EMCO MSI Package Builder vs. Symantec Ghost Solution Suite

For large, complex software deployments that have a number of install scenarios and executables that interact with one another, EMCO MSI Builder is well-suited. It is able to track software installs, registry changes, file additions, and deletions, modifying shortcuts and anything else that would be needed to prepare big deployment projects for large organizations.

Incentivized

It helps to manage the mass of computers we use. We use GSS to see where and who deployed software to what computers. This can particularly be helpful when dealing with license usage, and tracking how many licenses we have left, and where those licenses have been used. We are able to use it to manage clients.

Incentivized

• Capture Customizations to settings/registry.
• Track File movement and additions during install for specific uses.
• Capture file and system level changes for inclusion in deployment.

Incentivized

• Ghost Cast [Server} gets the job done.
• Easy to use.
• Nice UI.

• Work on clearly defining functions on reboot.

Incentivized

• Even though Ghost Solution Suite saves configurations, software settings and installation within the image, there is still some manual configuration that needs to be done once the image is complete.
• Installing Drivers for specific models of computers. With Ghost Solution Suite, it can be difficult to get the drivers for all the hardware of all the different model computers, so you have to create different images for different model computers. It would be nice to have the ability to have a hardware independent image for all model computers
• Image Size. Ghost does have compression to reduce the size of the image, but when you have to store all the drivers within the image it increases the total size of the image you need to manage.

Incentivized

Support has always been quick to respond with additional information and clarification

Incentivized

Provides advanced functionality for the enterprise level software deployment analyst over and above the basic tools that Microsoft included with the original APP-v sequencing tool, allowing the analyst greater control over what is captured and how it is captured. This makes the impact of needing to change the deployment package easier to maintain and update

Incentivized

Based on our particular company needs, we selected Ghost primarily for the cost. There are better products out there to deploy new computers. KACE was one of the products tested. I used KACE at a previous company and I can say KACE is a more effective deployment method, but the cost prevented us form going with this product. Also, since we have one single standard image it was very easy to manage Ghost for all our employee computers. We also standardized to one single hardware model computer which also made the decision to use Ghost easier.

Incentivized

• It allows faster turnaround time for complex deployment projects.
• Easy to update existing deployment packages with changes.
• We must maintain the pristine virtual machine for usage.

Incentivized

• Initial setup took a long time to nail down. Once support figured out the issues, it was smooth.
• After implementation, capturing and deploying images were smooth.
• Being able to quickly deploy software, or move users to new AD groups, or manage power of the machines quickly made us enjoy the software even more.

Incentivized