Configuring OS Deployment settings while creating a remote office

While creating a remote office, as you furnish the details of the Distribution Server, the next step is to define the OS deployment settings. Configure the following OS Deployer settings to deploy OSs on computers in remote offices.

  1. Install OS deployment components - It is mandatory to have this option enabled to deploy OS in remote office computers, as this will automatically have the OS deployment component installed in the Distribution Server associated with the created remote office. You can also choose to create a new replication policy
  2. Replication Policy - gives you granular control over your network bandwidth consumption by letting you define when and at what rate should the images be replicated from local office to the remote office. You can also choose to create a new replication policy by following the steps below:
    Note: The defined replication policy will be employed only when you try to replicate the images from local office to a given remote office. Know more on replicating images to remote offices. The driver files will be replicated from the lcoal office to a given remote office only once.
    • Click on Create Policy and specify a unique policy name.
    • Select the data transfer rate. The central sever will replicate the images from local office to remote office using the bandwidth selected here.
    • Specify the replication interval. This is the time interval each distribution server uses to contact the OS Deployer server.
    • Select the days and time schedule to replicate the OS images from the local office and save the replication policy.
  3. After defining the replication policy, define the Image repository - This is simply a common network share path created with proper read/write privileges in the specific remote office. This is where the replicated / acquired images will be stored.
  4. Then configure the Driver repository - Again a common network share created in the given remote office with proper read/write privileges. The driver files that are automatically replicated from the local office during deployment will be stored here. However, you can also choose to manually add the driver files whenever required.
  5. Note: Ensure that all the computers in the remote office are able to access the defined image and driver repositories with read/write privileges for seamless imaging and deployment.
  6. Exclude the following folders from antivirus scan in the machine where distribution server is installed, to avoid any issues in OS Deployer functions caused by antivirus blocks.
    • DesktopCentral_DistributionServer - <OS Drive>\Program Files\\DesktopCentral_DistributionServer
    • ZohoCorp - <OS Drive>\Program Files(x86)\Zohocorp
    Refer this document to learn more about antivirus exclusions.

You have now successfully created the remote office with distribution server and you have also configured the OS deployment settings. 

Note: If you have already created a remote office and managing it, you can modify the remote office and configure OS deployment settings.