Deploying Windows 2000 Professional

Use this quick guide to follow the steps you need to plan your Windows 2000 Professional deployment.

 Assess your needs and map them to Windows 2000 Professional features.

The first step in the deployment process is to identify user needs in your organization and map those needs to the features and benefits that Windows 2000 Professional provides. This allows you to determine when and how to implement features in your organizations.

• See Mapping Your Needs to Windows 2000 Professional later in this chapter.

 Define and plan your project.

After you have determined the project management structure you will use for planning your deployment, it is time to start addressing the details of your plan.

• See Planning Your Deployment later in this chapter.

 Assess your current client configuration and determine the preferred configuration.

To determine a preferred client configuration you need to first assess user needs. After you have identified the preferred configuration you can create client computer standards that will make client systems more manageable.

• See Determining a Preferred Client Configuration later in this chapter.

 Assess your current network infrastructure.

Before you deploy Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional in your organization, you should prepare your network. Your first step is to document the current state of your network.

• See Assessing Your Current Network Infrastructure later in this chapter.

 Determine a client connectivity strategy.

To ensure that clients can connect reliably and efficiently, you need to determine your Windows 2000 Professional connectivity strategy before you begin your implementation.

• See Determining a Client Connectivity Strategy later in this chapter.

 Determine implementation methods.

At this step of your deployment planning you need to determine how to implement, or deploy, the preferred client configuration. To do this you select your installation processes.

• See Determining Implementation Methods later in this chapter.

 Test your deployment plan.

Early in deployment planning you need to prepare a test plan so you can test your design as it is developed. A plan includes the specific types of tests, specific areas to be tested, test success criteria, and information about the resources (hardware, software, and people) required for testing.

• See Testing Your Deployment Plan later in this chapter.

 Conduct a pilot.

The pilot is the last major step before your full-scale deployment of Windows 2000 Professional, the rollout. During the pilot, you test your design in a controlled real-world environment in which users perform their normal business tasks using the new features.

• See Conducting a Pilot in later this chapter.

 Prepare for the production rollout.

Use what you have learned from the pilot to prepare for your rollout of Windows 2000 Professional to your entire organization.

• See Preparing for the Rollout later in this chapter.