SmartDeploy is faster than Symantec Ghost, Acronis Snap Deploy, and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

IT departments using Symantec Ghost (previously known as Norton Ghost) today with modern operating systems and devices are frustrated. Symantec Ghost, Acronis Snap Deploy, and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit haven’t changed much over the years and installation processes for Windows XP are different than for Windows 7 and Windows 8. There are so many different types of devices in today’s businesses, IT professionals can’t afford the time to create an image for each device like in the old Ghost image software days.

More Hardware Models to Maintain

Ghost imaging technology was viable in the past because the typical desktop infrastructure was less diverse. Hardware vendors simply made fewer types of computers--what they made varied little in configuration, so creating an image for each device type was easy. Symantec Ghost worked well in this environment.

Today, hardware vendors introduce new devices all of the time. What’s more, trends like bring your own device (BYOD) and the consumerization of IT introduce even more diversity and complexity. As a result, the Ghost imaging approach has become extremely painful for IT professionals. Manufacturers now refresh or replace models every six months or less, which makes maintaining a standardized desktop infrastructure nearly impossible. Meanwhile, image libraries grow to unmanageable sizes, so driver management becomes a frustrating and full-time IT task.

Organizations that use Symantec Ghost or Acronis Snap Deploy still typically create one image for each device. Sometimes they make multiple images to meet department-specific requirements. Or they purchase a third-party driver management product, such as the Universal Imaging Utility (UIU), that provides a database of drivers to reduce the number of images they create and maintain. However, relying on Plug and Play (PnP) to choose the correct drivers from the overloaded driver repository is risky. Installing the wrong driver for the endpoint device can cause blue screens, PC problems, and user downtime.

The Evolution of Windows

Image creation and deployment processes have evolved with each new Windows version. Capturing multiple partitions, disk formatting options, Sysprep syntax, and other core aspects of imaging are different with Windows 7 and Windows 8 than with Windows XP. Today, customers are dealing with an inability to configure Symantec Ghost to work properly on new operating systems. Continuing to use Ghosting software to support the latest Windows operating systems can cause organizations extraneous cost, time, and effort. Alternatively, adopting a solution such as Microsoft Deployment Toolkit requires significant IT time and resources to implement.

SmartDeploy: A Modern Imaging Solution

SmartDeploy completely changes the imaging approach. SmartDeploy uses a modern, layered architecture and capitalizes on the efficiencies of virtualization without requiring a hypervisor. SmartDeploy uses single-image management to eliminate the need to modify images for differences in target devices. SmartDeploy was designed to work identically across OS versions reliably with the same process. SmartDeploy lets IT manage a single image for any endpoint target in their infrastructure. Additionally, the drivers and other device-specific files are physically and logically separated from the software image. Best of all, SmartDeploy handles driver management for you by providing hundreds of these "Platform Packs" for download as part of SmartDeploy support services.

IT pros can accomplish endpoint management goals that have been out of reach with Symantec Ghost, Acronis Snap Deploy, and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit. SmartDeploy empowers customers to migrate to new devices and operating systems quickly and easily, troubleshoot more effectively, and maximize overall IT efficiency.

 

Next, learn how SmartDeploy

compares to Dell KACE K2000