Operation Manual

General information

Acronis Snap Deploy Management Console is the primary tool for remote

management of Acronis OS Deploy Server, Acronis PXE Server and

master/target PCs.

Acronis OS Deploy Server controls the simultaneous master system

deployment on target PCs.

Acronis Snap Deploy Agent – boots up on each of target PCs and performs

the system deployment under control of Acronis OS Deploy Server. There are

three ways to load Acronis Snap Deploy Agent on target computers: directly

from bootable media, remotely using Microsoft RIS or remotely using Acronis

PXE Server.

Acronis PXE Server allows the booting of the Acronis Snap Deploy Agent or

Acronis Master Image Creator on remote PCs without using bootable media.

The remote computers must support PXE. Using Acronis PXE Server

considerably reduces time required for booting the computers as compared to

using bootable media. It also eliminates the need to have a technician onsite

to install the bootable media into the system that must be booted.

Acronis Snap Deploy Management Agent, if installed on a remote PC,

allows you to manage that PC using the Acronis Snap Deploy Management

Console. Management operations include creating master images, managing

files and executing applications.

Acronis Master Image Creator – a bootable component that allows local

imaging of the master system without installing the Acronis Snap Deploy

Management Agent on the master computer. There are three ways to load

Acronis Master Image Creator on a master computer: directly from bootable

media, remotely using Microsoft RIS, or remotely using Acronis PXE Server.

Acronis Universal Deploy (optional) – enables hardware-independent

operating system deployment.

To be able to manage deployment licenses, you must also install the Acronis

License Server.

1.4. Acronis Snap Deploy quick start

To deploy a system on one or more target computers, follow these steps:

1. Create a master PC configuration, including the operating system,

applications and settings.

2. Prepare the master OS with the Microsoft Sysprep tool in case it is needed.

See details in

5.2 The master OS preparation

3. Install the Acronis Snap Deploy Management Console. See details in

2.6 Acronis Snap Deploy components installation.

4. Create bootable media with the Acronis Master Image Creator. See

details in

5.1 Creating bootable media.

5. Boot Acronis Master Image Creator on the master PC and create a master

image on a network share. Check the integrity of the master image and

confirm that it is a valid file and not corrupted. See details in

5.3.2

Running Acronis Master Image Creator on a local computer.