Server Purposing

Server Purposing

Welcome to server purposing for the Microsoft Solution for Hosted Messaging and Collaboration version 4.0 .

A best practice for operations personnel in data centers is to adopt a mechanism to consistently build servers of a reliable, known state. Ensuring that all a data center's servers-including development, test, and production systems-are consistent significantly reduces errors and helps minimize application performance or reliability issues. Server purposing is the process of automating server builds in your data center through the use of utilities and scripts. Server purposing enables you to prepare and configure multiple servers from bare metal to fully operational without manual interaction.

In a Hosted Messaging and Collaboration environment, server purposing is accomplished using Automated Deployment Services (ADS), a technology included with Microsoft Windows Server 2003. Using ADS, service providers can automatically deploy Windows Server operating systems to their data center servers far more efficiently and reliably than by manual efforts.

The Server Purposing section describes how to install, configure, and use ADS.

Learn More About Server Purposing

Windows Server 2003 Automated Deployment Services-This ADS home page includes lists of articles, webcasts, and other technical resources offering information about ADS.

Microsoft Support for ADS

ADS technology is a supported component of Windows Server 2003, and Microsoft will continue to support ADS as long as it supports Windows Server 2003. However, ADS will not be integrated with or supported in Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn," the next version of Windows Server.