Richard Smith : Deployment Tools

GUI Interface for USMT

ricsmith — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:36:00 GMT

Dan Cunningham has written a GUI wrapper for the User State Migration Tool (USMT) In Dan's interface, USMT provides the logic and mechanisms for the actual capture / restore process, but because USMT is entirely command-line, Dan decided to set about creating a .NET-based wrapper for it to simplify data capture/restore.

Here’s some of the nice features in Workstation Migration Assistant:

Migrate via a pre-defined network storage location, external USB drive, or user-specified location. USB drive detection is automatic
Optional Hard Disk Health Check will run a CHKDSK prior to capture and fix errors if any are found
Optional Encryption using a pre-defined company encryption key, or per-user customised encryption (for highly sensitive data that can’t be stored on a server without being encrypted)
Use different configurations for a multi-OS, XP > XP and Vista > Vista migrations (useful when on XP to force the /TargetXP switch, and if you’re Vista migration can exclude XP-only obsolete files)
Automatically run pre and post capture/restore scripts (very useful to further configure machine settings)
Migrate domain only accounts, or domain and local
Automatically exclude certain domain or local accounts from the migration
Automatically send log files to an e-mail address via SMTP after the migration
On-screen status during every stage of the migration, including ETA
Option to limit migrations to a certain size, i.e. if over 20GB of data to backup, then fail and inform user.
Very configurable through configuration file
Command-line automation

Dan is hoping to release the tool soon - so keep checking http://dcunningham.net/2007/11/22/a-quick-look-at-workstation-migration-assistant/ for updates

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit released

ricsmith — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:21:32 GMT

For those that haven't seen it , we have just released the SCCM 2007 Toolkit for download. This excellent toolkit contains:

Client Spy - A tool to help troubleshoot issues related to software distribution, inventory, and software metering on Configuration Manager 2007 clients.

Policy Spy - A policy viewer to help review and troubleshoot the policy system on Configuration Manager 2007 clients.

Trace32 - A log viewer that provides a way to easily view and monitor log files created and updated by Configuration Manager 2007 clients and servers.

Security Configuration Wizard Template for Configuration Manager 2007 - An attack-surface reduction tool for the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system with Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 2 (SP1 and SP2) that determines the minimum functionality required for a server's role or roles, and disables functionality that is not required.

DCM Model Verification - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for the validation and testing of configuration items and baselines authored externally from the Configuration Manager console.

DCM Digest Conversion - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators to convert existing SMS 2003 Desired Configuration Management Solution templates to Desired Configuration Management 2007 configuration items.

DCM Substitution Variables - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for authoring desired configuration management configuration items that use chained setting and object discovery.

I would encourage anyone who uses BDD 2007 or Microsoft Deployment to download this toolkit for the excellent Trace32 tool that makes troubleshooting BDD/MDT log files so much easier.

You can download the SCCM 2007 Toolkit from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=948e477e-fd3b-4a09-9015-141683c7ad5f&DisplayLang=en

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.

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...

Windows Vista Deployment Planning - Part 2

ricsmith — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:24:00 GMT

Back in July, I started a series of articles on Windows Vista Deployment Planning, and in Windows Vista Deployment Planning - Part 1 I shared with you details of Infrastructure Prerequisites that need to be considered when deploying Windows Vista in an enterprise environment. In Windows Vista Client Build and Deployment Process, I presented the diagram used when scoping deployment projects, so in this post I'll carry on discussing the process in more detail - this time considering the Client Hardware section. My hope is that these pieces will build up into a complete deployment planning document that you can use in your own projects.

The Hardware for Windows Vista deployment projects in which I have worked are usually defined across a number of levels but can usually be simplified into three categories - High-end Desktop, Standard Desktop and Laptop. These categories define a base set of hardware components, as listed below, along with a refresh interval.

The table above can be used to detail the minimum specifications for deployment and the hardware platform and this should be reviewed every six months to maintain the equivalent position on the technology curve.

The fact that a deployment project is taking place usually means that companies will set the specification to a position closer to the top of the technology curve than is currently the practice within that company This is to ensure that the equipment continues to be useful for the duration of its working life (defined by the company refresh cycle) throughout the inevitable changes of the software configuration.

However - you may consider a new feature introduced with Windows Vista as an alternative to specifying hardware specifications, the Microsoft WINSAT performance utility which can be used to determine acceptable performance criteria for a particular hardware platform. This tool will allow you to define exact benchmark performance statistics, rather than having a minimum specification of hardware. Examples of this would include:

Graphics Processor Sub-System.
Memory Performance.
CPU Performance.
I/O Throughput.

These statistics measured are combined to produce an overall score. This score can then be given to the hardware vendor in order for them to recommend a platform than can meet the scores criteria. Additional Information on the WINSAT Performance Utility can be found in Microsoft TechNet