OS Provisioning

Ivanti Endpoint Manager has powerful tools to deploy Windows operating systems to devices. During the provisioning process, drivers are injected automatically from a Hardware Independent Driver library which exists at every school location on the file server. This allows DDI to create a single operating system image which can be deployed to any compatible hardware, without including drivers in the image. See below for helpful information about operating system provisioning.

1. There are three methods to deploy a system image to a Windows device:

• Walk-up (no task created)
• Online deploy (task created and pushed to online device)
• Pre-scheduled (task created, device brought online later)

2. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR TARGETS BEFORE STARTING YOUR TASK! It is very simple to deploy a provisioning template to unintended machines.

3. If at all possible, check the BIOS configuration on devices being reimaged. Some LCPS devices have been in service for many years and may not have received a BIOS configuration package from SoftEng or Dell. Ensuring the BIOS has been configured per the appropriate BIOS checklist eliminates many potential issues once the device is delivered. Don’t assume the BIOS has already been set properly, go ahead and check.

4. When deploying images, consider how many machines will be pulling the image at the same time. At schools with less network traffic (smaller ES schools), more machines can be imaged simultaneously than at larger, busier schools. General rule is to schedule 10-15 machines at a time to speed up the process, however this should be adjusted depending on network and file server load. Staggering machines to start provisioning at different times is another efficient method if enough space and drops are available to maintain steady reimaging and quality control.

5. Provisioning tasks can be scheduled to run at a specific time using the full console. If hundreds of machines require re-imaging, stagger the re-image tasks to accommodate. Recommend 1 hour per 20 machines, however this can be increased based on network availability. Speed depends on network and file server availability.

6. When provisioning a new machine, a machine with no LDMS record, or a device that needs to be renamed, you MUST use the “Deploy w/ Name Prompt” Provisioning templates or the machine will receive a generic name (e.g. WINDOWS-XXXXX). Only use the “Deploy Win7/Win10…” Provisioning templates if there is a record for the device in LDMS.

7. Active Directory records for devices will only affect the later stages of the provisioning process, such as the domain join or group policy updates. Check for duplicate AD records or delete the AD record prior to re-imaging if you have issues during those provisioning steps. Only the existing LDMS record has an impact on provisioning issues like pulling the image or starting the provisioning process.

8. When re-imaging entire labs or specific use machines, make sure you have the time and resources to re-install limited software so instruction is not impacted. If the lab uses specialized software that is supported by a vendor, ensure the vendor has been scheduled to be onsite following a re-image so the software can be re-installed in a timely manner.

9. Prior to re-imaging specific use devices (Admin devices, Teacher laptops, AT Laptops, LAB machines with specialized software, etc.) double check that all necessary files have been backed up and all required software is available for re-install following the re-image. When in doubt, do not re-image and ask for assistance. Better to delay than to cause a loss of Instruction.

Provisioning History: Provisioning History is the history of the provisioning actions taken against a device. It is accessed from the Right-Click menu in the full console. Any provisioning task that completes at least one action will show its status here.

Notice that there is still a Task from 2016 which states a provisioning action is “Running”. This simply means that “Running” was the last State reported before provisioning lost contact with the Core or was terminated at the device. It does not mean there is a current task that is still running. When in doubt, find every provisioning task associated with a device and get them deleted before proceeding. Provisioning history is kept for 365 days before being deleted. Deleting a device record also deletes the Provisioning History.