I'm looking to propose a solution from a PC setup that involves Deep Freeze (to keep user from modifying the programs/system) to a virtual machine (Parallels or Fusion) on a Mac. Those in charge would like the virtual machine to be locked so that it couldn't be tampered with, so is this doable? I do not have any experience with Deep Freeze, but from what it looks like on the website, it modifies the BIOS, etc., and all I need to be able to do for the Mac is lock the virtual system from change (and not tamper with the Mac's hardware). Would Deep Freeze do this, or is there something else I can do to lock the VM disk image on the Mac? The VM will be left in a suspended/saved state when not in use.
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Parallels/VMWare Fusion - Locking VM with Deep Freeze?
- Thread starter super_kev
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You'd more then likely be able to make a VM a managed Deep Freeze client if you use bridged networking.
Otherwise reverting to a clean snapshot would effective keep future changes from being permanent.
I don't think you were expecting an answer so soon.
Otherwise reverting to a clean snapshot would effective keep future changes from being permanent.
I don't think you were expecting an answer so soon.
Yep, that was a fast answer. 
The computers will be networked, and I know that some software on the VM is going to be updated at times (once or twice a month). I somehow missed that a Deep Freeze Mac version was out, so I'm grabbing an eval of that to see if I can just protect the VMs and not the rest of the Mac.
The computers will be networked, and I know that some software on the VM is going to be updated at times (once or twice a month). I somehow missed that a Deep Freeze Mac version was out, so I'm grabbing an eval of that to see if I can just protect the VMs and not the rest of the Mac.
In bridged mode you can effectively treat a Windows virtual machine like another client computer on your network.
You can however lock the Mac and prevent changes from being done to the virtual disk image.
Are you trying to manage the Mac or the virtual machine?
You can however lock the Mac and prevent changes from being done to the virtual disk image.
Are you trying to manage the Mac or the virtual machine?
Just the virtual, as the Mac needs no managing at all. Scheduled updates need to be installed in the virtual machine, so those can't be automatically deleted when the virtual machine is restarted. I contacted the Faronics regarding this, and my guess is that they will suggest the Windows version of DF installed on the virtual machine, as that seems to be the only solution. I think that DF modifies the BIOS and some other things on Windows boxes, so hopefully that won't be required for a virtual machine.
I can look see to what options you have for the virtual machine's BIOS tomorrow when I get to my desktop at work.
It's quite generic to provide the widest range of operating system support though.
You're lucky I do have some experience with Deep Freeze.
It's quite generic to provide the widest range of operating system support though.
You're lucky I do have some experience with Deep Freeze.
Yeah no kidding. If it were me, I would say forget DF and just run the VM bare since it's only an image anyways (mess it up? copy a new virtual image to the Mac and be done with it), but the powers that be want the virtual system locked so that there is no tampering to make it easier on support.
I know, but when you're dealing with a Windows-based computer dept. with over 300 identical computers, they might want the Mac VM to be identical as well. That's not a given yet, but I'm trying to do some homework before I meet with them again.
That's not a given yet, but I'm trying to do some homework before I meet with them again.
Deep Freeze would be the only easy way that I know of for them to manage the state of a Windows machine and prevent changes.
Is there anything else you can think of that I could answer?
Is there anything else you can think of that I could answer?
It's been awhile, but I'm going to come back to this and see if I can finalize something over the holidays. My PC laptop has the software installed that we're looking to use on Parallels, but of course it's on the DeepFreeze-protected partition. I can boot up into a "personal" side partition on the PC, and so I should (?) be able to copy the DF-protected partition onto an external HD, which I can then transfer to the VM, right?
However, since the DeepFreeze BIOS hardware protection that was on the PC is no longer valid on an external HD, what system files do I need to remove from the external HD in order to remove the remaining DF program and inactivate it? This way I can convert the system to Parallels, test it, and have something to present to show that it works.
Thanks.
However, since the DeepFreeze BIOS hardware protection that was on the PC is no longer valid on an external HD, what system files do I need to remove from the external HD in order to remove the remaining DF program and inactivate it? This way I can convert the system to Parallels, test it, and have something to present to show that it works.
Thanks.