The History Of Windows Deployment Service

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Fundimental approach behind thin client:

Instead of running applications locally applications can be run from a centralised point.

Works by delivering screen updates and i/o input and outputs to client

Thin clients can cut costs considerably

Simplified software deployment rapidly reduces roll-out costs.

Reduced power consumption directly lower energy and lowers cooling requirements

Thin clients remove the need for remote servers

No desktop configuration needed

No redesigning and integrate email architectures

It is almost plug and play

This can outsource desktop management, only needing remote access into servers

Thin systems generally won’t have floppy discs or cd drives or be able to install applications. (Positive/negative)

Server security and resilience is of

Thin client Evolution (15 marks)

Disscuss benifts of VDI (10 marks)

Broaden Discussion of VDI, include negatives (10 marks)

Compare Contrast VDI vs Thin Client

-Task 2

Company wanting to move from XP Pro to Win 7 Pro or Enterprise

There are two methods:

Method A: Symantec 2.4 ghost solution

The name Ghost originated as an acronym for "General Hardware-Oriented System Transfer" .According to (SYMANTEC, 2011) The Ghost console is a windows server based application, this allows for remote management of client PCs from a centralised location. The application is fully windows 7 capable and has numerous features to help deployment of windows 7. Ghost 2.4 features a simple and familiar GUI, states (SYMANTEC, 2011) allowing for ease of use, with the added ability of changing how your resources are displayed, between list, thumbnails, and folders. Within the GUI there is a task status area. (SYMANTEC, 2011) States this area provides the user with information and status of tasks during the different steps within deployment.

Some of the basic preferences and storage options that can be accessed using (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4’’, are the options to display, start and stop log messages .when starting or finishing a task an adjustable task log. which can be viewed from the console and the ability to change the storage locations, for Backup Images and user Migration package. Ghost 2.4 includes data throughput options, which allows control of how much bandwidth is used. Such as multicast, unicast and directed broadcast. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Recommend the use of multicast, as this allows for the transfer of files to a number of client computers simultaneously and minimise impact to bandwidth.

(SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4 applications allow management and tasks to be executed on the Client PC. The client software would have to be installed on every Client PC that is intended for the Windows 7 deployment. This is as simple as inserting the supplied software Disc and selecting install (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost, then install Ghost console client. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Setup wizard is loaded, after accepting the user agreement an option window appears. A server then needs to be identified that is running the Ghost 2.4 console. According to (SYMANTEC, 2011)doing this allows for a connection to been created between client’s pc and the Ghost 2.4 console, this allows for tasks to be executed on the Clients PC. (SYMANTEC, 2011) state, it’s possible to install the client software over a network without having to visit each Client Computer.

Ghost 2.4 inventory features, is paramount to the deployment of Window 7. (SYMANTEC, 2011) States this feature allows for planning and identifying which client PC on the network are Windows 7 compatible and creates reports of Windows capable Client PCs. Ghost 2.4 implements this by creating "Dynamic Machine Groups". Specifically there are predefined filter templates for the dynamic groups that can mark out the minimum requirements for Windows 7 PCs , Similarly another feature that lets more information be collected into a report this is called ‘View’ this allows hardware specifications to be displayed within the report. Furthermore after creating a dynamic group the non-capable Client PCs can be isolated from the Windows 7 capable PCs, explains (SYMANTEC, 2011).

Before any images are created a placeholder must be created on the Server where the Windows 7 Image will sit .Another feature of (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4 allows you to select the properties which you want to set for the new image.  Subsequently an image definition is then created including a name, location and description of the Ghost console. In addition the image create task is executed which selects the computer from which to take the image, specifies the image definitions that is to be associated with it and sets the network and Sysprep parameters. Ghost 2.4 then captures the image from the model client computer; the image is then transferred back to the Ghost Console explains (SYMANTEC, 2011).

Sysprep is a (MICROSOFT, 2005) utility that you can use alongside Ghost 2.4 to make the cloning process more versatile by making cloning possible among computers with different hardware setups. Even though (SYMANTEC, 2011)claims to have full Sysprep support there is still the need to create a unattend file using "Windows System Image Manager", (MICROSOFT, 2005).This allows for any editing needed to Sysprep such as disabling Bluetooth etc., states (SYMANTEC, 2011). Click, execute and Ghost 2.4 will start creating an image.

On the Clients PC a warning message will appear warning that (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4 Client application is going to load on the Client PC. Once the application executes a status bar which indicates how much of the image is captured. As soon as the image is captured it is then available on the Console. Ghost 2.4 Console Application also has the ability to explore the captured image.

(SYMANTEC, 2011) Boasts about a feature of Ghost 2.4 called user migration; this refers to capturing user’s personal files and settings and restoring them to a new Client PC or to the same Client PC after installing a new OS. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4 allows a template for migration to be created. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Explains that u can include or exclude in the migration package also allowing folders and shortcuts to be imported. This feature stops any ‘valuable’ personal data from being lost and stopping, ‘non-valuable’ files from being imported by excluding there file extensions, for example *mp3. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Provides a properties window for user migration, this window allows for the migration package to be saved on the Client PC, saving bandwidth, or transferring to the Console. If the migration package was imported to the Console the properties sheet becomes available for viewing it will display basic information about the capture such as machine name and capture date. Also (SYMANTEC, 2011) provides an option to explore the migration package not unlike before.

(SYMANTEC, 2011) States, Ghost 2.4 ensures the stored user migration package is not overwritten during the cloning process if stored locally. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Explains that this also acting as a safe guard should Ghost 2.4 be unable to create the user migration package. Ghost 2.4 also has further ability to capture multiple users who have accessed the chosen Client PC or excluding them from capture if necessary. (SYMANTEC, 2011)Believe this is useful if you know a particular user has no access to the destination Client PC.

(SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.4 has the option to restore to a particular partition or drive this allows for multiple image deployment. In the properties tab there is an option to keep destination IP address and computer name which are stored on the Ghost 2.4 console when the client is first installed on Client PC. report can be generated to signify any errors developed.

Method B: Windows Deployment Service (WDS)

(MICROSOFT, 2009) States WDS is the updated and redeveloped version of Remote Installation Services (RIS). WDS permits you to deploy Windows OS over the network. The WDS Client components include a graphical user interface that runs within the Windows Pre-Installation Environment (Windows PE).

(MICROSOFT, 2012) Explains PE 2.0 is a minimal Win32 OS, designed around Vista kernel. Windows PE is used to prepare a computer for WDS, to copy disk images from a network file server, and to initiate Windows Setup. Windows PE was built to replace DOS an MS-DOS-based boot floppy disk has a number of limitations that made it outdated to use for preinstalling Windows

WDS has certain con-straights before it can be executed. (MICROSOFT, 2009) Explains these need to be satisfied, for instance, Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). WDS server must be either a member of an AD DS domain or a domain controller for an AD DS domain. WDS requires a functioning Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server with a dynamic range on the network because WDS uses Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE); the WDS PXE Server contains a PXE server and a PXE provider. The PXE server holds the core networking capability. The PXE server supports plug-in interfaces which are known as PXE providers. This depends on DHCP for IP addressing. (MICROSOFT, 2009) Goes on to say the network is recommended to have an operational DNS server before running WDS. Any server running WDS requires a New Technology File System (NFTS) volume for the image store.

(MICROSOFT, 2009) Has two options available the Deployment Server and Transport Server both can be installed or only the Transport Server role service. MDS option for advanced scenarios (MICROSOFT, 2009) explains, as environments without AD DS, DNS, or DHCP. You can configure Transport Server to enable you to boot from the network using PXE and Trivial File Transfer Protocol, a multicast server, or both.

Components of a WDS Server.

The above diagram show how the different layers communicate and hierarchy

(MICROSOFT, 2009) Say adding at least one boot image and one install image before it is possible to boot to the WDS server and install an image. Boot images are Windows PE images that can boot a client computer to perform an OS installation.

(MICROSOFT, 2009) Recommend using the Boot. Wim file on the product DVD from Windows 7 for the Client PC and Windows Server 2008 R2 server. Custom boot images are possible using the, (MICROSOFT, 2009) Windows Automated Installation Kit. Overview (Windows AIK)

The Windows AIK is a set of tools that support WDM. (MICROSOFT, 2012) AIK, can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool (USMT). Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK).

(MICROSOFT, 2009)

(MICROSOFT, 2009) Preconditions for installing an install image; the Client PC must be capable of executing a PXE boot. User accounts must be a member of the Domain Users group. The Client PC must have at least 512 MB of RAM, which is the minimum amount of RAM for using Windows pre-installation Environment. This not being an issue as Windows 7 OS requires at least 512 MB of RAM also.

To install image on Client PC perform a PXE boot , using the following technique mentioned on (MICROSOFT, 2009); Configure the BIOS of the computer to enable PXE booting, and set the boot order to boot from the network first. Restart the Client PC, press F12 to start the network boot. Select the correct boot image from the boot menu. Follow the instructions in the WDS user interface. Completing the deployment of Windows 7 image on the Client PC.

Evaluate the deployment methods A/B

The key features of (SYMANTEC, 2013) Ghost is the abilities to "DeployAnywhere" technology creates hardware-independent imaging allowing for multiple hardware computers to be deployed through a single image.

(SYMANTEC, 2013) Ghost can take images from a live system using hot imaging. This is a very good time saving feature something that WDS lacks also adding organisation as less images need to be stored or created.

(SYMANTEC, 2013) Has Support for Microsoft Windows 7 and 64-Bit OS's. Something that WDS can accomplish but it’s not easy to set up and deploy. To get WDS even discover the 64bit Image Console command lines need to be used wasting yet more valuable time according to (WIFFEN, Phil, 2009).

(SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost uses a Single simplified centralised management console for management of all migration tasks. This something that WDS can do but in terms of management is limited unless downloading programs such as (MICROSOFT, 2009) Aik toolkit to run along WDS followed by endless setups screen server setups and other con-straights mentioned earlier.

Being able to create reports and target Client Computers and create groups, based on (SYMANTEC, 2013) Ghost 2.5 built-in inventory filters for identification and targeting of ‘Windows 7 ready' machines. This feature is invaluable time saver and creates organisation amongst chaos. With (MICROSOFT, 2009) WDS as long as the machine fur fills the minimum requirements it will deploy not taking into consideration of hardware changes of differences.

(SYMANTEC, 2013) Uses Multicast to accelerate deployment and reduce overall overheads and network traffic. Again WDS can do this but not easily taking hours to just set up the broadcast to not send the image out to everyone on the same subnet as described by this tutorial (ANYWEB, 2008). Also claims to be faster at imaging than WDS and other similar technologies (SYMANTEC, 2013).

Ghost uses, (SYMANTEC, 2013) "ThreatCon" indicator to automatically back up Client PC’s in the event of a severe security threat. (SYMANTEC, 2011) Ghost 2.5 also has support for Blu-ray discs and most storage devices. Backing up isn’t just about saving files from accidental data loss; computers get hacked stolen and break.

The Ghost bootable CD environment is the extremely versatile, for storage and wired network drivers to be placed in a package as required, along with signature updates for the built-in virus scanner. (PC PRO, 2010)

(SYMANTEC, 2013) Also has a unique ability of an offsite backup feature, which can mirror your backups to a remote destination whilst data is also written local disk. (SYMANTEC, 2013) Also using redundancy measures if offsite storage happens to be unavailable, saving to a secondary location and sending to original destination when available again.

(SYMANTEC, 2011)Ghost has the ability to mount images as virtual drives in Windows, or convert them into VMware or Hyper-V volumes for access within a virtual machine (PC PRO, 2010).

WDS does have the ability to work with a non-Microsoft DHCP server but in addition to configuring the server to not listen on port 67, you will need to use your DHCP tools to add Option 60 to your DHCP scopes.

WDS is a very powerful tool when used alongside different programs it has all the basic abilities that Ghost has but at no initial cost. The problem is the endless forum content, asking for help, the thousands of you tube tutorials, showing how to set up specific areas that just seem over complicated. Any financial gain is swallowed up by staff training and resources .Threw (SYMANTEC, 2013) Management would have to Recognize" significant cost and time savings", when imaging, deploying, migrating, and managing systems. By the "Enhanced leverage" over Microsoft's own best practices for Windows 7 deployment and migration as mentioned above. Even though (SYMANTEC, 2013) Ghost will around £30, including 1 year support per Client computer this pales insignificant to the am ought of time saved through staff resources and training.