Deploying PCBEBasic Configurations to Multiple Stations, Please Help

[Anonymous user]

Im in a bit of a pickle here. Let me give you some background.

I work for a company that has about 100 Graphic Workstations that are all the same model. We use SmartUPS 1000's for just about all of them. We dont have the infrustructure and resources to install Network Monitoring Cards in all of them. We have configured each individually and they are unmanaged by a central server..

The company is making the move to Windows XP x64-Bit. Ive tested PCBEBasic on it and it functions normally. We are going to do a managed deploy using Microsoft SCCM Server.

What I want to know is this:

Can I capture an install and configuration of PCBEBasic and deploy it as a managed package through SCCM to every station?

and/or

Where are all the settings files or registry entries held for the PCBE agent. Can I copy those to each station? The configuration will be the same for each station. If the packaged deploy doesn't work, I would like to deploy those files to each station when we re-image all of them.

No one on APC's phone support will touch this. I find it very annoying that they just tell me to go buy the Network Monitoring Card. It's a ripoff to buy a $400+ UPS and be told the only way to really manage it is to buy an additional $270 Network Monitoring Card. Multiply that cost by 100. Then I have to buy and configure all the network infrastructure to handle it. Not to mention the PCBE Server can only handle 25 clients. What's up with that? Sounds like an artificial limit, or, has it been updated to handle more?

What do I do here?

[BillP]

there is a silent install type of procedure that we have but i think it only works on the deluxe versions for some reason. in your situation, i agree it does not make sense to put a network management card in each of the servers. network management cards work better when you have a large UPS with multiple clients but your situation is many UPSs with only one client.

if you can confirm your email is correct though, i will send you the procedure that we have and you can see if it works with your set up. that is the only thing i can think of since we dont have exact registry settings or anything like that to give you.

someone else may be able to chime in if they have done anything different in a similar situation..

[Anonymous user]

sure,,

But to clear this up..

These are Network Management Cards that go in the UPS, not in the workstations.

Getting the PCBE Agent out to the workstations is easy. It's the configuration that I need to get out to each machine.

Thank you for your help.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

yes i understand the management cards go in the UPS.

the silent install consists of configuring one machine the way you like it then copying a config file over to your other machines.

ill send you what we have and maybe it will be of some help. like i said, documentation says it only works for the deluxe version so I cannot guarantee this is the solution.