Change the location where the Deployment Solution 8.x images are stored

Products

• Deployment Solution

Issue/Introduction

How to change the location where the Deployment Solution 8.x images are stored

Resolution

There are a number of ways to do this and a few key things that should be understood prior to making any changes.

The most important thing to understand is that the DS images are stored under the Altiris Agent in a folder eventually shared as "Deployment", and from there, under Task Handlers\Images.  All of our imaging tasks look for this folder coded into the task, not as a variable.  Thus, you can't easily move the images.

NOTE:  DS will store images under the Package share along with all other packages and will be subject to very similar limitations.

However, within this limitation you still have a few options:

1. Move the Altiris Agent.  This is considered "Best Practice"
2. Use a program that re-directs folder contents like "LinkD". DS 8.x will not work with this as well unless the entire Package folder is also redirected.
3. Use HTTP imaging, where IIS controls the destination folders via aliases.
4. Manually script the process (script tasks).  This is not supported by Symantec, though the script task functionality itself is.

Each of these will be discussed briefly below.

1 BEST PRACTICE: Move the Altiris Agent.
Since the images are stored under the Altiris Agent, this is the best and most supported method for moving the images to a different drive.  This will work in both versions, AND the concept is shared with other similar issues, like moving packages and patches.  The Deployment "share" and Package "share" are both created under the agent, so using this method fixes all of the issues.

2 Use a program that re-directs the image data to another location.
Not supported, but very successful to many individuals, this method works in DS 7.1 only because all images are stored in the same location.  DS 8.x will not work with this as well unless the entire Package folder is also redirected.

One such program is a Microsoft-supplied program called LinkD and it may work for you as well.  Instructions for using one version of this app are below:

1. Create an image folder on the drive you want to store images on. (i.e. D:\image)
2. Move the content of "C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\Deployment\Task Handler\image" to the image folder you just created.
3. Download linkd.exe from this kb (or download and install Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?DisplayLang=en&FamilyID=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd )  NOTE: This same executable should work on Windows 2k8 as well. NOTE: This is not for use with mapped drives. See the document 'Link Does Not Create a Reparse Point Correctly' at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/253344. 
4. Run linkd.exe to create an NTFS Junction Point redirecting the original image folder to the new one you created:
   c:\>linkd.exe "C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\Deployment\Task Handler\image" "D:\image"

3. Use HTTP Imaging.
This is the next best method per Symantec recommendations, for it is built-in to the product and support.  Imaging can be a bit slow using this method, but the process allows for direct storage of images in any folder, without using GUIDs and such to identify them.  IIS is used to create an Alias to point to a folder you create, and then when you capture the image, you point to that alias, and voila, the image is there.

For setting up the Alias in IIS, refer to: KB 154365

4.  Manually script the process.
This method bypasses the Symantec default jobs and uses some level of scripting you (the customer) make.  For instance, you may map a drive using VBS, then run Ghost manually with the same script, or something of that nature.  You (the customer) would be responsible for ensuring the script works, rights are in place, etc., but you'd also be able to control completely the destination of the images.