Table of Contents

What is a Refreshing Computer?

A refreshing computer is a computer that is restored to a known, good, state after use.  Once you log off of a refreshing computer, any changes you made during use are discarded.  All files and settings are reverted to their original state.  Extra files are removed.  If you deleted something that was on the system, it will be restored.

On refreshing Macs, we are using a program called Radmind.  When you log off of the computer, or select restart or shutdown, Radmind will run.  It will check in with the Radmind server and see if there are any new updates to be applied to the computer.  It will then scan every file on the system to see what needs to be updated, restored, or removed.  NEVER EVER POWER OFF A MAC DURING THIS PROCESS. 

On refreshing Windows machines, we are using a program called Deep Freeze to achieve this.  Essentially, the computers are frozen.  That is, any changes you make during use are made to a shadow portion of the hard drive. This shadow portion is thrown away on log off.  Because there is no checking in with a server, there is no delivery of updates during this process.

Making Changes to Refreshing Computers

What this means is, any changes that need to be made permanently to refreshing computer need to be made by Troy or Rebecca Barkmeier.  If you go out to a refreshing machine to install a new printer or a new piece of software, it will just disappear when you log off.

Because refreshing Macs check in with a server as part of their refreshing process, we can easily deploy updates at any time.  The larger the files in an update, the longer it will take, so we try very hard to defer large updates to breaks.

Deployment of updates to Windows machines has to happen when the machines are thawed, so it cannot be done on the fly.  Updates to Windows machines are deferred to breaks as much as possible as the machines cannot be in use during the update process.

Identifying a Refreshing Computer

There are a few different ways to identify a refreshing computer.  First off, we have this handy list:

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Or you can tell by looking at the log in box

All refreshing computers have a name that end in the seat count + R (for Macs) or RW (for Windows). For example, CMC110-01R is a refreshing Mac.  CMC110-01RW is a refreshing Windows machine. MUSI110-01 is non-refreshing.

Adopting Refreshing Computers

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