This summer, we ordered a heap of netbook-class portable computers for deployment in classes in 2009-2010.  Getting them prepared for student use is quite a task.

Taking delivery:

Unpacking:

A packaging nightmare:

Getting ready... (this is only 1/2 of the total amount of netbooks)

Set up and ready to start software imaging...  Imaging allows me to slam down the entire operating system, installed applications and custom configurations (like the Desktop and menus) in one fell swoop.  Doing this by hand on each computer would take about 1 hour per computer.  Imaging can be done 3 computers at a time, and takes only about 20 minutes (again, this is only 1/2 the total we ordered...):

Software imaging from USB keys.  (imaging is often done over the network, but USB keys are much faster):

The assembly line...  When I'm at full steam, I'm working with 9 computers at a time.  Front row is being inventoried, middle row is being imaged, and the back row is having final configurations completed:

All done... 69 units inventoried, imaged, configured and ready to deploy in classrooms!  The whole process took about 2 1/2 days to complete.