Jeff,

As long as you have the base snapshot you can replace the boot LUNs quickly. You can also replicate this image to all of the field sites so that each are configured identically.

The one major problem is the hardware has to be identical on each PC that will boot from SAN if you want to use the same image. You'll also need an iSCSI HBA. I would make sure that Network connectivity is reliable between the 250's and the PC's.

I believe that the NOW site has instructions on seeting up a diskless system and the requirements to double check.

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From: owner-toasters@mathworks.com on behalf of Jeff Mohler Sent: Sun 2/6/2005 5:19 PM To: toasters@mathworks.com Subject: Diskless Boot of Windows/iSCSI

Greets:

Same name, new location..

Im working a storage solution under contract using Netapp F250s in the field using snapmirror to replicate data back to a central F270 from nuclear plant inspection projects all over the world.

I have 8 windows based PCs at each site doing encoding of camera inspections (IVVI), and those write to a file and/or go live over the network to the central location based on the inspection parameters.

My largest source of problems are the encoding PCs which are not in the friendliest of environments on the refueling floor. Im looking for advice on whether I should change these PCs to work as diskless boot stations using ISCSI from the F250 that is at each site.

The ultimate goal would be a situation where on boot the PC is booted to a static state of base configuration, and if the end-user changes anything (within MS Media encoder/etc) they just reboot to get back to a reliable configuration. The end user isnt storing any data in this image, just USING it to create data stored in a volume on the same F250 at the remote site.

Just how diskless can I get, while maintaining an easy to use environment where nobody can screw up the base load image?

My window of downtime is 10mins or less to full recovery.

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