Out of curiosity, why would you install ARD on every workstation? If you need screen access within a group, there's screen sharing built in.

The problem I've seen so far is that many people who use ARD don't actually need ARD or don't get what it's real strengths actually are. When you're relying on ARD to monitor what's happening on the screen, or are attempting to do something that is quickly achieved by SSH'ing into the box... well, you're doing it wrong.

In our organization, a handful (I think around 10) unlimited ARD licenses are kept. Certain people that actually need to use them get them. If I step back into this role, I'll have two available to me --- one for the Mac Pro and another for a laptop. Personally, I think that's overkill, but it is, at least, convenient.

If there are more than fifty Macs on the network, I believe it's time to justify the cost of ARD to the brass. Once you hit the volume I'll be dealing with (1k+ workstations), it's not even in question. ARD is not a deployment tool, though. It can be a very useful tool for ad hoc package deployment and if I were to be using groups of location (and task) specific workstations updated via Radmind, it would be a very useful tool for updating the source box.

Which might happen... but I'm still leaning more toward DS.

Thanks for the questions.

How large? Currently, the network houses roughly 1k Macs. The windows side is much larger. Which brings us to your next questions...

Last year, I was brought in to put together a stop gap solution. Essentially, armed with a nonexistent budget, an old G4 Xserver found in a closet and a new iMac, we made the switch from 1:1 firewire image cloning to 24:1 (I had a spare 24 port gigabit switch at home that I brought in) via Netrestore. It was better than we started with, but still clumsy at best.

Overall, Macs have been overlooked and discounted by the existing staff as not worth learning despite the large financial investment that has been made over the years to introduce the systems to the network. Adding frustration, until quite recently, they have been supported by short term, low paid staff in an ad hoc department. As of a few months ago, the MIS department was directed to absorb the care of the Macs along with their Windows boxes.

Guess what? There 'aint no Ghost, boys. The run it, break it, reimage it doesn't work the way they're accustomed to. Furthermore, these thousand odd workstations are spaced over thirty odd remote locations. Can I get an amen?

  Unfortunately, my suggestion from last year of sending at least two of the MIS techs to Apple to be trained apparently fell on deaf ears, because I've been asked if I would be interested in coming back and writing the deployment policy from the ground up and bringing the MIS department up to speed in doing so.

On my last visit to this project, I was looking into both Radmind and Deploystudio as more robust, permanent fixes. Which is really why I threw the topic on the table. I was curious as to gauge the overall suggestion (and supporting arguments) mixed between DS, RM and Jamf IS. As these systems are used in small clusters of like groups, the need for modular packages is obvious. I'm personally leaning toward Deploystudio for automation and ARD for more immediate hands on control as needed -- but, again, I was curious to see what the consensus would return.

Oh, yeah... I forgot to add the fun part. It looks like there's a two month window to make it all happen. :D

There's this hotel... well, no. A LAUNDROMAT! And this guy is hired as a caretaker over... uhm... SPRING BREAK! So he and his family move into the apartment upstairs and instead of focusing on finishing his blog, he winds up in wacky adventures with ghosts from a tragic accident on a GGW video, four kids and a dog.

The whole thing ends up with a guy in a coyboy hat fighting off a giant sewer spider while a couple of old insomniacs are making out in a parking lot.

My agent tells me it's a winner. I'm personally leaning towards selling the concept straight to Syfy as a miniseries instead of dealing with the whole blah...blah...blah... writing thing.

I say this due to the fact that I'm about to go and see my grandmother for her 94th birthday and am currently reminded that no matter hold old you get, grandmothers rock.

As for you, SpectreBlofeld... be nicer to your grandma. If the Mac memory shock doesn't effect you, she should never even know about it.

You know... I have a problem with that statement. That's half of the fun of using a computer; trying out new stuff. It always has been and always will be.

Of course, the other half is tied between fixing what you've broken or learning to do the first half without breaking it at all.

My mobo is a couple of years old (MSI K9n), I currently choose first SATA for Debian, second for OS X and third for 2k8 Server.

The others are all data (which OS X and 2k8 share) and finally an external USB which houses music and tunes.

I keep thinking about swappable bays, switching ideas (like this one), etc... and always come back to the conclusion that it's already working just fine.

Not to mention, it looks a bit confusing to anyone who would try and boot my system... you know, extra security through obfuscation. ;D

You do know that OS X is Unix, right? Certified, verified and labeled as of 10.5. So, no, Linux is not a better *nix than OS X, Linux is your preferred operating platform as compared to Apple's flavor of Unix.

As for "missing" particular tools that you rely upon, well... I can sympathize there. But, in truth it's really just a matter of preferences. I like the way that Terminator behaves on Linux than on OS X. I also miss htop in place of top. But, again, those are preferences. For the most part, almost anything you need is invokable (with a quick apt-get/port), scriptable or buildable via source.

I support all the Macs in a (rather large) school district and, with the exception of ARD for package management and ASR for system imaging, rely more on my Linux laptop than I do Leopard Server. But, that's because I can use my laptop in the field. Most of what I really have to do involves SSH anyhow, and I'm finding that there's a certain amount of charm to my 24" iMac w/ 9 virtuals via spaces with terminals tiled all over the place.

Anyhow, please stop the fud. Most any *nix app you need is available on OS X and, if it isn't, you can always roll your sleeves up and either compile or port it yourself. All the tools necessary are readily available.

But, once and for all... OS X IS Unix.

Ugh... work, not world. Although, I think his world was must have been both creepy and brilliant as well.

Bad, bad, bad pint. Making me fingers type wonkiness.