FAQ ImageCast 6 Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is ImageCast 6? A. ImageCast 6 is a fast, intelligent, powerful solution for system imaging and deployment: Fast the new leader in System Imaging performance Powerful Multicast and Standalone image deployment Simple Easy to use, Wizard based interfaces Intelligent Saves money, enables system security and reduces resource requirements for system deployments ImageCast is available in Enterprise and Manufacturing license versions. ImageCast 6 Enterprise For IT departments today, every minute spent deploying or refreshing PCs and Notebooks: Drains budget and resource Takes focus and effort away from business critical projects Introduces the possibility of error and non-compliance The solution is Phoenix ImageCast 6 Enterprise. ImageCast 6 Enterprise not only reduces the time and resource required to deploy system images, allows customization of standard images for network, workgroup and function but is also faster, more fully featured and more cost-effective than the competition. ImageCast Manufacturing - For System Builders, VARs, White Box vendors and other manufacturers, the need for fast, effective System Imaging solutions is higher than ever, with the twin pressures to: Increase productivity and reduce system build costs (time, money and resources) Add extra value that will drive customer preference and revenue At the same time, market leaders like Symantec are trying to move Imaging customers to more expensive client management suites, that just don t fit for manufacturers. ImageCast 6 Manufacturing not only reduces system image deployment time on the line with faster performance and automation, but also provides customization that can drive customer preference and pricing specifically designed to meet the needs of PC and Notebook integrators. Q. What are the differences between ImageCast 6 Enterprise and Manufacturing versions? A. Licensing is the only difference. ImageCast Enterprise licensing is per seat - for use on a single system as often as needed over the life of that system. ImageCast Manufacturing is licensed for volume production, and includes a license only for use during system manufacturing, and creation of a recovery CD/DVD image set for that system. Q. What are the key components of ImageCast 6? A. a) Control Console Central multicasting and scheduling server Deploy multiple systems at once with Multicast capability Discover Clients
Gather Images Control deployment groups Schedule deployments Configuration and management for other elements Create boot clients CD / DVD images for standalone and multicast deployments b) PXE Server boot and deployment automation tool Enables clients to boot from the network without a CD c) ImageCast Client High performance standalone disk deployment Boot CD created by Control Console ClientBuilder application Gather and deploy images from local disk, network or Control Console Phoenix Always platform based - Always Available, Always Secure, Application Management Platform for device centric applications (customized, secured Linux variant) d) Post Config Injector Customize network and registry settings, set execution of post image scripts Q. What is ImageCast PXE Server? A. A network boot enabler that allows any TCP/IP network that uses DHCP services to boot from the network, use ImageCast tools to deploy systems images and make other tools available without the need for a diskette or Boot CD/DVD. Q. How does lmagecast 6 compare to Symantec Norton Ghost 10? A. ImageCast 6 is a more fully featured, modern imaging solution. Symantec s Ghost 10 product includes two major elements; 1) Recovery/backup technology delivered as Ghost 10 and 2) standalone disk imaging technology bundled in as the older Ghost 2003 product (not updated in several years). ImageCast 6 does not include recovery / backup technology, but excels at Ghost s traditional use; standalone imaging, with great performance and features. In addition, ImageCast adds full network based central control for imaging with multicast technology, enabling multiple systems to be imaged at once. ImageCast 6 is also offered with manufacturing specific licensing and pricing, Ghost 10 is not. Q. How can ImageCast 6 reduce system deployment costs? A. ImageCast 6 enables IT administrators to reduce the time and costs for system imaging and deployment by: Quickly and easily creating standard system images for Windows PCs and Notebooks Reducing PC and Notebook deployment and re-deployment time to minutes from hours and days Minimizing the time and resource required to return special purpose systems (training, library, etc.) to a known state.
Q. How can ImageCast 6 reduce PC and notebook manufacturing costs? A. ImageCast 6 allows for complete automation of the PC build process. It can improve the flexibility and speed of Build-To-Order and Configure-To-Order environments, limiting manual intervention and reducing the labor and overhead cost to build systems. Q. What is Multicasting? A. Multicast is a protocol available on TCP/IP networks for efficiently sending large amounts of information to a group of hosts. This allows the host to send the data once, and have it received by the entire group of hosts. When deploying systems with ImageCast 6, the capability to use Multicast for deployment is a feature available from the Control Console, allowing fast deployment of a system image to many systems at once. Q. What is Standalone image deployment? A. Standalone image deployment is imaging locally on an individual system, rather than being driven remotely from a the control console. Local image deployment options include imaging a disk; from a network drive, from a locally attached disk, or from another partition on the same disk Q. When should I use standalone deployment versus multicast deployment? A. Multicast deployment is best when deploying one image to many systems at one time is needed. It s the fastest way to deploy a centralized standard image to many systems and ImageCast also allows customization of the image for task specific usage, with changes to users, groups, network and other registry settings. Standalone deployment is best when deployment from a system, rather than central deployment, is preferred,where network bandwidth is a problem (standalone deployment is most efficient in it s use of network resources), where there is not a network connection, or where most systems being deployed use different system images. Q. How does ImageCast 6 work with Microsoft SysPrep? A. ImageCast 6 works closely with the Microsoft SysPrep tool, and the tool can be integrated as part of an ImageCast system deployment. Q. Does ImageCast 6 support Windows Vista? A. ImageCast 6 does not support Windows Vista today. Windows Vista is still in Beta, and not a released product. Phoenix plans a version that will support Windows Vista when the fully released version of Vista becomes available. Q. Does ImageCast 6 include the ability to create Recovery CDs/DVDs? A. Yes. ImageCast 6 creates ISO files for either CDs or DVDs. Disc burning software (Roxio, Sonic, Nero, etc.) is required to burn the image to disc. Note that ImageCast 6 Manufacturing is limited to creating only one Recovery CD/DVD image set per license. ImageCast Enterprise can make as many Recovery CD/DVD image sets as needed for each client system.
Secure from the START Phoenix Technologies is a global market leader in device-defining software that enables endpoint security from the start. The company first established dominant industry leadership over 25 years ago with BIOS software. From this unique foundation of core level expertise and firmware offering the highest levels of reliability, Phoenix has created a portfolio of innovative software products that simply and easily identify and restore devices, thereby assuring users unparalleled endpoint security and availability. Phoenix Technologies Ltd. 915 Murphy Ranch Road Milpitas, CA 95035 USA 408.570.1000 main 408.570.1001 fax 800.446.9202 North America sales 781-BUY PTEC Outside North America sales 2006 Phoenix Technologies Ltd. Phoenix and Phoenix Technologies are registered trademarks of Phoenix Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide. All other brand or product names are the trademarks and property of their respective holders. 0000-XX000