Running BDD 2007 without WINS

Article
03/05/2008

By default, BDD 2007 expects that the Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) exists in your organization’s network infrastructure. Many organizations have removed all dependencies on WINS or are in the process of eliminating them. Some changes are required to support BDD 2007 in organizations without WINS.

The BDD 2007 scripts connect to network resources during the deployment process. Some of examples of these resources include:

Shared folders on BDD 2007 distribution points.
SMS 2003 distribution points.
Computers running Microsoft SQL Server™.

In environments without WINS, Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) uses Domain Name System (DNS) for IP address resolution. Ensure that your DNS services include both forward and reverse lookups for BDD 2007 servers.

To ensure that BDD 2007 operates correctly in an environment without WINS

Configure Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) with appropriate DNS scope entries.
Configure forward and reverse lookup zones in DNS.
Configure LMHOSTS files for the Windows PE CD images.
Configure SMS with Microsoft Active Directory® directory service schema extensions.

Configuring DHCP with Appropriate DNS Scope Entries

You must have an existing DHCP infrastructure to support BDD 2007. Each DHCP scope must include primary and secondary pointers for DNS servers that support the domain in which BDD 2007 services and servers are hosted.

Note In environments without WINS, the WINS settings in the DHCP scope are irrelevant and should be left blank.

Configuring Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones in DNS

You must have an existing DNS infrastructure to support BDD 2007 in an environment without WINS. You must:

Configure both forward and reverse lookup zones that contain the DNS records for BDD build, imaging, application, and deployment servers. Both forward and reverse lookup zones are required.
Configure DNS to resolve WINS requests.

Configuring LMHOSTS Files for the Windows PE CD Images

In some environments without WINS, DNS may be unavailable or not configurable by the development team. Although it is recommended to use DNS for name resolution, you can use LMHOSTS files to provide name resolution.

Manually place the LMHOSTS files into both Windows PE images.

To configure LMHOSTS files for the Windows PE CD images

Modify the Windows PE STARTNET.CMD files to include WINS resolution support (necessary for versions of Windows PE prior to version 2.0 ZTI only).
Create the appropriate folder structure in the images.
Create the appropriate LMHOSTS file.

Modifying Windows PE STARTNET.CMD Files

Note These modifications are required only for Windows PE 2004 and Windows PE 2005 (which is used in ZTI).

Modify the STARTNET.CMD files in the following image folders (where InstallPath is the path where you installed BDD 2007):

InstallPath\Computer Imaging System\Boot Disks\WinPE\LAB\i386\System
InstallPath\Computer Imaging System\Boot Disks\WinPE\DEPLOY\i386\System

The STARTNET.CMD file in these folders needs to contain the syntax shown in Listing 10.

Listing 10. Sample STARTNET.CMD File Modified to Enable WINS Resolution

regsvr32 /s netcfgx.dll
factory -minint
netcfg -v -winpe
net start dhcp
net start nla
net start lmhosts

The command net start lmhosts enables WINS resolution for Windows PE in the BDD 2007 build and deploy processes.

Creating the Appropriate Folder Structure

Create the appropriate folder structure to support LMHOSTS files for Windows PE. Create the folder structure (\Drivers\Etc\) in the Computer Imaging System, as shown in Listing 11 (where InstallPath is the path where you installed BDD 2007).

Listing 11. Folder Structure to Be Created for LMHOSTS Files

Note Some parts of the following code snippet have been displayed in multiple lines only for better readability. These should be entered in a single line.

InstallPath\Computer Imaging System\Boot Disks\WinPE
\ExtraFiles\i386\System32\Drivers\Etc

Creating the Appropriate LMHOSTS File

Create an LMHOSTS file that contains entries for your servers and domain. Listing 12 shows an example of an LMHOSTS file.

Listing 12. Sample LMHOSTS File

10.10.10.10    DomainController    #PRE #DOM:DomainName #at least 1 DC
10.10.10.20    BDDServer            #PRE #source server
10.10.10.30    AppServer            #PRE #holds apps
10.10.10.40    IMGServer            #PRE #hosts XP images

To create the appropriate LMHOSTS file

Use a text editor of your choice to create the LMHOSTS file.
Place the LMHOSTS file in the \Etc folder created earlier in the process.
Create or refresh the Windows PE lab and deployment images by using the BDD 2007 Computer Imaging System. For more information, see the Computer Imaging System Feature Team Guide.

Ensure that you update the LMHOSTS file and, subsequently, the Windows PE images, if your environment changes.

Configuring SMS with Active Directory Schema Extensions

SMS 2003 Advanced Clients determine their appropriate assigned SMS sites and servers based on Active Directory and DNS when available. These are determined from Management Point and Server Locator Point registrations if SMS Active Directory Extensions are installed. Ensure that Active Directory schema is extended with the SMS schema extensions.