Mass Deployment

[Madnhain]

I'm curious if anyone has any experience with mass deployment of KM? I currently use FleetRMM and have dabbled with PageScope DataAdministrator. As mentioned in previous thread, I'm trying to prep for a rather large (~1200) deployment. The devices will all have the same basic settings & a few soft switch setting changes. I would absolutely LOVE to have remote access over the displays as a universal setting as well. I know there are several ways to accomplish this.

Does anyone have experience designing and deploying a payload? I don't think the simple clone feature is sufficient, but I suppose I could have a fleet of techs with USB in hand cloning as they're setting up.

FleetRMM will work for pushing out templates, but that is for existing devices on network, same for PS... as far as I know...

I'm thinking a controlled set-up network with data administrator, get one machine good, and export it's settings, import them as we go through the setup? I don't know, I'm spitballing here lol.

[Duplicator]

I've tried to find a good way to do this for our machines for the last few years and always come up just slightly short.

What we have right now is a settings export that gets stored by exporting to an SMB share. Then on every new machine they are pulled back in via HTTP. Doesn't get every single setting but gets it really close. The setup guys do mostly mechanical work and general assembly (attaching finishers, bases, setting arrow charts, ect.) during setup.

It's not perfect but it's better than nothing. No data admin or FleetRMM needed. Just a web server.

For firmware we host that on the network too. My goal is to completely get rid of the flash drives haha.



The only things I haven't dabbled with are FleetRMM and just finding some way to reverse engineer the settings files on the SSD.

[Madnhain]

FleetRMM is Pretty OK! There's a bit of a learning curve, but once devices are discovered on network, you can push whatever settings template you want to as many devices (or groups of devices) as you need to. Configuring the template is what you need the PhD for.

I'll have to look into this SMB option. Will this push SoftSwitch settings also? What does the individual per-configure for HTTP look like (5 minutes per device)? I wonder if I could get the InfoSec team to allow me a folder on the hospital network. If the IST team could push settings instead of manually entering I bet I could sell them on it. Do you have any documentation on your setup? Otherwise I'll add this research to my todo list!

[Duplicator]

FleetRMM is Pretty OK! There's a bit of a learning curve, but once devices are discovered on network, you can push whatever settings template you want to as many devices (or groups of devices) as you need to. Configuring the template is what you need the PhD for.

I'll have to look into this SMB option. Will this push SoftSwitch settings also? What does the individual per-configure for HTTP look like (5 minutes per device)? I wonder if I could get the InfoSec team to allow me a folder on the hospital network. If the IST team could push settings instead of manually entering I bet I could sell them on it. Do you have any documentation on your setup? Otherwise I'll add this research to my todo list!

I'll have to check out FleetRMM. I may start using it for mass provisioning. Although what I have works decently.

It's been many years since I set it up. I believe it pushes soft switch settings but I don't recall for sure. So don't quote me on that. It will not push TCP/IP settings (unless it's just set to DHCP).

As long as the machines are setup with DHCP (or have working static settings) it's a lot less than 5 minutes to dump the settings bin in.

1. Open Utility -> Administrator -> Maintenance -> Backup Setting Information -> Restore from Server
2. Enter the following settings:
3. Restore settings: Edit restore path
4. Download protocol: HTTP
5. URL: http://myawsomeserver.domain.tld/directory
   Please note, do not enter the path with the filename! it needs to be the directory the bin is in. The file MUST be called: BackupRestoreData.bin
6. Encryption password: whatever you used when creating the bin file
7. Hit Okay to save
8. Hit start

To create the bin settings file:

1. Find the most complicated, most setup, most addons, machine possible and get it fully setup exactly how you want it. You can use this for machines without finishers, fax kits, ect. too even if the dump came from one with one.
2. Open Utility -> Administrator -> Maintenance -> Backup Setting Information -> Server Backup Setting
3. Enable it
4. Set the Tx Protocol and it's settings appropriately (this will be environment specific). You will receive a file called BackupRestoreData.bin at it's destination.
5. Choose items to include in Backup target
6. Give it an easy to type password. You will be typing this 10 million times later to restore it.
7. Push ok
8. Push "start".

There is much more info in the service manual. Let me see if I can dig that up.

Also please note, a regular USB keyboard works in the Bizhubs. I like to use them to setup machines so I don't have to type on the touch screen.

[Duplicator]

There is much more info in the service manual. Let me see if I can dig that up.

Well, scratch that.... I can't find it other than a line saying that it's there. Maybe an older version of the manual might have it? Not sure.

[Madnhain]

As long as the machines are setup with DHCP (or have working static settings) it's a lot less than 5 minutes to dump the settings bin in

You're alright for a guy named after my nemesis. Seriously though. Thank you for this. You may have just saved a nightmare situation. I'm going to start sand-boxing this immediately.

[Duplicator]

You're alright for a guy named after my nemesis. Seriously though. Thank you for this. You may have just saved a nightmare situation. I'm going to start sand-boxing this immediately.

Anytime.

If you want instructions for setting up Internet ISW (firmware updates over the network) let me know. You can run it on the same web server.