🧭 End-to-End Workstation Deployment Process

Introduction

Workstation Lifecycle: The Image Playbook is DTC’s end‑to‑endno‑nonsense recipe for turning any workstation—laptop, tower, or NUC—intoshepherding a fullyworkstation recoverable,from ready‑for‑retirement“in assetproduction” withto as little human intervention as possible. Our approach rests on four pillars:

1. Capture – Take a point‑in‑time image of the device well before swap‑out day.

2. Protect – Back that image up every night (cloud, local, or both) until the old box is powered down for good.

3. Restore – Re‑deploy the image quickly, either on‑site or “on the Ridgebrookshelf” bench.

   without
data‑loss
4. drama.

   Generalize (Optional)The –whole Strip device‑specific identifiers so the image can become a true “gold master.”

All of thisflow is automatedanchored throughby MSP360 Backup, steered through a purpose‑built “Workstation Lifecycle: Step 1 Capture” script insingle NinjaRMM, script, and rounded out with a DTCBeSurebootable recovery environment thatyou bootscan fire up from USB,USB—or, ISO,soon, straight off the network.

Our approach has four actionable pillars:

Note on Restore Docs: Click‑by‑click guides for On‑Site Restoration Imaging and Ridgebrook Bench Imaging are still being written. Conceptually, it’s simple: pick the right repository, hit Restore, done.

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CaptureThe &Workhorse ProtectScript: “Workstation Lifecycle – Step 1 Capture”

RunningDeployed via NinjaRMM, the Step 1 Capture script does the heavy lifting:script:

1. Installs MSP360 if missing.

2. LogsSigns the agent into our staging account ([email protected]).

3. Creates one of two backup jobs:job per run:

   • Staging Job ☁️ –(cloud Cloud‑first,to restored on the Ridgebrook bench.Ridgebrook)

   • Staging Job Local 📂 – Writes to an on‑site (SMB share foron‑site)
     Re‑run same‑dayto rebuilds.add the second path—both jobs live happily together and run every night.

Need both paths? Re‑runOnce the scriptfirst withbackup completes successfully, we consider that workstation protected. Every subsequent nightly backup is gravy; we keep every version until the otherreplacement mode—jobsproject coexistis and back up nightly until lifecycle day.finished.

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RestoreRecovery (Guides Coming Soon)Environment

TheOur actualcustom actDTCBeSure ISO/USB includes:

• MSP360 restore console

• Dell Family Driver Pack (current at time of restorationISO iscreation)

  straightforward—

• Optional Sysprep automation script

We show you exactly how to inject fresh drivers, but there’s no scheduled “annual refresh” yet—just rebuild the ISO whenever you need newer drivers.

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What’s on the Roadmap

• netboot.xyz Entry – A menu option to PXE‑boot the same recovery image,image selectwhen USB sticks aren’t handy. (Planned, not live.)

• Detailed Restore Chapters – Step‑by‑step for both on‑site and Ridgebrook workflows.

• Automation Tweaks – If EFI/management behavior changes, we’ll revisit whether the repository,Generalize clickstep Restore—butstays theoptional.

  click‑by‑click
walkthroughs

are

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still

Current inTo‑Do progress:

List 🛠️

While those chapters are being drafted, remember: same image in, same image out—the backup job you chose at capture time dictates where you pull from.

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Generalization: Nice‑to‑Have, Not Must‑Have

Modern EFI firmware and our management stack (Intune, NinjaRMM tags, device‑based licensing) already handle cloned drives gracefully. The Generalize step—Sysprep in Audit Mode with a cleanup script—remains valuable when you’re building a reusable gold image, but it’s optional for everyday lifecycle swaps. Skip it when time is tight; there’s no SID‑collision drama in our ecosystem.

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What’s New in This Edition

• Network Boot Support. A freshly built MSP360 recovery ISO is being added to netboot.xyz, letting techs PXE‑boot a failing machine when USB media isn’t handy.

• Annual Driver Pack Refresh. Our Dell Family Driver Pack gets rolled into the ISO every year—no more NIC surprises during cloud restores.

• Monitoring Hygiene. We track 30 nights of backup success before calling an image “ready.” Failed jobs trigger an alert and retry.

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Roadmap & To‑Dos

Immediate Tasks

1. Deploy MSP360 recovery ISO to netboot.xyz

   • Build latest ISO → Upload → Add “DTC MSP360 Recovery” menu item → PXE‑test on Ridgebrook VLAN.

2. Draft missing Restore chapters

   • On‑Site Restoration Imaging

   • Ridgebrook Bench Imaging

3. Verify nightly backup success for 30 consecutive days on both cloud & local jobs.

Recurring Maintenance

• Rebuild recovery ISO annually with freshest driver packs.

• Review Generalize workflow each quarter; update docs if our management stack changes.

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Where We’re Headed

By the timeend you finishof this book,playbook you’ll have a repeatable,rinse‑and‑repeat auditedworkflow processthat:

for

imaging,
• backing

  Captures up, and resurrecting anyevery workstation before retirement.

• Backs up the image nightly with zero fuss.

• Restores it on your bench or in the fleet—whether you’re at HQ with a stack of field—USB sticks or remote with nothing but thetoday, network andboot atomorrow.

  good
PXE

menu. Ready?

Let’s jumpdive into Chapter 1: Capture and start protectingget those endpoints.first images rolling. 🚀