RE: [TCLUG:14414] Usability (was Ghost for Linux)

["Eric Hillman" <ehillman@cccu.com>]

  Just thought I'd throw something into this discussion...  One thing we've
been considering here, and other places have actually done with some
success, is to use Ghost to do a complete fresh install of workstations on a
regular basis -- say, every weekend.  This is mainly because we use Windows
NT, and every workstation is in a constant state of accelerated
fragmentation and bit-rot, but it would be useful anywhere where you have a
machine that may be used by a bunch of different users you have no control
over -- library and school computers for example.  (User-specific data, if
any, would be kept on a file server, maintained through something like
Novell's "Roaming Profile" system.  Similar things could be done with NT,
maybe NIS (I haven't much experience doing this sort of thing with either
one)

  This is probably all *possible* with a sufficiently clever application of
cpio or restore or tar or dd or some combination thereof.  The thing is,
Ghost makes this task *trivial*.  While I'm as big a fan of UNIX's tradition
of small, versatile, combinable tools as any of you, there are times when
you need to put away the hammer and get yourself a nailgun.  (And,
conversely, just because you *have* a nailgun is no reason to throw away
your hammer.)


--
Eric Hillman
UNIX Sysadmin
City & County Credit Union
ehillman@cccu.com