A derived manifest is an AI manifest that is controlled by a script. Accordingly, the script is called a derived manifests script.
The script uses a base AI manifest from which it creates modified manifests when the installation is run. During AI, the script discovers client attributes. Based on those attributes, the script revises the manifest with corresponding definitions to be implemented on the client.
Derived manifests offer the following benefits:
Efficiency
With derived manifests, you do not have to maintain multiple manifests. Instead you will be working potentially with fewer scripts that control multiple manifests.
Flexibility
Scripts create and modify manifests dynamically. For a group of system clients with relatively little differences among themselves, the script can easily adjust the manifests accordingly. Thus, installation can be almost identical for these clients.
Control of system configuration files
Scripts can also be configured to create configuration profiles that perform post-installation configuration.