June, 2009

Get ready to deploy Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2.

The Windows^® 7 and Windows Server^® 2008 R2 launches are just around the corner. As you prepare to deploy these operating systems, get a jump start with Microsoft^® Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2. Leverage this Solution Accelerator to achieve efficient, cost-effective deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

MDT 2010 is the next version of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a Solution Accelerator for operating system and application deployment. New features such as flexible driver management, optimized user interface workflow, and Windows PowerShell^™ can simplify deployment and make your job easier. MDT 2010 will support deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in addition to deployment of Windows Vista^®, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP. Join the beta now!

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the recommended process and toolset for automating desktop and server deployment. MDT provides you with the following benefits:

• Unified tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment in a common deployment console and collection of guidance.
• Reduced deployment time and standardized desktop and server images, along with improved security and ongoing configuration management.
• Fully automated zero touch installation deployments by leveraging System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 beta and Windows deployment tools. For those without a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 infrastructure, MDT leverages Windows deployment tools for lite touch installation deployments. 

New Functionality

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 is a significant upgrade over MDT 2010 Beta 1.  MDT 2010 Beta 2 adds the following new features and functionality:

Deployment Workbench Enhancements

• Manage multiple Deployment Shares from a single Deployment Workbench including local Deployment Shares or from a network location including standalone DFS shares
• Replicate content between Deployment Shares through "Linked Deployment Shares" and use selection profiles to manage what content gets replicated
• Multiple users can now interact with the same Deployment Share
• Create folders to manage Drivers, Task Sequences, Operating Systems, and OS Packages
• Drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, and cut-and-paste between folders or between Deployment Shares

Powershell Capabilities

• Anything done from within the Deployment Workbench can be scripted through Powershell
• A drive provider has been added for enumerating folders, items, and properties
• Cmdlets can be used for importing content such as Drivers, Operating Systems, Task Sequences, etc.

Task Sequence and Script Enhancements

• Improved Diagnostics and Logging with more specific error messages
• Real time logging directly to a network share
• Enhanced log collection
• Two new task sequence templates (Capture Only, Post OS Installation)
• Pause and Resume a task sequence
• Automatically detect and fix domain join problems
• Improved user interface for client wizards
• Deploy to a specified disk or partition (Vista or later)
• Refresh Bitlocker encrypted systems to Windows 7 without decrypting the contents of the disk

Configuration Manager Enhancements

• Improved wizard for creating task sequences
• USMT 4.0 hard-link support

Next Steps

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2 is now available! To invite customers and partners to join the Beta program, forward them the information in this e-mail message.

• Download the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 and give us your feedback (Live ID login and registration required). If already a member, click here.
• Learn more about this toolkit by visiting MDT TechNet site