What Else Is There?

So, after deploying seventeen new computers, re-image nine computers and eight laser printers, what else is there to do? Quite a bit actually.

For starters, there's the packing materials from all that shiny new hardware. It has to be broken down and disposed of. The old hardware has to be loaded in the van and taken back to headquarters, documented, sorted, and otherwise gone through. Since we're going to sell the equipment, the hard drives on the computers have to be formatted to ensure no private information is revealed or license agreements violated. Dust needs to be blown out of cases, and anything being kept needs to be sorted and stored.

To help keep track of every piece of equipment--or help identify what's missing or damaged in the event of a fire, theft or disaster--their serial number, make, model and other relevant data is recorded. We also use this information to track depreciation. Old equipment serial numbers are recorded too so we know exactly what we're phasing out.

As you can imagine, this is an involved process that can keep you going for weeks (if not months) depending on how many pieces of equipment and how detailed the records are.

All New Equipment Deployed

Yesterday, the last branch library, Plainfield, received their new equipment. The deployment is finally complete; after a one-day delay due to illness.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Deployments Update

Deployments are still going, and the equipment has been working perfectly. At this time, half the libraries are done.

Though the equipment deployments have gone fairly smoothly, they are taking longer than I anticipated. You have to consider not only installation and updating of the new computers and printer, but also packing up the old equipment and breaking down packing materials. Plus, if the branch has any special requirements, it could add at least another hour. On top of that, if you were dealing with time constraints, you could rush and make mistakes and spend even more time troubleshooting.

I'm also doing all the work alone; I have no assistance. (Okay, I did have a coworker help me unload the van once, and a librarian held a door open for me.)

As a result, three branches will be rescheduled for next week, just before Thanksgiving. That pushes full deployment back to the 22nd.

The libraries that have new computers and a color laser printer include:
East Tawas
Tawas City
Oscoda
Whittemore

Being deployed Friday morning is AuGres. Next week, Plainfield, Omer and Standish.

For patrons who are wondering why East Tawas still has their old Pentium 3 computers and laser printer is that their equipment was bought by the city of East Tawas, not the District.

Remaining Deployments

This week the remaining six branch libraries will receive their new equipment.

Over the weekend, Oscoda ran into a problem with DeepFreeze that I unintentionally caused. While I was briefly at Oscoda fixing another small glitch, I noticed that the batch file for updating AntiVirus and SpyBot wasn't working. After updating the configurations, I left the systems on in "Thawed - Locked" mode. Which meant that the computers could not be used at all unless I went back to the console and unlocked them.

Fortunately, it was only for one day and it was quickly and easily rectified this morning before they opened.

Tawas City went perfectly fine, and they only needed the printer reoriented today.

Still more updates and prep are taking place today for the other branches. I also learned that I had to do a repair-install for the eOpen version of Windows XP. The installation has been proceeding, but has been spewing out error messages, but updates and other re-installations of software should alleviate that.

Fortunately, the remaining computers that need to be re-imaged are identical models (Dimension 2400s) or there are already Ghost images ready for them (Dimension 4500S, 8100, and the Optiplex GX280 and 620).

Deployments Have Begun

Oscoda was the first branch library to receive the new equipment yesterday. Though it turned into taking the entire day to do (due to certain requirements and glitches), things went very smoothly. The new computers went online and connected to the new printer without a hitch.

There were a few small glitches that were quickly addressed, and added to the delivery checklist, but I've learned that the new equipment and software were well-received.

Another deployment, at Tawas City, will take place tomorrow. The remaining deployments are next week and will end on the 17th.

Delivery Scheduling

Today, I've begun scheduling delivery dates for the new hardware and software. Full deployment will be completed by November 17.

For more information, please visit the Wiki and read the title "The Software Overhaul."

Documentation writing, and other preparations, will continue until the last minute. Though the public computers are ready to go, new staff images need to be made, and preparation for children-only PCs needs to be completed.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing how well the new equipment and accompanying software are received.

Prepping New Equipment

Today, I'm pre-prepping the new computers. Right now, it appears that when they are deployed at the branches, I'll only have to do only three things to finish the prep.

New 3-ring binders, which will contain the documentation, arrived yesterday. They came with pre-printed labeling which looks sharp.

The printer and computer demonstration took place at the Librarians Meeting on Monday. It went pretty well, and I came away with a lot of useful feedback. The printer took the longest to setup, but it'll go faster the next time I do so.

This week, is prep and documentation writing. Next week, I start scheduling deployment times with the branches, and deployment begins immediately afterward.