Is it possible for me to deploy Elive OS in a fashion similar to Microsoft Windows Deployment Server? Sorry guys, one of my hats are Windows Deployment Specialist...
I'm planning on deploying Debian 12.20 (downloading now) as the base of the server but want to know the best practices for Elivizing the server and your advice for deploying Elive OS.
It depends what functionality you actually want or expect.
The Elive server has automated scripts for certain functions and the nicest thing IMO a "zsh" that is the same as on Elive desktop ..... with the same commands and functions.
Head on over to see/read all that's in there:
If you do find something missing .... let's hear it.
Will it work with Debian 12.20?
It should work fine.
AFAIK there aren't any differences in what's available for the shell....but frankly, I haven't tried, yet.
I have tried out Elivizing various Debians on arm architecture hardware: A raspberry Pi 4 and on my PinebookPro. Both work like a charm coming from Armbian. 
You know, my shop has an abandoned Raspberry Pi 3 Kit laying around. Think I can do something with that? Not with the server though...
Is it possible for me to unpack the Elive OS .iso files to a (shared) directory on an Elive server and install the OS on individual computers from the network? Deployments are very important to me.
Well, the current installer is made specifically for use with a running live version and requires quite a bit of interaction...so not really.
Depending on how your network is set up ... it might be possible to boot the .iso files (albeit even that requires some interaction to finish).
I think you need to be more specific here:
IMO nothing more easier than jabbing a USB drive in and booting.
There are ways of making GRUB boot from available files but ..... that would require grub being installed in the first place, wouldn't it.
Another option would be a thin-client like solution where the clients run on/from the remote server....but again would require some handling of the clients.
Yeah install/copy a basic Debian on the sd-card from which it boots and sets up a WAN connection then:
Run the commands mentioned on the github page and wait for it to finish. 
You can rerun those commands adding stuff as often as you like.
Understood, but, my friend, plugging 20 - 30 computers into the LAN and having them (PXE) boot to a few configuration screens, leaving and returning an hour or two later to a network of fully configured computers; priceless!
Doing so with 20 - <500 computers from ONE console; epically so!!
Dude, MS has had a few decades to churn stuff like that out. I'm not asking for Rome to be built in a day; just throwing out a few ideas, hoping that some may already be covered.
Yep, that could work but ..... would only "fly" if all your machines are identical hardware and have identical users and setups i.e you prepare a pre-configured image for them.
The only option would be a live version to boot on ..... no questions asked, just a standard configuration and user....otherwise it'd require personal attention.
Actually they'd all be clones....and knowing M$: Probably (after an hour or two) a whole fresh new botnet for someone (not you) to use.... hack one=hack them all.
But ..... I'd say, first (considering Elive=Debian based) read this: PXEBootInstall - Debian Wiki
and then here's a reasonable Howto: https://linuxconfig.org/network-booting-with-linux-pxe
In both cases they install "Debian netboot" which makes sense.
Is not ready for debian 12, but it will be next, actually its compatible with debian 11, the work needs to start soon for the migration of debian 12 in elive for servers, if you want to wait
Actually no. M$' MDT allows you to configure units via criteria you are able to set and it is very granular. The tech is VERY mature. As for the security, in the early days of network deployments, I would employ air-gapped networks that weren't connected to the 'net until EVERYTHING was configured. The endpoint protection for individual units was top-notch. Some things M$ gets right, y'know, like a broken clock.
I might be ignorant when it comes to Linux but not when it comes to deployment tech...
