I thought this was the right place to ask, let me know if somewhere else was better.

I have a classroom in a public school with around 30 PCs (windows) I need to install software on (python and codium). They are all the same PCs. In the past there was a management system but due to some licensing issues that does not work anymore.

How its been done before: Go to each and every PC and setup everything manually, or do it once and mirror the HDD 30 times … both ways very time consuming.

I thought there might be a better way to do this, do you have any idea?

    • HorseChandelier@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 year ago

      I would second pdq.

      I use the free version to assist with the non gpo installable crapware the school has to use. It is restricted in what it can do but us good enough.

      For python and the like, are you sure you want that on your network on every day workstations? Most school networks have a no programming languages policy (though handwave powershell)

      We use a virtualbox vm with an immutable hard disk as a container… Semms to work OK and might be something to look at. Has the advantage that updates are simple - change to disk image.

    • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
      4·
      1 year ago

      This is the answer for such a small group of machines. Have chatgpt write a script that runs X on every device in a list. Then have X be the install from a network share.

      • nyar@lemmy.world
        4·
        1 year ago

        Then, with the script it made, double check every line and confirm it didn’t make shit up.

  • REdOG@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    1 year ago

    Id make sure winrm is setup and use Ansible.

    Or install and configure ssh and use powershell

  • sitzathlet@feddit.de
    4·
    1 year ago

    If it can’t cost anything, and time is not too much of an issue, you might want to use winget or chocolatey. If there’s packages, you can write the script quite easily, then run it on every machine.

  • Dran@lemmy.world
    51·
    1 year ago

    The tool sets you’re looking for fall under a category called IaC (infrastructure as code). They allow you to define environments and add installers and configuration to those environments. Typically they require an extra network-accessable server to act as a controller for the toolset.

    My personal go-to at work for exactly what you’re asking is Puppet.

    Other popular options: Sccm, Chef, Ansible

    • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
      3·
      1 year ago

      I’ve never heard of IAC on Windows desktops. IAC is about consistent building of cloud resources. These are individual physical devices and probably aren’t all being flashed and rebuilt with every deployment.

      • Dran@lemmy.world
        1·
        1 year ago

        https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/configmgr/core/understand/introduction

        Configuration Manager / intune / sccm / whatever they change the name to next is the first-party solution from MS. It has always been able to modify an existing install. Push out a fresh piece of software, reconfigure one, uninstall one, force a group to update a gpo or update windows, etc…

        Most universities use intune/puppet/chef for this in labs and for deployed desktops/laptops to faculty/staff to keep things up to date and consistent.

          • Dran@lemmy.world
            1·
            1 year ago

            Intune is kinda point-and-clickey for sure, but would you not consider puppet and ansible IaC? What would you classify it if not?

            • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
              2·
              1 year ago

              As I understand it, IAC is not about managing devices. When a IAC created device needs an update, you update the config, blow away the device, and build new.

              Ansible and puppet manage devices. If you need a change, you send the package or config or reg key. You can’t blow away a device and build identical, like you can with IAC. At least not easily and without lots of careful group management.

              That said, IAC is changing fast and I may not be up to speed on all the features of those tools. We’re an MECM and intune shop, with a bit of jamf on the side.