OS Distribution

Technology Overview

It is both complex and tedious to install Windows OS on a brand new machine, or upgrading to a new version of Windows. IT personnel need to analyze the environment, choose target and plans for deployment detail. Task before actual implementation includes preparing disk image, backing up data and configuration settings. After deployment, there are software installation, restore prior working environment's configuration and settings. This is a tedious and costly but necessary and unavoidable job for IT personnel.

Function description

StarSoftComm's OS Distribution resolves above problems easily. OS Distribution is part of StarSoftcomm's Remote PC management and maintenance platform, provides an automated, intelligent, and speedy OS installation and migration solution. It is the best tools for client's OS installation and migration, significantly reduces corporate IT asset management cost and improves corporate operation efficiency. OS Distribution has following features:

Support Intelligent Distribution
Eliminates IT personnel's need to create disk image for distribution, instead, Windows installation CDROM is loaded directly into the central server, and the system will recognize OS and configure the best distribution policy automatically. This is particularly effective for multi-OS environment that it allows IT personnel to do OS Distribution directly without preparation of imaging disk.

Support disk image distribution
For more homogeneous environment like Cyber Cafe, Electronic Classroom etc, IT personnel normally preferred to adopt disk image distribution approach to improve efficiency.

Support remote installation on naked machine
For PC equipped with WOL and PXE protocol, OS distribution can be performed directly without any additional hardware, bootable floppy disk or network re-configuration by IT personnel.

Flexible distribution policy and target machines setting
Prior to actual deployment, IT personnel normally groups selected machines based on certain criteria for group distribution and policy can be fine-tuned right before execution, like whether formatting or other adjustments are necessary, to increase reliability and flexibility of OS distribution.

Support New Installation and Migration
OS distribution allows installation of Windows OS on new machine or migrate old machine to new version of Windows OS. The former is new machine deployment and later for OS migration.

Support flexible policy configuration
Policy can be configured to be executed immediately or at a scheduled time, allows IT personnel to schedule OS distribution job for after office hour or none-working days to minimize interference to the work environment. In addition, IT personnel can set the policy to switch off the machines after successful distribution to ensure safety in unmanned condition.

Client Centered OS Distribution
An outstanding feature of StarSoftComm's OS distribution is its support for Client-Centered OS distribution. Based on policy setup by IT personnel, with appropriate rights assigned, client can select self-install OS automatically and time of installation. This approach significantly reduces workload of administrator and increase flexibility of PC management.

Unattended OS distribution based on policy
Based on policy setting, client machine can initiate self-installation, after obtaining OS image and creates and formats disk partitions, obtain network configurations and windows registration information, install drivers from server, ensure completeness of system and proper operational environment.

Detail report of OS distribution process

Status of OS distribution process is logged to the server where it is accessible to IT personnel from anywhere in the network.

Technology highlight

Deploying correct system environment for new devices is a big challenge as corporation and business develops with IT assets continuously added to the IT infra-structure. OS distribution of StarSoftcomm's PC remote management and maintenance solution provides IT personnel an effective tool to meet challenge, and achieve quick ROI by improving efficiency. The followings are feature highlights of OS distribution:

Support remote, centralized, mass, multiple distribution points to concurrent distribute OS, significantly reduce cost of corporate IT asset management and maintenance.

Installation is fully automated, auto formatting, auto and intelligent drivers matching and installing, as well as auto install client program.

Support central distribution by IT personnel and also allows end user to initiate to quick installation or upgrade.

Allows quick and completely unattended installation.

Supports cross LAN segments remote installation.

Simple to operate, can be completed without assistance from technical specialist. Reduce IT training cost.