Overview of Operating System Deployment (OSD).

The methodology of OSD can simply be building an operating system on a master hard disk and then cloning this disk to various client and or server platforms. With ConfigMgr you can now deploy operating systems automatically using the technologies built into System Center Configuration Manager 2012 R2. However, an extensive planning phase must be executed to to either methodologies succesfully. Here is a list of considerations:

• Automation: Should the entire process be automated and unattended?
• Hardware prepartions: Disk partitioning, establishing RAID, BIOS upgrades, hardware device upgrades, etc.
• Criteria: Who is it for? Where will this be installed? What will the role of the system be? When will it be installed?
• Deployment Center roles: ConfigMgr roles such as software distribution, software updates, and reporting can be used for OSD. User accounts will likely have to be created as well as site system roles. With ConfigMgr you can update the image to be deployed with software updates, which saves "image maintenance" time. Also, the boot image, which is what a computer needing a new OS will boot to (formerly known as WinPE) first to obtain the new OS, has an extensive set of capabilities to improve the user interface and enhance the deployment of new operating systems.
• Integration with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT): MDT offers a complete stand-alone solution for deploying Windows and is an add-on to the base functionality of OSD in ConfigMgr.
• Deployment scenarios:
  • Upgrade: in-place update of the current OS to a new OS, preserving user data.
  • New Computer: this is a complete overwrite of the system - bare-metal or wipe-and-load.
  • Refresh: install a fresh new OS on an existing system, perserving user data. The new OS is likely the same OS on the system and will possibly be done to resolve some help-desk that a company is experiencing with the OS that will be refreshed.
  • Replace: this scenario replaces the physical system whereby the user will get new hardware, but retain their state, OS and applications.
  • OEM: similar to Replace, but does not retain user's date or existing add-on applications.
• Drivers: do you have compatible hardware drivers for the new install?
• Testing: Who will test the new OS? When will the new OS be tested? Will there be a pretest (preview) procedure/sign-off?
• Documentation: New systems and updated systems will have to be documented. With ConfigMgr, new systems will have to become joined to the domain and made clients of configmgr. Updated system will (should) have updated software and/or hardware inventory. New reports could then be run.
• Task sequences: Build and capture, deployment, testing, documentation, etc. This would be a good time to utilize Project Management software!