Enabling Remote OS Installation
Windows 2000 Remote OS Installation provides a means for computers to connect to a Windows 2000 network server during the initial startup sequence, and subsequently allows the server to install Windows 2000 Professional on the client computer. Remote OS Installation allows you, as the administrator, to configure Windows 2000 and any applications that you want to install along with the operating system once for a single group of users, and then apply this same configuration when installing the operating system on individual client computers. For users, the result should be a simplified and timely installation and configuration of their computer, and a more rapid return to productivity if a hardware failure occurs.
Table 24.4 shows the Windows 2000 technologies you need to have in order to use Remote OS Installation.
Table 24.4 Windows 2000 Technologies Needed to Use Remote OS Installation
Technology |
Purpose |
|---|---|
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) |
Assigns an IP address to a remote boot–enabled client computer prior to contacting a server running RIS. |
Domain Name Server (DNS) |
Resolves computer names from TCP/IP addresses. |
Group Policy |
Defines the users and computers eligible (or ineligible) to receive a given desktop configuration. |
Active Directory directory service |
Locates client computers and RIS servers and stores the Group Policy objects that define what resources a user or computer can or cannot access. |
Remote Installation Services (RIS) |
Manages and distributes Windows 2000 Professional image files to clients enabled for remote boot. |
If you have not have already installed and configured DNS, DHCP, and Active Directory, see the chapter "Defining the Active Directory Structure" in this book to complete these planning steps before continuing with this chapter. You should also understand the Group Policy planning steps outlined in the chapter "Defining Client Administration and Configuration Standards." The remainder of this section will focus on the planning associated with different components of the RIS and how to configure them for an effective deployment.