Deployment Toolkit Updated in New Beta

A second beta of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 was released in Nov. 2011. MDT is server software that can be used to create, configure, and deploy custom PC images, applications, and components such as drivers, either invoked manually by administrators or completely automatically using Configuration Manager (CM). The MDT is particularly valuable for organizations refreshing Windows XP PCs with ones running Windows 7. The new beta adds support for the upcoming CM 2012 while maintaining support for CM 2007.

Configuration Manager 2012 Support

For CM 2012, MDT 2012 includes integration with the new CM 2012 console, support for user-driven installation (CM 2012 will add self-service for application installation), an extensible deployment wizard and designer for customizing deployments, and the ability to migrate deployment task sequences from CM 2007 to CM 2012.

Other new features include the following:

• Integration with configuration templates from Security Compliance Manager