Deploying multiple application servers on win2K/2K3

I build many Microsoft based application servers on
Windows 2000/2003 in a development environment using a
number of hardware boxes.

During development I need to build the same application
server many times on different boxes quickly so that we
have environments for different project phases.

I have cloned using sysprep or ghostwalk with a disk image
before. At OS level this works OK (even with different
hardware) and also with a SQL Server installation. However
as application servers are installed, Biztalk, Commerce
Server, Content Management Server etc cloning in this way
becomes more complicated (due to applications storing
server properties in configuration databases or files of
their own).

Could anybody give me any leads on how best to deploy
multiple application servers quickly as described? Surely
I'm not the only one who does this!

Many Thanks

 

The best thing I can think of to avoid that is to deploy in two steps. One the core OS, which you seem to be okay doing. Then install the apps as MSI or AI packages. It is not as quick as an image, but it's still very quick. The only other possibility I can think of for your particular need is to use vmware. I didn't notice whether you were referring to hardware development or software. If it's software, there's nothing like vmware. You simply copy the build, they are all transferrable to any other system because the vmlayer is the same on every box, no matter the hardware. I've tested apps using vmware a lot, you hose a box, you simply import another vmcopy, reinstall and test. Build multiple OS versions and configurations and test with each OS. You can run multiple vm's on a single machine and each can still work on the network as the host box.