Overview of Windows Deployment Services
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Every so often we face scenarios where we’re required to deploy operating systems on an outrageous number of computers with differing specifications. We can accomplish this with automated installations, and thankfully Microsoft gives us the tools and implements necessary features to accomplish tasks like these with great ease. This time we’re going to take a look at the WDS—Windows® Deployment Service.
Windows Deployment Service comes as a new server role in Windows Server 2008 operating systems, but can be installed optionally on Windows Server 2003 as well. It handles certain aspects of remote deployment, either aided by unattended scripts or by disk imagining. It also brings a set of new enhancements to its successor (Remote Installation Service abbreviated as RIS). IP multicasting is the most important addition.
The way WDS approaches remote deployment is by giving system administrators the ability to capture and store entire packages of installations for later deployment. WIM is the Windows Imaging Format. Its predecessor supported only unattended scripts.
Using the new WDS technology, we're therefore able to prepare images of various operating systems (Windows XP, Vista, 7, etc.) with a set of additional applications such as Microsoft Office suite, Visual Studio or any other development IDEs, web-authoring software packages, and so forth. And then when the situation requires it, you have ultimate flexibility to customize which OS to deploy with the different kinds of apps.
On the next page we'll briefly overview the set of features WDS brings to the table.
Next: WDS in a Nutshell >>
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