Updated: July 9, 2020 (August 4, 2003)

Deployment Improvements Yield Secure Servers Faster

Michael analyzed and wrote about Microsoft's operating systems, including the Windows client OS, as well as compliance and governance. Michael... more

Windows Server 2003 makes it easier for administrators to install and configure Windows and applications on “bare-metal” computers-computers that do not have an OS already-with minimal manual intervention. Improvements to the existing Remote Installation Services (RIS) and the addition of Automated Deployment Services (ADS) reduce the roadblocks to rolling out large numbers of computers running Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. However, until Microsoft offers a common deployment infrastructure, customers will have to learn and support two different automated deployment services.

Improving Automated Deployment

Automated deployment typically involves creating a master computer with the desired client or server configuration, replicating the master’s disk image to new client or server computers, and then running an unattended installation program or script to finish the configuration. Although automating installation is conceptually easy, subtle differences in hardware and requirements for unique information on each copy being deployed complicate the process. (For more information on installation and configuration, see the sidebar “Deployment Strategies“.)

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