Ask just about any IT person what tool has saved their bacon more than any other, and they will probably say a disk imaging utility. One of the most widely used disk imaging tools out there is Symantec's Ghost, recently updated and released as Ghost Solution Suite 2.0. This release includes new features destined to keep it in the front of the CD wallet with full support for Windows Vista, 64-bit operating system This release includes new features destined to keep it in the front of the CD wallet with full support for Windows Vista, 64-bit operating systems, centralized console for all migration tasks, and migration support for the latest software releases.I’ve been a long-time user of Ghost, using it exclusively to image customer hard drives during upgrades or repairs. Working from within the Ghost management console was a real eye-opener for me, however. With Solution Suite 2.0, I could inventory my client PCs (for installed hardware and software), image clients in the background, create a report based on hardware type, and then push out software changes or updates to multiple computers simultaneously based on the results from the report. Deploying new applications or OS updates was never easier. The big red mark on my forehead was from me smacking myself for not using the suite sooner.What I was most interested in was Ghost’s ability to image and deploy Windows Vista upgrades to target PCs. I tested this by pushing the Ghost agent out to a Windows XP Pro PC and a Windows Vista PC from the management console. I created base images of each and stored them on my local hard drive. I then pushed the Vista image out to the XP Pro PC. After about 45 minutes, I had a fully restored Vista computer up and running. (If you do this, make sure you use the Microsoft’s sysprep utility to detect the new hardware on the re-imaged PC as well as the SID Change option in the Ghost management console.)Ghost Solution Suite 2.0 provides a wealth of functionality and flexibility for time-strapped IT. Admins can keep an eye on the hardware and software assets on the network and easily maintain those assets from one handy console. I really like how easy it was to image and deploy Vista to different hardware, and the reporting Bottom Line: Ghost Solution Suite 2.0 Platforms: Client: Windows 95b/98 SE, Windows NT 4.0 (SP4), Windows 2000 Pro, Windows XP Pro, Windows XP Tablet Edition, and Vista (Windows ME and XP Home are not supported); Server: Windows 2000 (all versions), Windows XP Pro, Windows Server 2003 (all versions), Vista Cost: $39.20 for 10 to 24 licenses Verdict: Ghost Solution Suite 2.0 is a veritable Swiss army knife of useful management tools for small networks or large. The hardware and software inventory function is very useful for tracking just what is on the network, and its support for 64-bit Windows and Vista leaves no Windows system unmanaged. This is one tool that no admin should be without. Technology Industry