MDT - Have I got this right?

[theo_logical]

I'm just checking and making sure I haven't missed anything.

 

I am preparing a new vanilla network. I have mainly been following BJTECH and his excellent video tutorials on Youtube. I have created a deployment process that includes most of the software required by the school. What's not included in the initial build I plan to add post-build using PDQ Deploy or by group policy. Or even accessed by remote apps. Updates will be deployed by WSUS. Initial build time is about 40 minutes.

 

What I am saying is that I don't seem to need to capture an image using the sysprep process. I'm no expert so I'm happy to be corrected. Have I missed anything, is this a sensible means of deployment?

 

Thanks

[sted]

no you dont need to capture an image you can just deploy vanilla 7/10/8.1 from the dvd and it will work fine. Personally i tend to use an image that has office 201x in and updates to some point closer than when the disc was created by ms as that can save a lot of time later as a vanilla windows 7 / office 2013 install can have 2/3 gbs of updates and take a long time to update during/after deployment

[theo_logical]

Thanks for that Sted.

Updates are the bane of my life, I have never noticed one single update improving anything. I was planning to limit them to critical only.

[robjduk]

I have moved to critical and security only. In MDT you can set it to install updates during the build. Also you can inject updates into the WIM you are deploying using DISM and WSUS Offline.

[IAMCloud_Curt]

I'm just checking and making sure I haven't missed anything.

 

I am preparing a new vanilla network. I have mainly been following BJTECH and his excellent video tutorials on Youtube. I have created a deployment process that includes most of the software required by the school. What's not included in the initial build I plan to add post-build using PDQ Deploy or by group policy. Or even accessed by remote apps. Updates will be deployed by WSUS. Initial build time is about 40 minutes.

 

What I am saying is that I don't seem to need to capture an image using the sysprep process. I'm no expert so I'm happy to be corrected. Have I missed anything, is this a sensible means of deployment?

 

Thanks

You plan on using PDQ Deploy, have you looked into the subscription for this? It's quite expensive.

 

Group Policy can push out MSI's and also ConfigMgr can push out pretty much anything. I'm sure you can get SCCM package through your CALS.

[theo_logical]

Thanks CBlunt, you're right there are plenty of alternatives.

 

Right now I'm using the free version of PDQ Deploy, it's simply brilliant, easy to use, great tutorials and it just works. According to their website one pro license costs $225.00 for education. I'm sure I read somewhere you don't have to take out a subscription.

[NB9457]

Thanks CBlunt, you're right there are plenty of alternatives.

 

Right now I'm using the free version of PDQ Deploy, it's simply brilliant, easy to use, great tutorials and it just works. According to their website one pro license costs $225.00 for education. I'm sure I read somewhere you don't have to take out a subscription.

 

That's right, you buy a licence for each tech that uses it, not how many clients or servers. Really cheap IMO for it is.