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Apps run in the same scripted environment as the OS, which not only allows for greater control over the managing installations, but also provides a centralized process to ensure that a device is provisioned from beginning to end for the end user.
Prior to jumping into the tutorial below, ensure that these requirements are met:
- Server running Windows Server 2008 or later
- Windows Deployment Services installed and configured on the server
- Microsoft Deployment Toolkit installed and configured on the server
- Applications to be deployed
- Switched network (LAN)
- Broadband internet access (optional for LAN; required for WAN)
- Windows client PC (test PC for deployment)
- Administrative credentials
With the requirements out of the way, let's look at the process of adding a commonly used business application to MDT.
SEE: How to drastically save time when deploying Microsoft Office 365 (TechRepublic)
First, log on to the MDT server and launch the MDT workbench app. Next, scroll down to the Applications node and right-click it. Select New Application from the context menu to launch the New Application Wizard (Figure A).
Figure A
In the first page, select the type of Application you'll be configuring. Selecting the radio button next to Application With Source Files is the most common Application Type that will be used. This selection will import the application files directory into a directory located in the Deployment Share. Selecting the radio button for Application Without Source Files Or Elsewhere On The Network, will add file links to a UNC path or DFS share and is best suited for applications that may be stored on application servers or distributed from centralized repositories. Lastly, selecting Application Bundle will add application dependencies instead of fully installed applications. This selection is typically associated with internal applications or web/cloud-based software. Click the Next button to proceed (Figure B).
Figure B
On the Details page, you'll be asked to enter pertinent information regarding the application being added. While only the Application Name is required, the other fields hold important information that may be beneficial when troubleshooting app installation errors down the road. Enter the requisite info and click Next to continue (Figure C and Figure D).
Figure C
Figure D
Now browse to the location to provide the Source folder for the MDT server to import the application from. Click Next to proceed to the Destination page, where you'll be required to enter a name for the directory that will be created in the Deployment Share to store your imported application (Figure E and Figure F).
Figure E
Figure F
The following wizard page will display the Working Directory, which will be used by MDT to call the application at the time of installation. This entry is typically set for the user unless you wish to modify it. The Command Line box, however, will not be populated and will need to be manually entered for the application to execute silently (and correctly). Enter the name of the executable installation file and any/all switches require to achieve a silent installation, then click Next to proceed (Figure G).
Figure G
The penultimate page of the wizard will be the Summary, which will highlight exactly what will be imported to MDT. This is followed by Progress, which executes the command to actually import the app(s), and finally, the Confirmation page, which will display whether the app import was completed successfully or with errors (Figure H and Figure I).
Figure H
Figure I
Note: Install files can be any variety of file that Windows natively accepts, such as .EXE or .MSI. The switches or arguments for silent installations will vary from app to app. It is highly advised that you test and retest silent installs in a test environment before placing the commands in MDT for production environments.
Once an application has been added to MDT, the expanded Applications node will display the application in chronological order (Figure J).
Figure J
Double-clicking on the app name will bring up the properties tabs: General includes app-specific information such as the GUID, Name and Source Directory. Details includes the Quiet Install Command and Working Directory, as well as a checkbox to force the app to Reboot after installation or filter which clients can run the application installer. Last, there's Dependencies which includes a list of any dependencies that are to be included with the application installer or should you wish to add any after the fact, that can also be done (Figure K, Figure L, and Figure M).
Figure K
Figure L
Mdt Vs Wds
Figure M
By visiting the deployment share and navigating to the Applications folder, find the name of the application you import and traverse the folder. To verify the imported completed as needed, the contents of the directory should mirror that of the source originally chosen in the fifth step above (Figure N).
Figure N
If everything checks out, then simply PXE boot a Windows client PC and during the MDT wizard passes—when the Application page displays—select the checkbox next to the app you wish to deploy. This will signal to the MDT scripts that after the OS has been installed and the drivers are injected, the application(s) selected will be queued for installation post-initial-logon in the automated deployment process.
Tips and tricks?
Are you a veteran sysadmin with experience in WDS and/or MDT deployments? We want you to submit your best tips or tricks, edits, and hacks to help users get the most out of their deployments. Share your info below in the comments section.
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- How to get started with Windows Deployment Services (TechRepublic)
- How to set up Microsoft Deployment Toolkit: Step by step (TechRepublic)
- How to configure the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (TechRepublic)
- When will your PC get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update? (ZDNet)
- Admin spotlight: Saving time with PowerShell (Tech Pro Research)
Deployment is, in my opinion, the life's blood of a system administrator. If done properly, it can vastly simplify the process of getting new equipment into the hands of users, while allowing for a smoother upgrade cycle for preexisting equipment. It also allows for standardization, establishing a baseline upon which the systems are managed after they leave IT's hands.
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However, when not performed properly the foundation underlying the initial installation and subsequent management will be shaky (at best) and downright unstable (at worst), making things much more difficult than they need to be. And of course, that means more work for IT to make things right.
SEE: Windows Server 2016 TP5: Feature-complete and on track for RTM (Tech Pro Research)
MDT
To ease the deployment process, Microsoft created the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) in 2010 and has been updating it to support newer versions of Windows as they're released. MDT acts as a data store for the various operating systems and drivers in use on the equipment supported in your enterprise. It can also serve as a centralized repository for any software applications, patches/hotfixes, and customized settings you may want to deploy alongside the OS and drivers in one fell swoop.
The application works in conjunction with Windows Deployment Services (WDS), which provides PXE booting services over the network and handles the unicast and multicast streams when deploying 1-to-1 or 1-to-many. Beyond those functions, MDT handles all the heavy lifting with scripts and customizable tasks that allow certain functions to occur depending on your specific needs at the time of deployment.
Before we head into the installation and initial setup process for MDT, there are a few requirements to adhere to:
- Server with Windows Server 2008 (or later) installed
- DHCP Service running on the network
- DNS Service running on the network
- Windows 10 ADK (x86/x64)*
- MDT 2013 Update 2 (x86/x64)*
- Administrative credentials on the server
- Broadband internet access
*NOTE: These applications are offered as 32-bit and 64-bit versions. While the 64-bit version will allow for both 32/64-bit software, the 32-bit version will allow only for 32-bit software, including OSes.
The installation
Now on to the installation process. I'll break it down into a few steps since MDT is dependent on other apps to be installed first.
Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 10
Launch the ADK installer and ensure that there's adequate storage space available (Figure A). ADK must download additional components from Microsoft's servers for MDT to function properly. Click Next to proceed.
Figure A
The next two screens are the Microsoft's Windows Privacy statement (Figure B) and EULA statement (Figure C). Choose whether to participate and then accept the EULA by clicking Accept.
Figure B
Figure C
On the wizard's features screen, you can check/uncheck the boxes for the features you want to retain. The necessary ones are selected in Figure D. However, selecting all the boxes will give you access to additional features that may be useful in the future.
Figure D
After you click the Install button, the process will begin (Figure E). Depending on your ISP speeds, this process can take from a few minutes to hours. Once the install is complete, close the confirmation window (Figure F).
Figure E
Figure F
SEE: Seven must-read Windows 10 deployment tips for net admins
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 2
Skyrim special edition water seams. Launch the MDT installer and click Next on the welcome screen (Figure G). On the following wizard screen, accept the EULA and click the Next button (Figure H).
Figure G
Figure H
On the features screen, leave the entries as is and select Next to continue (Figure I).
Figure I
The Customer Experience Improvement Program (Figure J) reports information to Microsoft for use in resolving issues and providing a better overall user experience. Your decision to join or not join the community will not affect how MDT functions or the features available to you. Select the desired radio button and click the Next button.
Figure J
When you're ready to begin the installation, click the Install button (Figure K). The process is relatively quick and should run only a few minutes. When it's completed, click the Finish button to close the wizard (Figure L).
Figure K
Figure L
Next steps
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is fully installed, as are the dependencies that are included with the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit installation. But before it is ready to be of any use, you must configure it—and then you should be able to add the necessary operating system(s), driver(s), and application(s) to support your corporate environment.
In the weeks to come, I'll offer a step-by-step look at how to deploy and capture custom images and explain certain advanced settings and features through a series of articles that are aimed at helping you get the most out of your MDT deployment setup.
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Your thoughts
Have you set up the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit? How well did it work for you? Share your experiences and advice with fellow TechRepublic members.
Posted by5 months ago
I had a request to change the pdf file association to open in Adobe Reader instead of Edge by default. Whats the best way to do it? I tried the dism export to a xml. Then I had a task in the postinstall use dism to import but Im getting a parameter is incorrect error.
Is this the best way to do it? Where should the import be?
I appreciate everyone's reply. Personally I feel like this is going to be a never ending battle with Microsoft and the easier solution would be training users to set it. However I'm want to say I at least tried to fix it.
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Mastering the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Produk deskription:
Key Features
- Learn Microsoft Deployment Toolkit best practices and how to adopt them into your deployment project
- Troubleshoot task sequence errors and quickly resolve deployment blockers
- An easy-to-follow, in-depth guide to image creation, customization, and deployment of Windows
Book Description
The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) provides a comprehensive collection of tools, processes, and guidance for automating desktop and server deployments. It considerably reduces deployment time and standardizes desktop and server images. Moreover, MDT offers improved security and ongoing configuration management. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the official supported method of creating and customizing Windows images for deployment.
Starting from scratch, this book walks you through the MDT setup, task sequence creation, and image deployment steps in detail. Breaking down the various MDT concepts, this book will give you a thorough understanding of the deployment process.
Beginning with imaging concepts and theory, you will go on to build a Microsoft Deployment Toolkit environment. You will understand the intricacies of customizing the default user profile in different versions of Windows. Driver handling can be a challenge for larger organizations; we’ll cover various driver concepts including mandatory driver profiles. ]Other important topics like the User State Migration Tool (USMT), configuration of XML files, and how to troubleshoot the USMT are also discussed in the book.
Download point blank offline full fitur 2019. We will cover the verifier and Windows Performance Toolkit for image validation scenarios. Furthermore, you will learn about MDT web frontend implementation as well as how to utilize the database capabilities of MDT for deeper deployment options. We’ll wrap it all up with some links to resources for more information, blogs to watch, and useful Twitter handles.
What you will learn
- Build a production-ready MDT environment
- Administer the environment for multiple users
- Customize your reference image with an MDT Task Sequence
- Create standalone media for offline deployments
- Customize the default user profile according to the version of Windows
- Get to grips with some troubleshooting steps and processes to reduce the time for recovery of a failed image
- Customize and create Windows images for deployment
- Discover useful tips and tricks to help save time in your deployment projects
About the Author
Jeff Stokes is a deployment and performance specialist for Windows operating systems. Jeff has a passion for the user experience in enterprise environment. As an avid public speaker, podcaster, blogger, and mentor, Jeff started his IT career at Digital in the 90s, and has been hard at work ever since. Currently, employed at Microsoft, he is expanding his horizons with projects in big data and data analytics.
When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. His hobbies are gaming, music, and writing.
Table of Contents
- Imaging Concepts and Theory
- Setting Up Your Environment
- Creating Reference Images
- Default User Profile Customization
- CustomSettings.ini and Task Sequence
- Drivers
- Image Deployment
- USMT – The User State Migration Tool
- Troubleshooting Deployment Logs
- Validating the Image
- Database, UserExit Scripts, and Web Services
- Additional Enterprise Configuration Items