Cloning


Concept

After carefully installing and configuring many software packages on one computer, it is often convenient to then "clone" this master image onto multiple target computers. This is often useful when setting up a lab so that every computer has exactly the same set of software on it, and the same basic configuration. This general process is often referred to as "cloning" or "ghosting" . Note that KeyConfigure can be used to distinctly control which programs are licensed to run on each target computer even when the installed software may be identical.

Some configuration details like the name and ip address for each target machine must be distinct. Therefore some configuration files or registry settings must be exempted from the duplication process or immediately customized on each target computer. Cloning can be used to distribute KeyAccess as part of the master image, but some of its configuration files (like client name and ip address) must be exempted from duplication. If you are making an image that will only be used to restore a single computer to its original state (e.g. using products such as "Deep Freeze" and "Drive Shield"), then all files can (and probably should) be included in the image. If a master image will be cloned to more than one computer, consult the lists below for files that must be excluded from the master image.

OS 9 file list

The following files should NOT be copied from one computer to another:

  • [System Folder]:Preferences:KeyAccess Actions
  • [System Folder]:Preferences:KeyAccess Audit
  • [System Folder]:Preferences:KeyAccess Offline
  • [System Folder]:Preferences:Portable Keys (don't move) - this is a folder, not a file

If you want cloned clients to point to the same KeyServer as the computer you took the image from, you should be sure to copy the file: [System Folder]:Preferences:KeyAccess Prefs

OS X file list

The following files should NOT be copied from one computer to another:

  • /var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess Actions
  • /var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess Audit
  • /var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess Offline
  • /var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess Prefs
  • /var/root/Library/Preferences/Portable Keys (don???t move)/ - nothing in this directory should be copied to another computer

If you want cloned clients to point to the same KeyServer as the computer you took the image from, you should be sure to copy the file: /Library/Preferences/com.sassafras.KeyAccess.plist

Windows file list

The following files and directories should NOT be copied from one computer to another:

  • Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\KeyAccess Audit
  • [User Profile Dir]\Local Settings\Application Data\KeyAccess Offline
  • [User Profile Dir]\Local Settings\Application Data\portable.dir\
  • [Any Drive]\portable.dir\

The following registry settings should NOT be copied from one computer to another:

  • registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Sassafras\KeyAccess\Settings\pref
  • registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Sassafras\KeyAccess\Settings\settings
  • registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Sassafras\KeyAccess\Settings\uncache
  • registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\KeyAccess\Settings\pref
  • registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\KeyAccess\Settings\settings
  • registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\KeyAccess\Settings\uncache

Note: the KeyAccess client install creates a keyacc.ini file in the windows directory even when you accept the default, "store settings in registry". The line, "registry=2" in keyacc.ini tells KeyAccess to consult the registry for additional settings - so keyacc.ini must be included in the cloned image. If you have customized the client install (using the kscustom utility) so it stores all settings in the keyacc.ini, then this file must be edited before cloning - remove all lines beginning "previd" or "prevhw".

Carbon Copy Cloner

Carbon Copy Cloner is an OS X utility from Bombich Software. In order to exclude the KeyAccess files from the images it writes, edit the file at Library/Preferences/com.bombich.ccc.plist (probably relative to your home directory). Find the cacheItems section that starts with:

<key>cacheItems</key>
	<array>


Add the following five items to the end of the array:
	   <array>
	       <string>var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess\ Actions</string>
	   </array>
	   <array>
	       <string>var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess\ Audit</string>
	   </array>
	   <array>
	       <string>var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess\ Offline</string>
	   </array>
	   <array>
	       <string>var/root/Library/Preferences/KeyAccess\ Prefs</string>
	   </array>
	   <array>
	       <string>var/root/Library/Preferences/Portable\ Keys\ (don???t\ move\)</string>
	   </array>

Symantec Ghost

Symantec Ghost is a Windows utility from Symantec. In order to exclude the KeyAccess files from the images it writes, you should first manually delete the registry entries listed above, then run ghost.exe with the flag -skip=@skipfile. *

skipfile should contain the following text:

[ghost exclusion list]
*\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\KeyAccess Audit
*\Local Settings\Application Data\KeyAccess Offline
*\portable.dir\
[end of list]
Alternatively, you could create the image, and then use Norton Ghost Explorer to remove these manually.

*Note: when the master image uses the NTFS file system the ghost tools mentioned above can't be used so you will have to manually delete the files and directory. Before deleting, use the task manager to shutdown keyacc32.exe and then freeze the master image before rebooting.

Other Programs

There are many other utilities which can be used for cloning, for which we don't have specific instructions on how to exclude files. If you use one of these products, and know how to configure excluded files, please send us an email describing how: support@sassafras.com. These utilities include:


Help Index 2005.11.22

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