsoft .NET 4.

Create a KACE Boot Environment

Use the Media Manager to create the boot environment. The boot environment provides the drivers and tools to deploy the operating system.

Set a KBE as the default

Select a default boot environment to enable target devices to boot from the appliance.

Update drivers

Add the drivers that the KBE requires, and enable the Driver Feed for automatic updates of drivers.

Configure DHCP server

Set up the DHCP server to network boot target devices from the appliance.

Test the boot environment

Verify that the target devices can boot from the appliance.

Migrate user files and settings

Capture user profiles from a device using the Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT), version 5.0.

Upload operating system source files

Upload the OS source files to the appliance using the Media Manager.

Deploy the OS

Deploy the OS using a scripted installation or a system image deployment.

About the appliance components

About the appliance components

The appliance components that support image deployments include a virtual appliance, a utility to build boot environments, a Support Portal, and a virtual Remote Site Appliance (RSA) to network remote boot devices.

The appliance has the following components:

Option

Description

Virtual appliance

The KACE Systems Deployment Appliance is available as a virtual appliance. It uses a VMware or Microsoft Hyper-V infrastructure. For technical specifications, visit https://support.quest.com/kace-systems-deployment-appliance/technical-documents.

Command-Line Console

The Command-Line Console is a terminal window interface to the appliance. The interface is designed primarily to configure the appliance network settings.

Administrator Console

The Administrator Console is the web-based interface used to navigate the appliance. To access the Administrator Console, go to http://<appliance_hostname>/admin where <appliance_hostname> is the host name of your appliance.

Support Portal

The Support Portal is the web-based interface that enables you to submit tickets to request help or to report issues. You can also to test network connectivity, and enable Quest KACE Technical Support to temporarily access your appliance to troubleshoot issues.

KACE Media Manager

A utility that builds boot environments, uploads the operating system source files, and provides access to the Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) to upload user profiles the appliance.

Remote Site Appliance (RSA)

Uses the KACE Systems Deployment Appliance license to link a virtual Remote Site Appliances (RSA) that enables you to network remote boot devices. Remote Site Appliances are read only.

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