Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract
Microsoft recommends a few targeted strategies for deploying the Windows 7 operating system for specific scenarios. These strategies are based on tools and technologies that do much of the work. This document helps people who are responsible for deploying the Windows 7 operating system choose the best deployment strategy for their environments. This document contains detailed information about the strategies, including high-level instructions and additional resources from Microsoft.
Copyright information
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Active Directory, Internet Explorer, Windows, Windows Server, and Windows Vista are trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation group of companies.The names of actual organizations and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
Choosing a Deployment Strategy................................................................................................... 1 Microsoft Windows Family of Operating Systems....................................................................1 Abstract ................................................................................................................................... 1 Copyright information...................................................................................................................... 2 Contents.......................................................................................................................................... 3 Choosing a Deployment Strategy................................................................................................... 5 High-Touch with Retail Media.......................................................................................................... 8 About the Strategy....................................................................................................................... 8 Strategy Requirements................................................................................................................ 9 Strategy Limitations..................................................................................................................... 9 Deployment Process.................................................................................................................. 10 High Touch with Standard Image................................................................................................... 11 About the Strategy..................................................................................................................... 12 Strategy Requirements.............................................................................................................. 12 Strategy Limitations................................................................................................................... 13 Deployment Process.................................................................................................................. 13 Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment...........................................................................................16 About the Strategy..................................................................................................................... 16 Strategy Requirements.............................................................................................................. 17 Strategy Limitations................................................................................................................... 17 Deployment Process.................................................................................................................. 17 Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment......................................................................................... 19 About the Strategy..................................................................................................................... 19 Strategy Requirements.............................................................................................................. 20 Strategy Limitations................................................................................................................... 20 Deployment Process.................................................................................................................. 20
Notes
The strategy table below shows guidelines for choosing a strategy based on many factors, including the skill level of your organizations IT staff members, your organizations license agreement, the number of client computers, and your infrastructure. To use the strategy table, choose the column that best matches your organizations network scenario. In cases where you identify with multiple columns, start with the leftmost column. As you move to the right on the chart, the solutions require more skills and investment to implement, and they provide for quicker, more thorough and more automated deployments. 5
As you plan to deploy more computers, consider improving your scenario to enable you to move right in the strategy table. For example, if the only criterion preventing you from performing a LiteTouch, high-volume deployment is that you are using retail media, consider purchasing a volume license. Click the link in the heading of the chosen column to read more about implementing that particular strategy. High-Touch with Retail Media IT skill level IT generalist High Touch with Standard Image IT pro with optional deployment experience Retail or Software Assurance 100200 Lite-Touch, HighVolume Deployment IT pro with deployment experience recommended Software Assurance 200500 Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment IT pro with deployment and Configuration Manager 2007 R2 expertise Enterprise Agreement >500
Retail
<100
Managed networks At least one office with more than 25 users Windows Server products Configuration Manager 2007 R2 (optional) Automatically installed commercial or LOB applications
Managed network At least one office with over 25 users Windows Server products Configuration Manager 2007 R2 Automatically installed commercial or LOB applications
Application support
providing network-based deployment to support largescale deployment with limited interaction leverage standardized images with network access by using pull automation Lite-Touch, HighVolume Deployment VL media
providing network-based deployment to support large scale-deployment with no interaction leverage standardized images with network access by using push automation Zero-Touch, HighVolume Deployment VL media
Helping to
create reproducible and faster client computer installation High-Touch with Retail Media Retail media Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AI K)
High Touch with Standard Image Retail or volumelicensed (VL) media Windows AIK Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit Windows Deployment Services Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Notes Applying updates. Some updates should be installed during deployment to ensure that client computers start with the highest level of security. Configuring settings. You can customize hundreds of settings during deployment everything from the computer name to the Windows Internet Explorer home page. Enabling or disabling features. You can easily and automatically add or remove Windows features to create a completely custom installation. Suppressing the Setup user interface (UI). Suppressing the user interface helps limit users interaction with the Setup program, minimizes user errors, and enables organizations to use less skilled resources to install the operating system. The answer file is the component that enables small organizations to script the installation of Windows 7. Answer files are Extensible Markup Language (XML) files that contain settings that configure Windows 7 during installation. Settings include the computer name, organization name, time zone, workgroup name, and so on. You use the Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM) to create answer files, which typically have the file name Unattend.xml. Additionally, non-Microsoft Web sites are available for creating Unattend.xml files without installing or using Windows SIM.
Strategy Requirements
The following elements are required to use the High Touch with Retail Media strategy: Windows 7 retail media Windows SIM from the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) A removable storage device, such as a USB flash drive, to store the Unattend.xml file
A number of non-Microsoft Web sites enable you to create an Unattend.xml file without using the Windows AIK. These Web sites are useful substitutes for quickly and easily creating an Unattend.xml file. However, we recommend that you do not enter confidential information on these Web sites. Instead, we recommend that you enter placeholders, and then substitute the actual values in the Unattend.xml file after you download it to your computer. For example, instead of providing your product key to a non-Microsoft Web site, type XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXX on the Web site. Then, open a text editor (such as Notepad), copy the Unattend.xml file that you downloaded, and substitute your actual product key for the placeholder values.
Strategy Limitations
The High Touch with Retail Media strategy has the following limitations: Deploying too many client computers. Customers who want to deploy the Windows operating system to many computers, to the same computers repeatedly (common for Internet cafs and developers), or to computers that have radically different configurations 9
should consider using the High Touch with Standard Image strategy or the Lite-Touch, HighVolume Deployment strategy instead. The techniques that the Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy advocate are better suited for deploying numerous configurations by using a single operating system image. Deploying multiple Windows versions. The High Touch with Retail Media strategy is beneficial for customers with a small number of client computers and a single version of the Windows operating system (for example, Windows 7). Using one Unattend.xml file with multiple Windows versions is not supported because each Windows version can expose different features and settings. Therefore, if you are deploying multiple Windows versions, you must create an Unattend.xml file for each version.
Deployment Process
The following table describes the high-level deployment process for using the High Touch with Retail Media strategy. The left column describes the step, and the right column contains links to detailed information about completing that step.
Step More Windows 7 Information
1. Create an Unattend.xml file for the Windows version that you are deploying by using Windows SIM or a non-Microsoft Web site.
Walkthrough: Build an Answer File for BIOS-Based Computers Work with Answer Files in Windows SIM Best Practices for Authoring Answer Files
2. If you used a non-Microsoft Web site to create the Unattend.xml file, copy it in Notepad and edit your private information (for example, product key or passwords).
3. Copy the Unattend.xml file to your removable Methods for Running Windows Setup storage device. The Windows Setup program looks for this file in a variety of locations, but storing it on a USB flash drive is easiest. 4. Insert the removable storage device in the client computer to which you are deploying Windows. 5. Optionally, if you are refreshing the computer with a new installation, use Windows Easy Transfer to save users documents and settings from the computer (you will restore them after refreshing the computer). None
10
Step
6. Do one of the following: Refresh. Run the Setup program by starting the computer with the Windows retail media in the DVD drive. When prompted to press a key to start the computer by using the DVD, press the space bar. Upgrade. Run the Setup program by starting the computer using the currentlyinstalled operating system, and then run Setup.exe from the retail media in the DVD drive. 7. Optionally, use Windows Easy Transfer to restore users documents and settings to the computer. This step is only necessary if you refreshed the computer with a new installation in the previous step. 8. After installing Windows from the retail media, complete deployment by installing applications and configuring the computer as required.
Walkthrough: Deploy Windows by Booting from a DVD Methods for Running Windows Setup
None
11
Like the High Touch with Retail Media strategy, this strategy advocates a high-touch installation, but it uses a standard configuration image instead of the retail image. This strategy works well in organizations with more technical IT staff, and it scales to 100200 client computers. It can provide faster deployment with fewer problems without requiring a big investment to support an infrequent task.
Many updates to the standard image, which can be performed offline without having to install, customize, and recapture the image. In addition, the High Touch with Standard Image strategy allows small organizations to provide their original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with these images when ordering new client computers. This allows them to receive new computers with their custom image already installed. So, deployment to new client computers is not a process that many small organizations need to performthey simply unpack the computer, turn it on, and connect it to their network. Although this strategy focuses on refreshing existing client computers with a standard image, you can ask your OEM to use that image on new client computers to save you time and money.
Strategy Requirements
The following elements are required to use the High Touch with Standard Image strategy: Windows retail or VL media provided by Microsoft Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK)
Removable storage device, such as a USB flash drive, from which to install the standard image 12
Reference computer on which to create and customize the master image Optionally, Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5
Strategy Limitations
The High Touch with Standard Image strategy has limitations that could lead a small organization to consider network deployment with the Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy. If any of the following issues describe your organization, consider using the Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy: The strategy doesnt scale. The High Touch with Standard Image strategy doesnt scale to larger organizations because it requires media (such as a USB flash drive) and a technician to deploy the Windows software to the client computers. Larger organizations can consider a Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy to better automate installation and provide a self-service capability to users. The strategy works best with one image. This strategy works well in small organizations with similar applications and configuration requirements across most of its client computers. Organizations that require multiple images (for example, each department requires a completely different application) should consider a Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy that uses thin images. Thin images are Windows images with little or no customization. After installing thin images, you can manually or automatically install applications, device drivers, and updates on each computer. The strategy works best when image changes are made only rarely . Licensing restrictions limit the number of times that you can update an image to which the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) has been applied online. For best results, you should start the image creation and update process by installing a Windows operating system from retail or VL media. Organizations that update their images frequently should consider using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010, which allows you to automate the standard image creation process. For more information, see the Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy. Upgrade is not supported. When deploying a standard image, upgrading an existing Windows installation and preserving users applications is not supported. Instead, you must refresh computers with a new Windows installation and then migrate users files and settings. If you use this strategy, we recommend using Windows Easy Transfer to migrate users files and settings. Optionally, you can replace Windows Easy Transfer with the User State Migration Tool.
Deployment Process
Creating the standard image for the High Touch with Standard Image strategy is an online process, which means that the small organizations IT generalist or their partner installs the Windows operating system on a reference client computer; customizes it as required by installing applications, device drivers, and updates; and then captures an image. After capturing the custom image, the organization can then deploy the image to its client computers. Additionally, small 13
organizations can maintain images offline, which allows them to easily update their images with new operating system updates and device drivers as they become available. The following table describes the high-level deployment process for using the High Touch with Standard Image strategy. The left column describes the step, and the right column contains links to detailed information about completing that step. Because each image supports only a single architecture (x86 or x64), perform the steps in the table for each operating system that is used in the organization.
Step More Information
1. Optionally, use the ACT to prioritize your organizations applications, determine the compatibility status, and consolidate applications. The ACT can help organizations triage and remediate applications that have compatibility problems. 2. Install Windows on the reference client computer from the retail or VL media. We recommend that you use an answer file (Unattend.xml) to install Windows on the reference computer to make this process consistent and reproducible.
Walkthrough: Build an Answer File for BIOS-Based Computers Work with Answer Files Best Practices for Authoring Answer Files Walkthrough: Deploy Windows by Booting from a DVD Methods for Running Windows Setup
3. On the master client computer, install any applications, device drivers, and updates that you want to include in the master image. Additionally, configure settings that you want to include in the master image. 4. On the master client computer, run Sysprep to generalize the image, and then shut down the computer. Some applications are not accommodating to Sysprep, and it is important that you test them fully. If there are Sysprep issues, we recommend that you automate the installation of these applications at deployment time by using an Unattend.xml file. 5. Start the master client computer by using Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), and then capture an image of it by using ImageX. Copy the image to a
None
Work with Windows PE Capture Images ImageX Technical Reference Walkthrough: Deploy an Image by using 14
Note
Step More Information
removable storage device, such as a USB flash drive, or a network share. 6. Prepare the media for installing the Windows operating system. Do one of the following: Create an answer file (Unattend.xml) that points to the image that you copied to the removable storage device or network share in the previous step. Create a new installation media, and replace the Install.wim file on the media with the file that you captured in the previous step. 7. Optionally, if you are refreshing the computer with a new installation, use Windows Easy Transfer to save users documents and settings from the computer (you will restore them after refreshing the computer). 8. Install the standard image on each client computer. If you created new installation media, start the computer by using the media, or run Setup.exe from the previous Windows installation. Otherwise, run the Setup program by using the answer file that you created earlier. 9. Optionally, use Windows Easy Transfer to restore users documents and settings to the computer. 10. Users of retail media must activate their computers online.
Windows Setup Walkthrough: Build an Answer File for BIOS-Based Computers Work with Answer Files Best Practices for Authoring Answer Files Best Practices for Image Deployment Walkthrough: Deploy an Image by using Windows Setup
By using the Windows AIK, you can service custom images offline, which means that you can update device drivers and updates without installing, configuring, and recapturing the image. Offline servicing makes it easier to keep your standard image updated. You can also service images online by repeating the process described by this strategy. For more information, see Phase 5: Image Maintenance.
15
Notes
16
Strategy Requirements
The following elements are required to use the Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit Volume-licensed (VL) media provided by Microsoft MDT 2010 Windows User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) Windows AIK File server on which to store the distribution share One of the following: Media with which to start client computers during deployment A server configured with the Windows Deployment Services role
Strategy Limitations
The Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy doesnt have any significant limitations for medium-sized organizations, although it does require limited interaction at the beginning of installation. As medium-sized organizations mature, however, they can easily extend MDT 2010 to provide a nearly zero-touch experience by doing nothing more than configuring a database and deploying the Windows Deployment Services role. Eliminating user interaction with the deployment process by automating application installation and operating system configuration helps reduce deployment and support costs.
Deployment Process
The following table describes the high-level deployment process for using the Lite-Touch, HighVolume Deployment strategy. The left column describes the step, and the right-column contains links to detailed information about completing that step.
Step More Information
1. If your organization is deploying a new version of Windows, determine your organizations readiness for the new version by using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit. 2. Use the ACT to prioritize your organizations applications, determine your compatibility status, and consolidate applications. The ACT can help organizations triage and remediate applications that have compatibility problems.
17
Step
More Information
3. Prepare the infrastructure for MDT 2010 by creating a file server for the distribution shared resource. Optionally, install and configure the Windows Deployment Services role in Windows Server 2008 R2. Starting client computers by using Windows Deployment Services is the easiest way to start a network deployment. 4. Install MDT 2010 on the file server along with additional components, including the USMT.
Getting Started
Microsoft Deployment Preparing for LTI Tools Microsoft Deployment Workbench Imaging Guide Modifying Task Sequences
5. Create a distribution share that contains operating systems, applications, device drivers, and updates. 6. In MDT 2010, create and customize a task sequence for each configuration that you want to deploy. Task sequences have instructions for installing and configuring Windows. 7. In MDT 2010, create and update a deployment point. Deployment points describe how to connect to the files in the distribution shared resource (or a copy of those files). By customizing the deployment point, you can specify to what extent users interact with MDT 2010 during deployment. Updating a deployment point creates Windows PE images that you use to start client computers during deployment.
8. Create a device to start the Windows PE Walkthrough: Create a Bootable Windows PE image by preparing a removable storage device RAM Disk with the images created by MDT 2010 when you update a deployment point. Optionally, add the Windows PE image to Windows Deployment Services, which makes starting the image quick and easy during deployment. 9. Start each client computer by using the Windows PE image, and then follow the instructions to log on to the distribution shared resource, choose a task sequence, and install Windows. Running the Windows Deployment Wizard
18
Note
Streamlined maintenance, because Configuration Manager 2007 R2 handles applications, device drivers, and updates. MDT 2010 supports thin and thick imaging. Thin imaging refers to installing the Windows image that Microsoft provides without customizing it (or installing a lightly customize image), and then using automation to install applications, device drivers, and updates on each client computer during deployment. Thick imaging refers to customizing an image with applications, device drivers, and updates before deploying it. Microsoft recommends using thin images, as doing so helps reduce maintenance time and costs. MDT 2010 makes using thin images with the Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy simple: In fact, this strategy advocates thin images.
19
Strategy Requirements
The following elements are required to use the Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit Volume-licensed (VL) media provided by Microsoft MDT 2010 Windows User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and its prerequisites
Strategy Limitations
The Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategys most significant limitations are the infrastructure and skill level required to implement it. This strategy relies on integrating MDT 2010 and Configuration Manager 2007 R2. MDT 2010 can be simple, but Configuration Manager 2007 R2 requires significant infrastructure. Additionally, using Configuration Manager 2007 R2 to deploy Windows requires expertise with deployment, networking, and the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 software. Training is also required. These limitations are offset by the reduced costs realized by fully automating deployment.
Deployment Process
The following table describes the high-level deployment process for using the Zero-Touch, HighVolume Deployment strategy with MDT 2010. The left column describes the step, and the right column contains links to detailed information about completing that step.
Step More Information
1. Review the available planning guidance for using the Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy with MDT 2010. This guidance includes detailed information about the infrastructure that is required to deploy Windows 7 by using this strategy. 2. Determine your organizations readiness for Windows 7 by using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit or a similar assessment tool. 3. Use the ACT to prioritize your organizations applications, determine your compatibility status, and consolidate applications. The ACT
20
Step
More Information
can help organizations triage and remediate applications that have compatibility problems. 4. Prepare the infrastructure for the Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment strategy with MDT 2010, including installing and configuring Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and its prerequisites, creating the required user and service accounts, and configuring Active Directory Domain Services. 5. Install MDT 2010, and configure the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 integration. This process includes configuring how to define new computers in the site database and creating additional packages that Configuration Manager 2007 R2 requires during deployment (USMT package, Custom Settings package, and so on). 6. Optionally, create a custom master image by using Configuration Manager 2007 R2 to deploy Windows 7 to a master computer, customize the configuration, and then capture the custom image. Getting Started
Microsoft Deployment Preparing for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007
Getting Started
Microsoft Deployment Preparing for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007
Microsoft Deployment Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Imaging Guide
7. Configure Configuration Manager 2007 R2 to Microsoft Deployment Preparing for Microsoft deploy Windows. This includes preparing the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Management Pack to monitor the deployment with Operations Manager 2007 R2. This management pack helps detect and alert you when critical events occur during the deployment process.
21