Deploying operating systems and software across multiple computers is a tedious and time-consuming task. Desktop imaging solutions provide an efficient way to simplify this process for IT teams. In this comprehensive 2800+ word guide, we‘ll explore what desktop imaging is, the benefits it offers, an overview of leading tools, and best practices to help you choose and implement the right solution for your business.
What is Desktop Imaging and Why it Matters
Desktop imaging refers to the process of capturing a master template of a desktop environment, including the operating system, software, configurations, and settings, which can then be quickly deployed to multiple machines.
This allows IT teams to efficiently roll out standardized desktops without having to manually install and configure OS and apps on each system. Imaging saves substantial time and effort compared to traditional deployment methods.
For enterprises that manage hundreds or thousands of endpoints, being able to rapidly deploy desktops from a unified image is critical. Imaging also ensures a consistent experience across machines.
Desktop imaging solutions allow IT to build master images that quickly propagate to endpoints (Image credit: Unsplash)
Additional key benefits include:
Easier OS migrations: Imaging simplifies transitioning computers to new OS versions like Windows 10. The image can be updated once and then quickly rolled out.
Software/OS patch management: Updates and patches can be integrated into the gold image so that all endpoints instantly inherit the changes.
Disaster recovery: Images provide backup templates that accelerate recovery from outages or corrupted endpoints. Machines can be restored from last known good images.
Compliance and security: Standardized desktops with locked configurations assist with meeting regulatory compliance. Critical security updates can also be integrated into images.
Superior scalability: Imaging solutions make it feasible to expand to any number of endpoints without proportional IT effort for each install.
Cost and productivity optimization: The efficiency of imaging drives cost savings from faster deployments, fewer errors, and reduced management overhead for IT teams. According to Forrester, a 500 employee firm adopting desktop imaging achieved the following ROI over 3 years:
- 69% faster Windows 10 upgrade rollout
- 90% reduction in deployment issues
- $115K cost savings
- $4M increased revenue from productivity gains
For growing companies that aim to scale endpoints securely, imaging delivers compelling advantages over traditional deployment techniques.
Leading Desktop Imaging Solutions Compared
There is a wide variety of desktop imaging products on the market that cater to needs ranging from smaller businesses to large enterprises. Below we compare high-level capabilities of additional solutions beyond the initial table:
Clonezilla
- Open source disk imaging for bare metal restore
- Supports multicasting and incremental images
- Commands not intuitive compared to GUI tools
- Best for Linux; Windows use requires PreOS environment
Fog Project
- Donated hardware-agnostic imaging solution
- Built-in computer PXE and multicast support
- Requires dedicated Linux server and storage
- Desired state configuration features
Macrium Reflect
- Affordable Windows backup and recovery
- Volume shadow copy for live server imaging
- Free for home and SMB usage
- Limited management and reporting features
Red Hat Kickstart
- Automate Linux installs with Ansible playbooks
- Headless OS provisioning works at scale
- Command line interface requires Linux expertise
- Integrates well with Linux administration
Dell KACE K2000
- Specialized Windows image management
- Built-in driver feed and packages
- Lacking Mac support
- Appeals most to existing Dell customers
As we can see, solutions take varied approaches depending on factors like platform support, scale needs, IT skills, and infrastructure requirements. Below we explore a select few top solutions in more depth.
ManageEngine Desktop Central
ManageEngine Desktop Central is a comprehensive endpoint management platform that provides robust Windows desktop imaging capabilities.
Key features:
- Automate OS deployment with disk imaging
- Supports multicast to simultaneously deploy to multiple endpoints
- Driver automation for seamless hardware migration
- Automate post-deployment actions like running scripts
- Integrates with SCCM for large deployments
- Track deployment status and history from web console
Desktop Central really shines for mid-sized companies that want an integrated solution to not just image desktops but also manage assets, enforce security policies, run scripts, and other endpoint tasks from a unified interface.
Pricing: Per-technician pricing starts at $345 annually covering up to 25 computers, going up to enterprise plans. There is also a free version for very small companies.
Pros
- All-in-one management platform beyond just imaging
- Granular role-based access control
- Broad Windows client and server OS support
- Automated driver packages speed up hardware migrations
- Android/iOS mobile device management
Cons
- Linux and Mac support more limited
- Doesn‘t support version control for images
- More complex than standalone imaging tools
Desktop Central strikes a nice balance for growing companies that desire unified endpoint management coupled with solid Windows imaging.
SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is a specialist in OS deployment, migration, and imaging for physical and virtual desktop environments focused on Windows platforms.
Key capabilities:
- Image-based OS deployment
- Automated driver injection
- Direct migration from old to new machines
- Integrates with SCCM, MDT, AD, VLANs
- Scripted installation logic
SmartDeploy really excels at high performance image-based deployment. Companies with many clones or templates like VDI environments can standardize builds and rapidly spawn desktops as needed through the tool.
According to ESG‘s analysis, organizations adopting SmartDeploy for Windows 10 migration saw the following ROI:
- 59% faster migration project duration
- 76% fewer deployment failures
- $115K savings for 1K desktops migrated
Pricing: Per-endpoint pricing starts around $39 annually depending on volume.
Pros
- Extremely fast multicast imaging performance
- Advanced automation around customizations, domain joins, etc.
- Workflows for both physical and virtual desktops
- Flexible command line automation
- Lower license costs compared to heavyweight tools
Cons
- Windows-only platform support
- More involved setup and configuration
- Requires some infrastructure know-how
For Windows-centric environments needing speed and scale, SmartDeploy is a leading choice specialized in rapid imaging.
FileWave
FileWave delivers a cross-platform imaging solution supporting Windows, Mac, Linux, as well as mobile iOS and Android devices.
Key capabilities:
- Unified device imaging including desktops, laptops, mobiles
- Configure once deploy widely functionality
- Integrated self-service portal for users
- Automate complex multi-step deployments
- Role-based access control for management
FileWave allows growing companies with mixed environments leverage a single tool to deploy to desktops as well mobile users. One gold build can propagate across Windows and macOS devices alike.
Pricing: Starts at $2 per device per month, enterprise pricing available.
Pros
- True cross platform support including mobile
- Modular components extend functionality
- Tuned performance for multicast imaging
- Rich policy-based security controls
- Dashboards to track imaging operations
Cons
- More complex setup than standalone tools
- Higher learning curve around capabilities
- iOS device enrollment requires Apple DEP
For mixed shops running Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android looking to standardize desktop and mobile imaging under one roof, FileWave is an excellent enterprise-grade choice.
Choosing the Right Imaging Solution
With the wealth of options available, how do you determine what‘s best for your needs? Below are recommendations based on company size and use case:
Small businesses (under 500 employees)
For simpler environments, affordable solutions like Clonezilla, Fog Project, or Macrium Reflect may suffice for basic system imaging. Free options work for very small companies.
Mid-sized companies (500-5,000 employees)
Look for robust solutions like ManageEngine‘s Desktop Central or SmartDeploy packaged with integrations into existing infrastructure. Per-technician or per-endpoint licensing models fit mid-market budgets.
Large enterprises (over 5,000 employees)
Larger deployments require advanced automation around tasks like version control, customized scripting, role-based access management, and change tracking. Enterprise versions from FileWave, Microsoft, VMware, or ManageEngine provide this.
Regulation-driven standardization
Solutions like ManageEngine Desktop Central allow fine-tuned security policies and configuration management to lock down desktop specs and software versions to assist compliance.
Bring-your-own-device environments
For personal devices, FileWave can enroll and manage company-specific images deployed to employee Windows PCs, Macs, and mobile devices.
Analyze your technical environment, skills, and organizational needs to narrow down the ideal solution for your scenario.
Best Practices for Effective Imaging
Once you select software, following best practices around image configuration, testing, and deployment is key to success:
- Keep base images minimal by removing unnecessary drivers, features, and bloatware. This dramatically speeds up deployment.
- Script modular logic for joins, customizations, renames etc. externally from the image to increase reusability.
- Validate rigorously with layered acceptance testing on benches matching production configurations.
- Automate post-deployment tasks like AD joins, config pushes, annotations.
- Manage drivers independently from base images, injecting dynamically during deployment based on the endpoint.
- Utilize multicast transmission with converted images where possible to blast concurrently to multiple devices over LAN. Converting images to .GHO/.WIM optimized formats first is advisable.
- Implement version control workflows allowing quick rollback and avoiding confusion from image sprawl.
IT teams should dedicate resources up front during onboarding to master multicast imaging, driver handling, boot configurations, and other aspects key to smooth ongoing management.
Troubleshooting and Remediation Tips
Despite best efforts, issues can still arise during deployment:
Offline imaging failures
- Verify target device boots properly into the imaging environment
- Check network cabling and DHCP IP addressing
- Reset BIOS to default settings if UEFI Secure Boot causes problems
Driver injection issues
- Confirm hardware IDs match required drivers
- Enable logging and inspect image apply logs
- Add missing storage/chipset drivers into driver feed
Domain join failures
- Double check OU path, account creds
- Ensure network connectivity to domain controllers
- Test DNS and LDAP connectivity from target device
Isolate deployment problems through eliminating environmental and configuration discrepancies first before troubleshooting tools.
Innovations in OS Imaging
The desktop imaging landscape continues rapidly advancing alongside innovations in cloud, virtualization, and modern device management:
UEFI and Secure Boot
- Enhanced firmware configurations necessitate updated imaging workflows like signed boot images with compatible PE environments.
Windows Autopilot
- Cloud-based provisioning natively integrated with Microsoft Endpoint Manager and Azure AD tenants, eschewing traditional imaging.
Microsoft WVD
- Centralized Windows 10 multi-user hosting in Azure shifts desktops towards cloud-delivered workspace services.
Cloud distribution points
- Vendors like PDQ Deploy allow hosting shared image repositories in AWS S3/Azure Blob Storage to avoid bottlenecks of on-prem file shares.
Just In Time provisioning
- Docker-like tools instantiate disposable compute instances from cloud images only when users log on, tearing them down afterwards.
As compute resources grow increasingly dynamic and ephemeral, imaging solutions adapt to leverage lightning fast programmatic orchestration integrating with centralized configuration management databases available from the cloud.
Key Takeaways
Deploying operating systems at scale is complex. Desktop imaging solutions greatly simplify IT‘s job managing corporate workstations, laptops, virtual desktops by consolidating gold build templates that rapidly provision endpoints consistently.
Carefully evaluate technical environment, management capabilities, and business requirements when selecting software. Follow best practices around testing, modularity, scripting, version control and change tracking to get the most from investments. Monitor innovations as endpoints progressively shift management to the cloud.
With the right foundations, organizations can scale secure desktop deployments limitlessly to serve growing needs. Take time to thoroughly assess solutions against critical functionality requirements. Ultimately those offering breadth of platform support coupled with optimized configurations and automated orchestrations through cloud backends offer the most future-proof path for enterprise growth.
