Vista Collaboration Meeting 003

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Vista Collaboration Meeting 003
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Information Systems Services

• Agenda
• Project Update
• Introduction to SoftGrid and Getting Departments
  Involved
• Deptsoft
• MDT 2008

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Information Systems Services

• Discovery Introduction
• We have been conducting a discovery exercise
  which has examined the following-
• What applications are needed in the Utilities
  and Systems Tools and Standard Application Layer
  to form a Core Build.
• What applications are needed in the functional
  layers per department
• Which DeptSoft menu software is still used
  within the ISS clusters

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Contents set by Faculty / Department
Faculty / Department Specific
University Wide
Controlled By Change Management Board
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Information Systems Services

• Utils and Sys Tools and Standard Apps Layer

.Net 1.1, 2, 3 3.5 7-zip manager 4.42 or
later Adobe Acrobat Reader v8.1.1 or later Adobe
Flash Player v 9,0,115,0 or later Adobe Shockwave
Player v10.2.0.023 or later Apple QuickTime v7.3
or later Ariel Unicode font BGInfo Citrix ICA
Client (Web) DjVu plugin Doulos SIL Regular DVD
Player for Vista Enterprise Java virtual machine
v6 update 3 WinBatch DLL's DVD Player for Vista
Enterprise Wild tangent Web Driver
Jinitiator 1.3.1.22 (or later) Language
Packs Language Support Leeds University ISS
Wallpapers Leeds University Font McAfee ePO
agent Micromedia Plugin Real player 11 or
later Scansoft PDF Convertor Pro 4 or
later. Shadow Copy Client (Built in to XP
SP2) SMS Client SoftGrid client v4.2 or
later Office 2007 Compat ability tool Microsoft
Office 2003 SP3 or Microsoft Office 2007
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Information Systems Services

• Functional Application Layer Feedback
• We have had responses back from most faculties
  with the exercise finishing on the 2/05/08
• Most faculties have requested 1-2 images with one
  faculty requesting 4 images
• There is a duplication of already available
  packaged applications between departments

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Information Systems Services

• ISS Cluster DeptSoft Menu
• We are still waiting to get a complete picture of
  what is out there and is still being used
• The exercise has now been running for 6 weeks (2
  weeks longer than scheduled and now extended to
  end of may with documentation)
• Deptsoft is covered in more detail later in this
  presentation

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• Microsoft Reading Workshop
• John Sheard, Alex Martin and David Barker
• Discussed Layered Model and the method for
  building machines going forward.
• Reviewed new functionality of Microsoft
  Deployment Toolkit 2008.
• Discussed SoftGrid and other virtualisation
  technologies.
• Sequencing / SoftGrid
• Consultant has revised processes to ensure
  multiplatform support and produced recipes for
  Worst of Breed applications.
• Sequencing applications in the Utilities and
  Systems Tools Layer
• Reporting back to the ITMM

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SoftGrid Overview

• Dan ONeill and Gwil Selwood

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Information Systems Services

• What is SoftGrid?
• SoftGrid allows you to create a virtual
  environment that encapsulates the application.
  These environments are known along with a
  SoftGrid enabled application as a SoftGrid
  SystemGuard.
• Behind this description is a simple concept you
  can run an application on your desktop without
  ever having installed it. Unlike Terminal
  Services, this application executes locally,
  using local resources (e.g. processor, memory,
  disk, and network card).
• In short, the application runs, saves data,
  prints and acts as if its installed locally even
  though it is not.

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• SoftGrid virtualises the following elements
  commonly used by applications running on Windows
• System Files
• Registry
• .ini files
• DLLs
• System Services (OLE, Cut Paste, Printers)
• Profile Data

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• Why SoftGrid?
• We need a solution which will enable us deploy
  applications over 3 platforms
• AdminStudio was taking to long to package
  applications and we wanted a quicker turnaround.
• SoftGrid offers more flexibility in deployment
  terms.
• Ease of use over AdminStudio
• Have different versions of applications running
  on the same computer.

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• There are 3 major components to SoftGrid
• SoftGrid Management Console
• SoftGrid Client
• SoftGrid Sequencer

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• SoftGrid Management Console
• This is where you manage your SoftGrid
  applications. Here
• you can associate them with an AD security group,
  Update
• them, apply license enforcement policy and get
  application
• usage reports.

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• SoftGrid Client
• This client is installed on the end users
  workstation.
• The end user may have varying degrees of access
  to this client, depending on their needs.
• There is also a command line tool that allows you
  to perform most of the functions seen in the
  client.
• The CLI tool also allows you to control the
  client remotely.
• The client allows for local management of the
  application.

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• SoftGrid Sequencer
• The Sequencer is the packaging tool for SoftGrid.
  This tool allows you to capture installed
  software and prepare it into a SoftGrid package.
• The sequencer is typically installed on a clean
  reference workstation (virtual machine).
• Sequencing is the trickiest part of mastering
  SoftGrid.
• However once an application is packaged its
  ready to be deployed to as many clients as needed
  with no additional tweaks.

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Contents set by Faculty / Department
Faculty / Department Specific
University Wide
Controlled By Change Management Board
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Information Systems Services

• ISS Cluster DeptSoftware

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• How will we be deploying software?
• SoftGrid offers us 2 methods of deployment.
• Streaming via a server or by our current SMS
  infrastructure.
• Currently we are using offline mode for the
  desktop and online mode for Citrix.
• Online Mode has disadvantages at this time in
  our desktop environment.
• Offline mode recommended to us after consultancy.

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• SoftGrid course outline
• Module 1 Introduction to SoftGrid and
  Introduction to SoftGrid 4.2 Administration
• Module 4 Client Planning and Installation
• Module 5 Administration
• Module 7 Introduction to the Sequencer
• Module 8 Sequencer Planning Installation
• Module 9 Sequencing
• Module 10 Advanced Sequencing
• Module 11 Troubleshooting

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• Next Steps
• VMware Image
• SoftGrid client and sequencer
• Documentation
• Sequenced application testing
• Contact Helpdesk SoftGrid information and
  recourses
• Any other questions contact issdgo_at_leeds.ac.uk
• g.t.selwood_at_leeds.ac.uk

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Departmental Software Menu (DeptSoft)
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Information Systems Services

• Departmental Software Menu
• Current Situation
• Some rationalisation 200 items no longer
  required (out of 798)
• Not available on Desktop Anywhere.
• If icon simply copied onto Framework XP Build
  many items may not work.
• Moving Forward
• Add items to start menu.
• Available on Desktop Anywhere.
• Ready for Vista

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• Departmental Software Menu (Cont.)
• Sequencing a large number of apps will require
  collaboration.
• Easy Applications / Practice skills from course
• Can sequence very small items together.
• Feedback is important!
• Without details of the application, it can not be
  sequenced
• Applications we dont get the feedback will be
  tested as is, and removed if do not work.
• Feedback needed by the end of May, the project
  will raise this at the next ITMM.

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Providing DeptSoft Menu Item Details

• Website Link

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• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008
• New version of BDD \ MDD.
• Basic XP SP2 and Vista SP1 builds produced
• Looking for collaborative effort to help us move
  this forward.