Windows Deployment Stuff : Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

Infrastructure Optimisation (IO): The Foundations of Dynamic IT

Jason Stiff — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 03:02:45 GMT

Many organisations today realise the value of technology in driving business differentiation. A lot of the time technology is imperative to increase and improve business performance in today's enterprise environments and thus become a true corporate asset that delivers that business value. CIO's require their IT infrastructure to help advance rather than impede the business. These business needs bring greater pressure and ever increasing demands on IT departments to deliver technically enhanced infrastructures.

The vision of infrastructure optimisation and Dynamic IT is to help customers realise the value in their IT infrastructure investments and to make the IT infrastructures a strategic asset by reducing cost and increasing agility within their organisations.

Many organisations have embraced IO, yet it still surprises me when I speak to customers and how many either haven't heard of IO or have investigated IO but feel it is to much to implement. IO is there to help customers achieve truly optimised infrastructure solutions either as part of implementations delivered internally or through partnerships with system integrators who specialise in IO delivery.

A great IO success story was, when in 2005 The City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with their outsource partner BT used the IO model to embark on a service led engagement to deliver their Smart City vision. The vision will enable the council to make a total saving of approximately £6.4 million over 5 years whilst optimising the IT infrastructure to drive improved application performance and business resilience, achieve more effective partnerships with partners and implement an environment that will enable all citizens to engage more easily with the council.

As Doug Barney, editor in chief of Redmondmagazine and the VP, editorial director of Redmond Media Group says in his article 'Infrastructure Optimization for IT';

"IO is a rich and detailed model, and well worth the time it takes to fully understand it."

IO is always a topic that gets addressed when I talk to organisations about deploying Windows Vista. By introducing a modularised, HAL independent OS, a new file based, non destructive imaging format (WIM) and a new servicing stack, Windows Vista enables organisations to simplify image management and reduce the number of images that need to be maintained. This, in conjunction with using the new deployment tools like the Automated Installation Kit (AIK) and the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, can help organisations move along the Core IO model in Desktop, Device and Server Management by reducing manual complexity and increasing optimised automation. Many people are still struggling to see the value in moving to Windows Vista in the enterprise. Aside from increased security and compliance (with features like BitLocker Drive Encryption, Windows Service Hardening, User Account Control and enhanced IE 7 and firewall security) and end user productivity (with integrated search, AERO and mobility improvements), the way in which we can deploy and manage the Windows platform really can derive true value in the investment many organisations have already made and optimise their core infrastructure. And by making the investments today to optimise infrastructures to deploy Windows Vista, making the move to Windows 7 could be as simple as making a ‘business as usual’ change control request to the new OS.

To find out more about Infrastructure Optimisation, visit http://www.microsoft.com/io or http://www.microsoft.com/infrastructure/default.mspx where businesses can learn more about IO and even take the self assessment to find out where their are measured on the IO scale. Partners fear not, as http://www.microsoftio.com provides the Microsoft Optimization Partner Resources.

MD is no more... long live MDT 2008!!

Jason Stiff — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 20:45:47 GMT

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit and BDD 2007 are now Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008-Ready!

Microsoft® Deployment Toolkit 2008—Unified Tools and Guidance for Desktop and Server Deployment Automation. Download it today!

We are pleased to announce that Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008 has been released! This is an update to Microsoft Deployment, released in November 2007.

MDT 2008 extends existing functionality to deploy Windows Vista® SP1 and Windows Server® 2008 for both Lite Touch and Zero Touch deployments using Systems Management Server 2003* and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007. This release of MDT supports Windows AIK 1.1 and configuration of Active Directory® directory service, DNS, and DHCP server roles. To learn more and download the latest content, go to http://www.microsoft.com/deployment.

* ZTI with SMS 2003 does not support deployment of server operating systems

Business Desktop Deployment 2007 Update 2—Automate Deployment of Windows Vista SP1. Download it today!

This update to Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 adds support to deploy Windows Vista SP1 for both Lite Touch Installation and Zero Touch Installation using Systems Management Server 2003. This release requires Windows AIK 1.1. To learn more and download the latest content, go to Microsoft Download Center.

Related Resources

Microsoft Deployment Team Blog

System Center Configuration Manager on Microsoft TechNet

System Center Configuration Manager evaluation software on Microsoft TechNet

Windows Server 2008 on Microsoft TechNet

Windows Vista Springboard Series

Microsoft Deployment Released!

Jason Stiff — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 02:03:39 GMT

Unified Tools and Guidance for Desktop and Server Deployment Automation. Download it today!

We are pleased to announce the official release of the Microsoft Deployment Solution Accelerator! Microsoft Deployment is the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007. Microsoft Deployment, the fourth generation deployment accelerator, enables deployment of servers and desktops. Its tools and end-to-end guidance reduce deployment time, standardize desktop and server images, limit service disruptions, reduce post-deployment help desk costs and improve security and ongoing configuration management.

Microsoft Deployment follows the trend for unified deployment tools across desktops, servers, and applications. This release represents an exciting opportunity for thousands of current BDD 2007 users to easily adopt Microsoft Deployment’s new capabilities for Windows Server® imaging and deployment automation. At the same time, Microsoft Deployment continues to enhance Windows Vista® and 2007 Office system deployment using new technologies, like System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or the new multicast feature in Windows Deployment Services.

Microsoft Deployment adds integration with recently released deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment, including:

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment
System Center Operations Manager
Windows Automated Installation Kit
Windows Deployment Services with new multicast technology
Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
2007 Office system
Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition
Systems Management Server 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack

Accelerator Features

Microsoft Deployment is the recommended process and toolset to automate desktop and server deployment. It provides detailed guidance and job aids for every organizational role involved with large-scale deployment projects. This release continues to provide automation options to satisfy a broad range of organizations – Lite Touch Installation (LTI) with minimal infrastructure requirements up to the enterprise-class Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) option using new System Center Configuration Manager 2007 deployment features. The new Deployment Workbench tool in Microsoft Deployment offers enhanced flexibility for defining deployment task sequences. Customizable and easy-to-use deployment task sequence templates are provided for client and server deployment.

New Features in this Release

This release marks the first in a series of three Microsoft Deployment releases planned between now and Summer 2008. It focuses on integration with new deployment features in Configuration Manager 2007 as well as features and guidance to support server deployment. Future updates to Microsoft Deployment will add further support for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista SP1, and System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 releases.

Microsoft Deployment delivers additional value to Configuration Manager 2007 users by adding complete integration into the Configuration Manager 2007 administrator console and task sequencer as a product extension. Microsoft Deployment combined with Configuration Manager 2007allows users to:

Dynamically install packages
Automatically determine user state store locations
Back up computers and database settings
Install to computers unknown to the Configuration Manager 2007 database
Perform offline patching
Install language packs offline and online
Monitor deployments using an updated Operations Manager 2007 Management Pack

In addition to the new integration with Configuration Manager 2007, Microsoft Deployment also enhances the Lite Touch Installation for deploying desktops and servers. This release allows LTI users to:

Deploy pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008, including support for Server Core installation options.
Automate server role definition using Server Manager.
Configure disk and network interface cards (NICs), including static TCP/IP configuration.
Migrate from LTI to Configuration Manager 2007.
Create custom task sequences or modify task sequences based on new templates for:

Client template: Windows Vista, Windows® XP
Server template: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
Replace scenario template

Invoke Web service calls from rules.
Deploy operating system images using the new multicast feature in Windows Server 2008 Windows Deployment Services.

Where to Find Microsoft Deployment

Microsoft Deployment is available as a free download on the Microsoft Download Center.

The Microsoft TechNet Desktop Deployment Center and the new Server Deployment Center host the Microsoft Deployment process guidance for online reading.

BDD is no more... long live MD!

Jason Stiff — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:25:16 GMT

"We are pleased to announce the RC1 release and new name for the fourth generation deployment Solution Accelerator, Microsoft Deployment. The current generation of automated deployment tools from Microsoft is increasingly unified; the same tools, utilities and products in many cases offer support and functionality for desktop and server deployment tasks. Following the trend of unified tools, the Business Desktop Deployment team has incorporated new functionality and guidance to support automated server deployment in addition to desktop deployment capabilities. This expanded feature set, with its guidance and ability to automate installation of Windows client and server operating systems – as well as applications – has effectively outgrown the current name, Business Desktop Deployment. Previous Beta releases have been using the code name “Deployment 4” to refer to Microsoft Deployment before the name was finalized.

Microsoft Deployment is the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007. It unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. Microsoft Deployment adds integration with current Microsoft deployment technologies – System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Windows Deployment Services, and the Windows Automated Installation Kit – to create a single path for image creation and automated installation. Microsoft Deployment adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment, including:

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment
Windows Automated Installation Kit
Windows Deployment Services with new multicast technology
Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
2007 Office system
Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition

This release candidate also offers an enhanced Microsoft Connect portal including technical frequently asked questions, deployment tips and tricks, a recommended 10-step program for new users to quickly get acquainted with deployment accelerators, customer-ready Solution Accelerator informational materials, and deployment-related conference presentations. Microsoft Deployment is available as an open beta download.

Join the Microsoft Deployment Connection program on Microsoft Connect.

If you are already registered for the program, click here.If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you might be required to register before you continue with the invitation process.

Microsoft Deployment combines the guidance and toolset from previous releases of Business Desktop Deployment and Beta releases of Windows Server Deployment. This release continues to support Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack and adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Microsoft Deployment also continues to provide Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support without infrastructure requirements and adds capabilities for Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008.

New Features in Microsoft Deployment

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 support, with the following features:

Full support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 deployments with Microsoft Deployment and Configuration Manager 2007.
Complete integration into the Configuration Manager 2007 admin console and task sequencing capabilities.

Quick start Configuration Manager 2007 operating system deployments using one wizard to create needed task sequences and packages.
Extension of the Configuration Manager 2007 task sequencing capabilities with new actions.

Feature parity with BDD 2007 and SMS 2003, including dynamic package installation, automatic determination of state store location, computer backup, and database settings.
Installation support for computers unknown to the Configuration Manager 2007 database
Added support for offline patching
Support for offline and online language pack installation
Deployment monitoring:

Updated Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007

Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support for Windows Server 2008:

Support for deploying Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 and potentially RC1 (to be verified after RC1 release), including support for Server Core installation options.
Automated server role definition using Server Manager

Lite Touch Installation (LTI) enhancements:

Enhanced disk and network interface cards (NICs) configuration options, including support for static TCP/IP configuration.
Design changes to ease the migration from LTI to Configuration Manager 2007.
Support for multiple task sequence templates. New sample templates include:

Client template: Windows Vista, Windows XP
Server template: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
Replace scenario template

Ability to invoke web service calls

Support for web service calls from rules
Web services can be invoked as part of the rules processing performed by Microsoft Deployment, using new rules that can be defined in CustomSettings.ini.

Support for BDD 2007 upgrade or side-by-side installation with Microsoft Deployment.

Lite Touch Installation (LTI) multicast support:

Deployment Workbench supports multicast transmission of operating system images when performing LTI deployments from Windows Server 2008 servers that are running Windows Deployment Services."