Windows 8.1 deployment strategies

Applies to: Windows 8.1, Windows 8

In this series:

• Introduction
• High-Touch with Retail Media
• High-Touch with Standard Image
• Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment
• Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment

Microsoft recommends a few targeted strategies for deploying the Windows 8.1 operating system. These strategies range from manually configuring Windows 8.1 on a few client computers to using automated tools and technologies to deploy the operating system to thousands of computers.

Following are details about four recommended deployment strategies. After you have chosen a strategy, you can click on its link to obtain more detailed information.

• High-Touch with Retail Media. A hands-on manual deployment method in which you use the retail media with an Unattend.xml file to install Windows 8.1 on each client computer. With this method, you must manually install applications on and configure each computer. This strategy can save your organization time and money by helping you automate portions of the installation process. Microsoft recommends this strategy if your organization does not have dedicated IT staff and a small, unmanaged network with fewer than 100 client computers.
• High-Touch with Standard Image. This strategy is similar to the High-Touch with Retail Media strategy but uses an operating system image that includes your customizations and application configurations. Microsoft recommends this strategy if your organization has at least one IT pro (with or without prior deployment experience) on staff and a small or distributed network with 100–200 client computers.
• Lite-Touch, High-Volume Deployment. This strategy requires limited interaction during deployment. Interaction occurs at the beginning of installation, but the remainder of the process is automated. Microsoft recommends this strategy if your organization has dedicated IT staff and a managed network with 200–500 client computers. Prior deployment experience is not required but is beneficial.
• Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment. This strategy requires no interaction during deployment but instead offers a fully automated installation through Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager. Microsoft recommends this strategy if your IT organization has experts in deployment, networking, and Configuration Manager as well as a managed network with 500 or more client computers.

Note: For a complete view of Windows 8.1 resources, articles, demos, and guidance, please visit the Windows 8.1 TechCenter.

Table 1 provides guidelines for choosing a strategy based on factors such as the skill level of your organization’s IT staff, your organization’s license agreement, the number of client computers, and your infrastructure.

To use the strategy table, choose the column that best matches your organization’s network scenario. In cases where you identify with multiple columns, start with the leftmost column. As you move to the right, the solutions require more skills and investment to implement, and they provide for quicker, more thorough, and more automated deployments.

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 Lite-Touch, 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.

Table 1. Deployment strategy

Additional resources

• Windows 8.1 Enterprise Evaluation
• Windows 8.1 deployment guidance
• Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
• Windows ADK for Windows 8.1
• Windows ADK for Windows 8