[Pau11y]

This is for the geek monkeys. I'm using Ghost Multicast to image multiple machines (16 of 'em) at once. I need to order these machines and I'm thinking it's going to be the Dell GX280 small form factor ones. Now, the Broadcom 440 NICs that's integrated on the MoBo I know doesn't play fair w/ Ghost (or at least their DOS NIC driver doesn't like to bind). The best luck I've had w/ NICs in Ghost are the 3com ones (specifically the 3c905x). Do any of you know of a good low profile NIC that plays fair w/ Ghost? I'm eye-balling the 3C2000 LP...?

 

[binary visions]

It's been a while since I was working with Ghost, but we used 3com cards universally and they were always the easiest to set up. The DOS drivers worked great and we never had an issue. Any machine that came in with a legacy card, we tore out and put in a 3com (we were using the 3c905x too).

3com DOS drivers have always been the best and most reliable, in my experience. I'd give the 3C2000 a shot on a trial machine and see how it goes.

 

[H8R]

This is for the geek monkeys. I'm using Ghost Multicast to image multiple machines (16 of 'em) at once. I need to order these machines and I'm thinking it's going to be the Dell GX280 small form factor ones. Now, the Broadcom 440 NICs that's integrated on the MoBo I know doesn't play fair w/ Ghost (or at least their DOS NIC driver doesn't like to bind). The best luck I've had w/ NICs in Ghost are the 3com ones (specifically the 3c905x). Do any of you know of a good low profile NIC that plays fair w/ Ghost? I'm eye-balling the 3C2000 LP...?

One question I have, why the SFF? We have the GX270's here, and they are a total pain in the ass for the tech when any of the machines need upgrades (dual monitor cards, etc), due to the scarcity of offerings in low profile cards.

Seems the small tower option would cause less headaches, are esier to work in, and offer more usability down the road.
IMHO.

 

[binary visions]

One question I have, why the SFF? We have the GX270's here, and they are a total pain in the ass for the tech when any of the machines need upgrades (dual monitor cards, etc), due to the scarcity of offerings in low profile cards.

Seems the small tower option would cause less headaches, are esier to work in, and offer more usability down the road.
IMHO.

They're going towards SFF machines at my office. The problem is that they're rapidly outgrowing their office space, with no room to really expand. So with the new cubicle setups they're using, the SFF desktop with the new 17" flat panel monitors really gives you a bunch of added space, when you multiply it times 1000 employees.

 

[H8R]

They're going towards SFF machines at my office. The problem is that they're rapidly outgrowing their office space, with no room to really expand. So with the new cubicle setups they're using, the SFF desktop with the new 17" flat panel monitors really gives you a bunch of added space, when you multiply it times 1000 employees.

The flat panels, definately, but saving 2" of width off of a box that can stash under a desk seems weird. I dunno.

We upgraded about 100 machines last year, and all the new SFF boxes went exactly where the old mid-towers went. No difference.

Now the techs need to hunt all over for cards that last year were available from Dell.

meh.

 

[Pau11y]

The sff is for our front line machines at the hotel. A mini tower is slightly too big for the location which was designed for dumb terminals. These stations are also going to have LCDs too. The LCDs will sit on the sff box the way it's currently arranged.

So, I messaged my IT team for Starwood hotels and it seems the Broadcom onboard NICs will go w/ Ghost using their supplied DOS drivers. I guess the bulk of my headache is now over

 

[dogdude]

ive found that the older 3COMs did work the best but also ive had no problem with the broadcoms or even the fiber allied telesyns