Contents

Overview

In an effort to increase the accessibility, collaboration, and security on the UITS Software Image builds, UITS provides a secure, NetID-based centralized repository for all current production UITS software image builds, as well as any limited-time, pre-production test builds that are available for testing, collaboration, and feedback from the University IT community. The following are details on access to and organization of the repository data.

Process

UITS creates, maintains, and/or recommends the standardized software image build set (“HuskyPC Images”) in support of all currently shipping HuskyPC computer models.

• The process for building a new HuskyPC image begins with release of new hardware or when existing image builds warrant update due to significant software or security concerns.
• Feedback and suggestions for changes to existing image builds are reviewed and requested through the University Software Licensing Group’s HuskyPC Windows or HuskyPC Mac AdHoc Committees.
• Upon creation of an initial new/updated HuskyPC image build, a communication is sent to all image collaborators, announcing availability of the initial image build for distributed IT testing, feedback, and requests for changes.
• At the end of the testing/feedback window (approximately 1 week), applicable feedback is reviewed and applicable changes incorporated into initial image builds to produce a new, finalized HuskyPC image build. This build is uploaded to the UITS secure image repository. Image data/specifications are sent to the vendor for incorporation into their factory imaging process.
• The standardized software image is shipped from vendors’ factory as the default software environment on all University-purchased, HuskyPC-designated computer hardware.
• Existing image builds are reviewed on a on an on a semi-annual annual basis, when hardware changes, or when significant security updates mandate a change to the default software environment. .

Location

The image share is located at address:

• tssfs.uits.uconn.edu

Actual formatting of this server address varies based on access platform.

• Windows:   \\tssfs.uits.uconn.edu
• Mac OS:      smb://tssfs.uits.uconn.edu

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Access

Access to the UITS image share is based off user’s/department’s agreement to actively participate in the feedback and testing of the standardized HuskyPC image builds. The UITS Business Office maintains an official list of approved IT support personnel who have agreed to participate in the HuskyPC software program.  

• Requester reviews and completes the HuskyPC Image Sharing Agreement located on the Software Licensing Group's Forms page.
• Requester contacts the UITS Business Office, located in MSB 049 or by phone at 860-486-1781 indicating interest in collaborating on the UITS Image and forwarding the completed form Image Sharing Agreement back to the Business Office.
• UITS Business Office contacts UITS User Services team who adds the requester's NetID to appropriate Active Directory access group the UITS - TSS Image Access group within Active Directory.
• User Services Team confirms availability of image access with the Requester directly.

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Permissions

Server-side, top-level folders are setup as follows with propagating permissions carrying down to each folder in the hierarchy: 

Read/Execute Access

• UITS - TSS Image Access 
• Comprised of NetID's of all those approved for access
• Workstation Managers
• User Services internal staff administrators

Read/Write/Execute Access

• UITS - TSS Image Admins (administrators of the file shares)

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Structure

At the top-level, there are three separate folders available that segregate images and files based upon access rights and platform.

• beta
• All pre-production HuskyPC image sets

• mac
• All production HuskyPC-Mac image sets
• tss
• All User Services-specific image sets (User Services internal builds)
• win
• All production HuskyPC-Windows image sets

In summary, the basic folder structure for the image share is as follows:

• platform
• operating system
• model line / architecture
• model/ series