Leveraging virtualization for image creation, SmartDeploy’s modular, layered architecture allows a single image to be deployed to any device. Users no longer need to make changes to images or create model-specific images to support various hardware devices over time. To solve the model-specific challenges, SmartDeploy leverages virtualization to create a hardware independent image that can be deployed to any device. Furthermore, SmartDeploy handles driver challenges by providing model-specific driver packages, called Platform Packs. In this patent-pending approach, only the precise drivers and software-specific settings required for a particular device are injected at deployment time. This approach allows the fastest, most reliable deployment and highest endpoint performance.

Symantec Ghost most often utilizes hardware specific images, in part because the underlying file format is a hard-disk sector by sector copy. This approach works best when users create and deploy images to identical hardware. Generally, users must create and maintain a separate image for each endpoint model they support and device drivers for those particular machines automatically become part of the image. This results in a large image library which is difficult to create and becomes quickly unmanageable at scale. Another option with Symantec Ghost is to utilize an add-on called DeployAnywhere or another 3rd party tool to handle device drivers. These tools rely solely on Plug and Play to choose the correct drivers for the endpoint from a large driver database. This method is slower and can cause unexpected results at the endpoint where incorrect drivers can be installed which leads to timely troubleshooting and wasted disk space.