IBM Tivoli Configuration Manager 4.2.3 Workshop

Pristine Installations

Managing the OS image is becoming critical in achieving the right stability and security needed in today's desktops and servers. From the first deployment to upgrades, hot fixes, security fixes and the like, making sure the right set level of OS software deployed is a highly time consuming effort. This offering aims at providing, with time, automation to all these activities, decreasing the time needed to have OS levels up to date and freeing up IT administrators.

The new component, called Pristine Manager replaces the ineffective floppy-based operating system installation with an open and pluggable architecture that can host different automatic installation technologies from Microsoft: Tivoli Configuration Manager 4.2.1 supports ADS and RIS.

Pristine Manager is able to work both with "bare-metal" machines (which don't even have an operating system installed) and with machines that are already configured (e.g. also with a TMA). In the latter case, for example, Pristine Manager can be used to re-install the operating system (or a new OS) from scratch. The new product is also fully integrated with Change Management : it is possible to pre-configure the TMA that will be automatically installed, and to subscribe it to a Reference Model. After the installation, the TMA can be synchronized with the associated reference model so that all necessary configurations and software installation are performed. Pristine Manager extends Change Management and Activity Planner Monitor with a new configuration element (the operating system) and a new subscriber (the "pristine" machine).

In the ITCM 4.2.1 Workshop the Unit 13 is completely devoted to this subject.

Unit 13: Performing Pristine Installations