Parallels Mac Management Version 7 – Feature Focus: non-OSD Task Sequences
Non-OSD Task Sequences
Support for task sequences was added to Parallels® Mac Management for Microsoft® SCCM years ago, and they were used as part of the Mac onboarding/re-imaging process. But task sequences are also useful out of scope of the Operating System Deployment (OSD) workflow.
Starting with version 7 of Parallels Mac Management, you can use task sequences to perform multiple actions on a managed Mac® in a specific order. We call them non-OSD task sequences.
Figure 1: non-OSD Task Sequence Editor in Parallels Mac Management
There is no specific UI or workflow for non-OSD task sequences. Instead, a task sequence is automatically considered a non-OSD task sequence if it doesn’t contain any of the following steps:
- Apply OS X Image
- Capture OS X Image
- Format and Partition Disk
You can use any of the following steps:
- Install Package/Application
- Execute Script
- Apply Configuration Profile
- Set Hostname
- Join Domain
- Set Variable
That said, the workflow for non-OSD task sequences should be familiar to you:
- Create a task sequence for Mac.
- Deploy this task sequence to a collection of Mac computers.
- Required task sequences will be executed silently at a specified schedule.
- Available task sequences will be displayed in the Parallels Application Portal, allowing Mac users to initiate the task sequence execution at their convenience.
Figure 2_Parallels Application Portal
3. Keep your eye on the deployment status of the task sequence to better understand what is going on with your managed Mac computers.
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