how to install and configure windows deployment services ... · how to install and configure...

Author: Rusty Hann URL: www.rustyhann.com

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How to Install and Configure Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2008 R2

I am not responsible for your actions or their outcomes, in any way, while reading and/or implementing this tutorial. I will not provide support for the information herein. If you do not understand something, figure it out on your own. If you need help figuring it out, use Google to solve your problems.

Introduction

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is the foundation for deploying Microsoft operating systems. It consists of two parts, the Deployment Server and the Transport Server. The Deployment Server gives an administrator the ability to deploy standard images, as well as capture custom images and deploy them just a standard image would be deployed. The Transport server provides the network functionality needed to respond to PXE boot requests, and deploy operating systems to multiple clients simultaneously. You must install the Transport Server to have Deployment Server functionality.

This tutorial will show you how to install and configure Windows Deployment Services. On its own, WDS is fully capable of deploying Windows operating systems. However, the functionality of WDS can be extended and supplemented through the use of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for Windows 7 and the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1 (MDT 2010 U1). Both technologies will be utilized in following tutorials. For this reason, we will be simply installing and configuring a base WDS server. We will not be adding any deployment images.



Steps

1. Start at the Server Manager MMC. Click the Roles node in the left window pane, and then click Add Roles in the right window pane.

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2. Place a checkmark next to, "Windows Deployment Services", and click the Next button.

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3. The Overview of Windows Deployment Services screen will appear. Click the Next button.

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4. Ensure a checkmark is placed next to Deployment Server and Transport Server, then click the Next button.

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5. Confirm your installation selections and click the Install button.

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6. When the installation is finished, click the Close button.

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7. Expand the Roles node in the left window pane. Drill down to:

Roles -> Windows Deployment Services -> Servers -> nameofserver.domain.domain.

In my example:

Roles -> Windows Deployment Services -> Servers -> dc-01.rustyhann.internal.

Right click the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of your server, in this case

dc-01.rustyhann.internal, and click Configure Server.

NOTES: You will see a triangle with an exclamation point inside it next to the FQDN of your server. This is because the deployment server is not completely configured, and is not running. This step and the following steps will remedy this notification.



8. At the Before You Begin screen, click the Next button.

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9. You will need to create a remote installation folder. This folder should NOT be stored on the root partition, or 'C:\' drive. In this example, I am storing the remote installation folder on the 'F:\' drive. Either manually enter, or browse to, the path where you wish to create your remote installation folder and Click the Next button.

NOTES: The remote installation folder will store boot images, PXE boot files, and WDS management tools. DO NOT MAKE CHANGES TO FILES, FILE NAMES, DIRECTORIES, OR ANY OTHER ATTRIBUTE OF THE FILES IN THIS FOLDER MANUALLY. ALL CHANGES TO THIS DIRECTORY STRUCTURE AND THE FILES CONTAINED WITHIN SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH THE WDS INTERFACE. The only thing you MAY have to change for this folder and subfolders are share permissions.



10. You will now need to configure how your WDS server will handle PXE boot requests through the DHCP Server. If your DHCP server is hosted on the same server as WDS, you need to select both, "Do not listen on port 67", and, "Configure DHCP option 60 to 'PXEClient'. Select both options and click the Next button.

NOTES: Configuring the deployment server to respond PXE boot requests in a network infrastructure that uses a centralized DHCP server (a server that handles all DHCP requests for multiple networks and utilizes DHCP relay agents), or utilizes a non-Windows DHCP server, is beyond the scope of this tutorial. In either circumstance, it is far easier, and my personal recommendation, to simply run DHCP services on your deployment server. Because Windows Deployment Services is so tightly integrated with the Microsoft DHCP service, it is also highly recommended to NOT provide DHCP services from a router or other network device.



11. The next setting will control how the deployment server responds to client requests. Select the option, "Respond to all client computers (known and unkown)", and click the Next button. Do not place a checkmark next to, "Require Administrator approval for unkown computers. ...".

NOTES: If you are willing to pre-stage your clients in an Active Directory environment (using a GUID, MAC Address, or other means of identification), then you can select, "Respond only to known client computers".

The easiest configuration to work with, while providing a respectable level of security, is to select, "Respond to all client computers (known and unkown)", and place a checkmark next to, “Require Administrator approval for unkown computers. ... ". These two options, in conjunction with each other, will allow you to image computers which have not been pre-staged, while preventing unauthorized computers from being imaged, and licensed, on your network. An administrator will have to approve the PXE boot request for each client computer added to the network.



12. The deployment server will be configured. Remove the checkmark next to, "Add images to the server now", and click the Finish button.

NOTES: We will not be adding images to the deployment server at this time. Once we have installed the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1, and configured our deployment images appropriately, we will add them to the deployment server manually.



Wrap UP

13. You should see a circle with a green triangle inside it pointing to the FQDN of your deployment server. This indicates that the deployment server has been successfully installed and configured. It also signifies that it is running and responding to PXE boot requests.

NOTES: This is the end of this tutorial.



Troubleshooting

• Ensure your DHCP infrastructure is setup correctly. The easiest way to setup a WDS server is to run DHCP services concurrently and select both options from step 10.

• If your WDS server does not start automatically after completing the configuration wizard, try right clicking the FQDN of your server, under "Windows Deployment Services -> Servers", selecting "All Tasks", and clicking restart.

I am not responsible for your actions or their outcomes, in any way, while reading and/or implementing this tutorial. I will not provide support for the information herein. If you do not understand something, figure it out on your own. If you need help figuring it out, use Google to solve your problems.

how to install and configure windows deployment services ... · how to install and configure...

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