Deploy computer with Ghost to ease the from-scratch loading process
Pros
- Ghost saves valuable time by imaging a new computer rather than having to setup new or existing computers from scratch.
- You can build a library of images to be used for workstations and servers. Depending on the particular usage for the computer or server, you can deploy the image most appropriate for that computer or server.
- Another big benefit is saving time on having to configure or remember all the custom setting you may need. Ghost Solution saved the setting configurations in the image, saving you hours of manual configurations.
Cons
- Even though Ghost Solution Suite saves configurations, software settings and installation within the image, there is still some manual configuration that needs to be done once the image is complete.
- Installing Drivers for specific models of computers. With Ghost Solution Suite, it can be difficult to get the drivers for all the hardware of all the different model computers, so you have to create different images for different model computers. It would be nice to have the ability to have a hardware independent image for all model computers
- Image Size. Ghost does have compression to reduce the size of the image, but when you have to store all the drivers within the image it increases the total size of the image you need to manage.
Return on Investment
- A positive impact of Ghost would be time. To deploy computers form scratch is very time consuming and labor intensive for the IT Department. Ghost clearly saves the time of the IT departments staff to quickly get a new computer out to user so they can spend their time on addressing other issues and being more productive.
- Time is money. If the IT department is spending hours preparing computers and employees are out of a computer for an extended period of time waiting for one to be loaded, this is money lost to the company in paying employees to sit around and wait for a computer to be configured.
Alternatives Considered
KACE Endpoint Systems Management Appliance
Other Software Used
KACE Endpoint Systems Management Appliance, Cisco Aironet Access Points, Adobe Acrobat DC
