Trialing Modules

[onenerdyguy]

Hello-

I just discovered Opsi, and am in the process of testing it for my deployment. I'm the sole IT manager for a K-12 school in the USA, numbering in approx. 2000 students, all with laptops provided and maintained by us. These laptops leave the network daily, as the students are allowed to bring them home to use there.

If I'm not mistaken, the VPN/Wan module would allow my students to receive updates while off network, by connecting to the Opsi Server via WebDav instead of SMB? Ideally, this would allow me to push out installs over weekends and the like, and have a majority of students come back the following week with it installed, ready to go. (For small applications at least, like a Adobe Flash or Oracle Java update).

If this is the case, is there a way to test this functionality out before purchasing the module? The value for it would be incredible for us, but having been burned a few too many times with products claiming one thing and actually doing another, I'd like to test it first.

Thank you for your help!

[wolfbardo]

Hello,

for testing the wan/vpn module please send an email to info<at>uib.de and we send you a temporary activation file

The necessary backend configuration (mysql-backend) is described in

http://download.uib.de/opsi4.0/doc/html ... ig-backend

See also

http://download.uib.de/opsi4.0/doc/html ... ig-modules

and

http://download.uib.de/opsi4.0/doc/html ... wansupport

Some remarks to your questions:

Hello-

I just discovered Opsi, and am in the process of testing it for my deployment. I'm the sole IT manager for a K-12 school in the USA, numbering in approx. 2000 students, all with laptops provided and maintained by us. These laptops leave the network daily, as the students are allowed to bring them home to use there.

If I'm not mistaken, the VPN/Wan module would allow my students to receive updates while off network, by connecting to the Opsi Server via WebDav instead of SMB? Ideally, this would allow me to push out installs over weekends and the like, and have a majority of students come back the following week with it installed, ready to go. (For small applications at least, like a Adobe Flash or Oracle Java update).

In the standard configuration the wan/vpn client checks via event_net_connect or the event_timer, if the opsi-server is reachable and in case of there is some action request set, the client tries to cache via webdav the package and installs from its local repo.

Please have also look at our services

http://uib.de/en/support-training/update-subscriptions/

respectivey training and maintenance support

http://uib.de/en/support-training/support/

regards,
bardo wolf

[onenerdyguy]

Perfect, thank you.

Just to verify the way it works here:

With proper configuration, a client that is set for WAN/VPN connection will do the following:

-At boot, if there are no products cached, the user can login immediately. Does the opsi-client still briefly fire up and check home, even if there are no cached products?
-If there are actions for the client, it will download in the background using whatever bandwidth limitations are set, if any. Is the client checking back to the depot server periodically then while the user is logged in, to see if actions are available? If I'm not mistaken, this is based on the event_timer?
-Once the actions are cached, the client will prompt users to reboot, which they can accept, or deny and do later.
-At reboot, client finds the cached products, installs as normal, and the process starts over.

I'm just wanting to make sure I have my head wrapped around it correctly. This sounds like an ideal solution to our environment, if so, and I look forward to testing it when I receive my temp. Activation.

To verify, MYQL-Backend is now 100% cofunded, and therefore is available for free? So the only purchase needed is the WAN/VPN Module?

[SisterOfMercy]

To verify, MYQL-Backend is now 100% cofunded, and therefore is available for free? So the only purchase needed is the WAN/VPN Module?

Look here: http://uib.de/en/opsi-cofunding/cofunding/

The MySQL backend extension is not yet 100% cofunded.

[n.wenselowski]

Hello,

With proper configuration, a client that is set for WAN/VPN connection will do the following:
-At boot, if there are no products cached, the user can login immediately. Does the opsi-client still briefly fire up and check home, even if there are no cached products?
-If there are actions for the client, it will download in the background using whatever bandwidth limitations are set, if any. Is the client checking back to the depot server periodically then while the user is logged in, to see if actions are available? If I'm not mistaken, this is based on the event_timer?
-Once the actions are cached, the client will prompt users to reboot, which they can accept, or deny and do later.
-At reboot, client finds the cached products, installs as normal, and the process starts over.

The agent only tries to contact the server if it is configured in that way. If you disable event_gui_startup this is not done at startup. Still for a very short time the login is blocked. It will be released after the opsiconfd successfully started.
If you enable event_timer there will be periodically checks if the server can be reached and if actions need to be processed.
The prompt for the reboot will occur when all product data is cached on the client. After the reboot the installation will be done if the user does not decide to cancel. The possibility to postpone the installation can be configured.
After the installation the user can login and use the machine just as normal.

To verify, MYQL-Backend is now 100% cofunded, and therefore is available for free? So the only purchase needed is the WAN/VPN Module?

It hasn't reached the funded state. We are still putting work into this to make it even better, so this probably won't be a bad investment

Take your time testing. If you have any further questions feel free to ask!


With kind regards

Niko

[SisterOfMercy]

The possibility to postpone the installation can be configured.

Is this also configurable when not using any modules, or is this a specific WAN-module option?

[n.wenselowski]

Hi,

The possibility to postpone the installation can be configured.

Is this also configurable when not using any modules, or is this a specific WAN-module option?

No, please look into your opsiclientd.conf in the event_default section for further possibilities.


With kind regards

Niko