Preparing the Deployment Environment

Article
12/19/2007

Before deploying images to target computers, ensure that the deployment environment is properly prepared to run the LTI tools. Some of the tasks shown in Table 2 might already have been completed in the environment. Skip steps that are complete.

Table 2. Deployment Environment Checklist

	High-level steps in the deployment Planning Phase
	Install Microsoft Deployment, any required support files, and USMT 3.0
	Create the deployment points.
	Update the deployment point content.

Ensuring That the Required Infrastructure Exists

At this step in the planning process, ensure the required infrastructure exists to support LTI tools. The LTI tools use this infrastructure during the LTI deployment process.

For more information about ensuring the required infrastructure exists, see the section, “System Requirements,” in the Getting Started Guide.

Install Microsoft Deployment

In most instances, Microsoft Deployment will already be installed on the deployment server. In instances where this task has not been completed and for more information on how to install Microsoft Deployment on the deployment server, see the section, “Installing Microsoft Deployment,” in the Getting Started Guide.

Create Deployment Points

After Microsoft Deployment is installed, create the deployment point using the Deployment Point Wizard in Deployment Workbench. Using the Deployment Point Wizard, team members can manage the types of deployment points listed in Table 3.

Select the Appropriate Deployment Point Types

Table 3 lists the deployment point options that are created using Deployment Workbench and the reasons for selecting each option.

Table 3. Deployment Point Type Options

Option	Select this option
Lab or single-server deployment (Lab)	When setting up the first deployment point in the environment. The environment should have only one of this deployment point type.
Separate deployment share (Network)	After creating a Lab deployment point type to provide additional deployment points for redundancy, load balancing, or to improve the performance of deployments in larger networks for LTI tools.
Removable media (Media)	After creating a Lab deployment point type so that team members can create bootable media for deployments that are initiated from removable media (such as a DVD-ROM, USB flash drive [UFD], or other removable devices). Use this option when the deployment process cannot be initiated using Windows Deployment Services for LTI tools.
SMS 2003 OSD Feature Pack (OSD)	After creating a Lab deployment point type so that team members can create SMS 2003 OSD Feature Pack images to be deployed using ZTI tools.

Note Team members can create Network, Media, and SMS 2003 OSD Feature Pack deployment point types without creating a Lab deployment point type. However, the Lab deployment point type should typically be the first deployment type created.

Create Additional Deployment Points

The type of deployment point created determines the options the Windows Deployment Wizard is displayed. One Lab deployment point type is required in each environment (lab, test, prototype, or production). In addition to the Lab deployment point type, the team can create Network and Media distribution points as necessary. SMS 2003 OSD Feature Pack deployment point types are used only with ZTI tools.

Creating the Network and Media deployment points is covered in this section. For more information on creating the:

Lab deployment point type, see the section, “Create the Deployment Point,” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.
SMS 2003 OSD Feature Pack deployment point type, see the section, “Create the Deployment Point,” in Preparing for Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003.

To create a Network or Media deployment point, complete the following steps (skip any wizard pages that are not displayed based on the deployment point type selected):

Start Deployment Workbench.
In the console tree, expand Deploy, right-click Deployment Points, and then click New.

The New Deployment Point Wizard starts.

On the Choose Type page, select one of the options in Table 4 based on the environment’s requirements, and then click Next.

Table 4. Deployment Point Type Options

Option	Select this option to
Separate deployment share	Create a new deployment share on the same computer on which Deployment Workbench is running or on another computer.
Removable media	Create folders (and, optionally, an .iso image file) to deploy images using removable media.

On the Specify Deployment Point Name page, in the Deployment point name box, type deployment_point_name (where deployment_point_name is the descriptive name selected), and then click Next.
On the Application List page, select or clear the Allow users to select additional applications on Upgrade check box based on the information in Table 5, and then click Next.

Table 5. Allow Users to Select Additional Applications on Upgrade Check Box Options

Check box	Select this option to
Selected	Display the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard that prompts users to select additional applications to be installed at the same time they are upgrading. The wizard page is displayed in the Windows Deployment Wizard when performing an Upgrade scenario.
Cleared	Suppress the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard.

On the Allow Admin Password page, select or clear the Ask user to set the local Administrator Password check box based on the information in Table 6, and then click Next.

Table 6. Ask User to Set the Local Administrator Password Check Box Options

Check box	Select this option to
Selected	Display the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard that prompts users to provide the local Administrator password for the target computer.
Cleared	Suppress the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard.

On the Allow Product Key page, select the Ask user for a product key check box based on the information in Table 7, and then click Next.

Table 7. Ask User for a Product Key Check Box Options

Check box	Select this option to
Selected	Display the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard that prompts users to provide a product key for the target computer.
Cleared	Suppress the page in the Windows Deployment Wizard.

Complete the Network Share page based on the information in Table 8, and then click Next.

Table 8. Configuration Options for the Network Share Wizard Page

In this box	Type
Server name	*computer_name* (where computer_name is the name of the computer that will host the shared folder)
Share name	*share_name* (where share_name is the name of the share to be created on the computer that will host the shared folder)
Path for share	*path_name* (where path_name is the fully qualified path to the share on the computer that will host the shared folder) Note This should be an existing local path on the server where the network share will be created.

Server name

computer_name (where computer_name is the name of the computer that will host the shared folder)

Share name

share_name (where share_name is the name of the share to be created on the computer that will host the shared folder)

Path for share

path_name (where path_name is the fully qualified path to the share on the computer that will host the shared folder)

Note This should be an existing local path on the server where the network share will be created.

On the Configure User State page, select one of the options in Table 9 based on requirements, and then click Finish.

Table 9. User Data Defaults Options

Option	Select this option to
Automatically determine the location on the Network	Allow the Microsoft Deployment scripts and process rules to automatically determine the best location based on network shared folders available to the target computer.
Automatically determine the location on the Local System	Allow the Microsoft Deployment scripts and process rules to determine the best location based on local available disk space on the target computer.
Specify a location	Save the user state migration data to a specific location. In the Location box, type *location* (where location is the fully qualified path to the location for storing the user state migration data).
Do not save data and settings	Discard any existing user state migration data. Select this option when deploying a new computer with no existing data.

The New Deployment Point Wizard finishes, and the new deployment point name appears in the details pane.

Update Deployment Point Content

Team members might need to update the various nodes in Deployment Workbench since initially creating and populating the deployment point so that the deployment point reflects the most current configuration. For example, the team might need to add application or device drivers to the deployment point.

For more information on updating:

Applications, see the section “Applications” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.
Operating systems, see the section “Operating Systems” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.
Operating system packages, see the section “Packages” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.
Device drivers, see the section “Out-of-Box Drivers” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.
Task sequences, see the section “Task Sequences” in the Workbench Imaging Guide.

Configuring the Appropriate Processing Rules

At this step in the planning process, configure the appropriate processing rules based on the environment. The deployment process uses rules to configure target computers.

For more information about configuring the appropriate processing rules, see the Microsoft Deployment document, Deployment Customization Guide.