Tips for successfully creating network deployments.
To avoid delays, errors, and file corruption
- Create the deployment to a shared network location from an administrative workstation instead of a server. In this way, you don't need to use the same computer to run the installer, read the media, and write the files, which can prolong the deployment and corrupt it.
- Do not create deployments over WAN or VPN, which are typically slow and can lead to errors.
- When installing from media, first copy the contents of the media to a hard drive.
- If you are creating multiple deployments, create a separate folder for each deployment image. Creating multiple deployments in a single folder can corrupt client installations and lead to other serious problems.
- Disable antivirus software before you begin.
Other predeployment setup
- Create a shared directory for the administrative image on either a workstation or server. Keep the share name simple and short. Don't include spaces in the share name, and don't nest the shared directory too deeply on the drive.
- Create Windows deployments on FAT/FAT32/NTFS file systems only. Autodesk doesn't test or support other file systems, such as DFS, NFS, AIX, LINUX/UNIX, and file systems on network attached storage (NAS) devices.
- Verify that all users have full read access to the network share where your deployments are located and write access to the network log path.
- Locate the administrative image folder as close to the root of the drive as possible. (Windows has a maximum character limit of 256 for the path.)
- Use a Uniform Naming Convention (UNC) instead of mapped drives. For example, use
\\server\share\folder
instead of
M:\folder. Not all computers share the same mapped drive letters. Using UNC paths prevents problems later.
- Be aware of the deployment type you plan to use (user, network, standalone). Don't accept the default type before verifying that it's correct.
After deployment
- Instead of modifying a deployment to install products, consider creating a deployment for each modification. You can also use the Create and Modify tool, provided in the deployment Tools folder. The Create and Modify tool saves space by creating only the files specific to a modification. When using this tool, be sure to select Use Current Deployment As A Template to keep your original deployment intact.
- Avoid moving deployments between servers. If you must move a deployment, modify it to insert the new location into the deployment structure.
- Test the deployment by installing it to only one workstation before installing to others.