NetRestore Speed

Associate
Joined
13 Jun 2007
Posts
1,316
Location
London
I've had a strange issue with something at work which up until recently hasn't really bothered me but I am now in the position of having to image 80+ Macs.

I have a pre-configured image, including applications, accounts, settings, even new user templates which is setup so a new temp user can come in and start work straight away. I use a Mac Pro server to image the machines using NetRestore, via the NetInstall function of Mac OS X Server. This goes over a full gigabit network and generally works. What I cannot work out is why it images as slow as it does.

Checking the network section of Activity Monitor on the server shows it fluctuating from 30MB/s to 30KB/s when I am imaging just one iMac (it goes to a steading 120-140MB/s when doing multiple Macs).

However, I have a similar setup in another room at work which images 3-5x as quick, it'll always pull a steady 70-80MB/s for single image. Strangely, that server is a lower spec than the Mac Pro :/ I've tried numerous different setups, different hard drives, fresh installs etc. And setup the Mac Pro exactly the same as the other server.

Anyone else had some experience with this and can suggest a solution?

Current server: Mac Pro Mid 2012, 2x 2.4GHz 6-Core Xeon, 32GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB OS HDD, 3x 1TB additional HDD. Running OS X 10.9.3 with Server app.

Server that performs better: Mac mini 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 6GB RAM, 2x 500GB 7200rpm drives.
 
Associate
Joined
20 Jan 2006
Posts
313
Network switch in the other room, is it different?

Are these being multicast or unicast?

Can you move the Mac Pro into the other room and try and push an image there?
 
Associate
OP
Joined
13 Jun 2007
Posts
1,316
Location
London
Network switch in the other room, is it different?

Are these being multicast or unicast?

Can you move the Mac Pro into the other room and try and push an image there?

Have tried the Mac Pro in the same room / with same switch etc.

Interestingly, I quickly setup the NetRestore on my rMBP which performs as it should...making me thing it could be a network controller issue on the Mac Pro. Will be using my laptop for the time being.

Not a fan of deploy studio, but I might give AutoDMG a look.

Thanks!
 
Associate
OP
Joined
13 Jun 2007
Posts
1,316
Location
London
Update for anyone who's interested:

Turned out to be a network interface hardware issue with the Mac Pro. Now using a Mac mini in it's place that seems to be coping well.

Doing 12 iMacs at a time with a 40GB image. I'm pretty impressed!
 
Soldato
Joined
3 Dec 2002
Posts
3,996
Location
Groovin' @ the disco
deploy studio is better imo... :)

Intresting enough, in the Apple cert book; it says that you can upload a configuration file to apple themselves, so that devices are ready straight from apple to work on your network. Not sure how it works, as its not something I've looked into yet. But IF it used internet restore to connect to an apple server and that gave the machine the right image based on the serial number of the machine. It would be well impressive.
 
Back
Top Bottom