Richard Smith : Deployment 4

Microsoft Product Evals on Virtual Hard Disk

ricsmith — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:00:00 GMT

I am often asked why deployment is such a great place to work as a consultant and I usually answer by saying that deployment (both client and server) touches all aspects of the infrastructure and therefore you need a knowledge across many products. All though I think this is a great thing - it also means that you have to keep up with other technologies - and have them set up in a test environment for your deployment engagements.

I often setup small proof of concept labs for customers - and I make us of a lesser known Microsoft service that provides many products ready configured as time limited Virtual Hard Disks (VHD) ready for download - over the months I have created a library of these that I can set up and leave at customer sites for time limited testing (usually 30 day evaluations). Below are the links to all of the products that we supply as VHD:

BizTalk Server 2006

Exchange Server 2007

Exchange Server 2007 SP1 Beta 2

ISA Server 2006

Microsoft Office 2007 Professional

Office SharePoint Server 2007

SQL Server 2005

SQL Server 2005/Exchange 2007

System Center Configuration Manager 2007

System Center Essentials 2007

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007

Visual Studio 2005 Team Suite

Visual Studio 2005 Team System

Windows Server 2008 Beta 3

Windows Server 2003 R2

Windows Vista

Search Server 2008 Express

Hopefully this set of server and client pre-configured virtual machine hard disks will save you endless setup hours and also enable you to start configuring in other services to your deployment engagements.

Microsoft Deployment Released

ricsmith — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 13:47:56 GMT

The first release of Microsoft Deployment is now available. 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 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

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.

Microsoft Deployment RC1 Released

ricsmith — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:06:00 GMT

Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) is now Microsoft Deployment!

The RC1 release and new name for the fourth generation deployment Solution Accelerator, Microsoft Deployment is available from today. Previous Beta releases have been using the code name "Deployment 4" to refer to Microsoft Deployment before the name was finalised.

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 recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment using:

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

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.

Where to Find Microsoft Deployment

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.

Related Resources

Desktop Deployment Center on Microsoft TechNet

System Center Configuration Manager on Microsoft TechNet

System Center Configuration Manager evaluation software on Microsoft TechNet

Windows Server 2008 on Microsoft TechNet

I will be covering Microsoft Deployment RC1 in more detail over forthcoming blogs

Deployment 4 - Using Your BDD 2007 Task Sequences as Templates

ricsmith — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 18:29:40 GMT

So - Deployment 4 Beta 3 - very cool indeed...but I bet your thinking "how can I use the task sequences that I built in BDD 2007 as templates in Deployment 4 Beta 3?" - well that's a good question.

Deployment 4 Beta 3 stores it's task sequence templates in the Program Files\Deployment 4\Templates folder and come with three templates ready configured:

Client.xml
ClientReplace.xml
Server.xml

You can add you own templates to this directory by creating new task sequences in the Deployment 4 Beta 3 Workbench or by copying you task sequences from BDD 2007. In the example below, I have copied two XML files (TS.vista.xml and TS.xp.xml) to the Program Files\Deployment 4\Templates location that I had previously configured in BDD 2007.

We now need to update the headers in our newly copied task sequences to give them a descriptive name. This is because BDD 2007 names all task sequences as SA Task Sequence. Open each task sequence file in your favourite XML editor and change the Name and Description tags to give your files descriptive names (you will see why shortly)

Now that our templates are configured and in the correct location it just a case of creating a new task sequence based on our newly added template files. Open Deployment 4 Beta 3 and right click Task Sequence - choose NEW to start the New Task Sequence Wizard and give your new task sequence an ID, Name and Comments on the General Settings page:

On the Select Template page, the drop down should now show your new templates with the names as edited earlier, which you can now select to create the starting point for your new task sequence.

Once the wizard has completed you will have a new task sequence based on your imported file from BDD 2007 which is now a re-usable template in Deployment 4 Beta 3.

You can use this process to add as many templates as you need for your environment - you may want to merge some of the new task sequences from Deployment 4 Beta 3 with your BDD 2007 task sequences to ensure that you are taking advantage of some of the tasks delivered in Deployment 4 Beta 3 such as network card and disk configuration (see Ben's blog for more on this...). You will also need to ensure that any scripts, applications and custom code referenced in your BDD 2007 task sequencer are copied across to the Deployment 4 environment so that the tasks can find them.

For more information, check out Bens article on How to Create a Custom Task Sequence for some other great hints and tips on Deployment 4 Beta 3 task sequences and Michael Niehaus is running a great set of blogs on Deployment 4 Beta 3 New Features.

New Deployment Forum Site...

ricsmith — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:44:00 GMT

Deployment Forum is a new community Web site devoted to IT professionals deploying Windows. Myself and fellow MCS blogger Ben Hunter, as well as MCS architect Steve Campbell have taken up residency in the MVP section with a selection of the industry's best deployment specialists and we will all be adding content to the Deployment Forum. The site is run by Jerry Honeycutt, a well respected writer, speaker, and technologist who has written more than 30 technology books and hundreds of technical articles and white papers.

You find Deployment Forum at: http://www.deploymentforum.com

Deployment 4 Beta 3 Released

ricsmith — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:39:00 GMT

The BDD team have announced that Deployment 4 (the code name for the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007) has been released as BETA 3 and unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. Previously referenced as BDD.Next and Windows Server Deployment (WSD), Deployment 4 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
Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition (coming soon)

Deployment 4 Beta 3 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. Deployment 4 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 Deployment 4 Beta 3

Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 support, with the following features:
- Full support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 deployments with Deployment 4 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.
  - Extends 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, database settings.
Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support for Windows Server 2008:
- Support for deploying Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 and potentially RC0 (to be verified after RC0 release), including support for Server Core installation options. (Windows Server 2008 TAP customers only.)
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 Deployment 4, using new rules that can be defined in CustomSettings.ini.
- Support for side-by-side installation with Deployment 4 and BDD 2007 installed on the same machine.
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.

Where to Find Deployment 4 Beta 3

Deployment 4 Beta 3 is available as an open beta download.

To join Deployment 4 beta 3 program, follow these steps:

Visit the Microsoft Connect Web site (http://connect.microsoft.com).
Click Invitations on the Connect menu.
You will need to sign in using a valid Windows Live ID before you can continue to the Invitations page.
Enter your Invitation ID in the box. Your invitation ID is: BDDP-QMYH-VWTH
Click Go.
If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you might be required to register before you continue with the invitation process.
To download Deployment 4, click Download Now.

Great work from the team getting this release out...