Overview of the Deployment Planning Process

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 can provide your organization a reliable, secure, and scalable platform for applications and network services. Windows Server 2003 takes the best of the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server operating system technology and makes it easier to deploy, manage, and use. The form your organization’s deployment will take is influenced by your organization’s size, capabilities, and goals.

Begin the deployment process by forming a deployment team and uniting them behind a single vision. Define the roles on your deployment team, and choose the personnel to perform those roles. Choose a deployment planning methodology, or framework, to organize your team and the tasks required to deploy Windows Server 2003. After assessing your business needs and the way that Windows Server 2003 can help you meet those needs, your team can identify the objectives and scope of the deployment. Next, conduct an inventory of your organization’s hardware, software, and network infrastructure to assess the changes you will need to make to deploy the new operating system. Then, using the information contained in this kit, develop functional designs for each component of the deployment. Complete the planning process by developing plans for testing, piloting, and deploying Windows Server 2003.

Many organizations that plan to deploy Windows Server 2003 also plan to deploy Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional operating system on client computers. Throughout this kit, when a task requires Windows XP Professional, information about deploying that operating system is included with the task.