I need advice re system management.
We have 10 systems that will be replaced by dual-boot Vista/XP system within short. These systems are used for training purposes. The current systems (elderly XP's) were all installed one-by-one. We use a Microsoft tool that resets the systems after rebooting thus removing all havoc and data that our trainees have created.
Unfortunately we still have to do all updates (Windows and anti-malware etc.) manually on a system-by system BASIS and this is very time consuming and impractical.

Now with the new systems I would like to use something like SMS and maintain all system centrally and more automatically.
However I do not know much about these DEPLOYMENT and maintenance systems and also, we are an organization of volunteers and have very little income so the solution must be cheap, if not free.
Microsoft has solutions but they are not REALLY appropriate for 10 systems and also way outside our budget.
Can anybody help us?


Quote from: Pensionada on August 13, 2007, 10:24:55 AM

I need advice re system management.
We have 10 systems that will be replaced by dual-boot Vista/XP system within short. These systems are used for training purposes. The current systems (elderly XP's) were all installed one-by-one. We use a Microsoft tool that resets the systems after rebooting thus removing all havoc and data that our trainees have created.
Unfortunately we still have to do all updates (Windows and anti-malware etc.) manually on a system-by system basis and this is very time consuming and impractical.

Now with the new systems I would like to use something like SMS and maintain all system centrally and more automatically.
However I do not know much about these deployment and maintenance systems and also, we are an organization of volunteers and have very little income so the solution must be cheap, if not free.
Microsoft has solutions but they are not really appropriate for 10 systems and also way outside our budget.
Can anybody help us?