LITMIR.BIZ

      The first step in setting up WDS to deploy operating systems to the clients is to install the WDS role. You do this by using Server Manager.

      One of the advantages of using the Windows deployment server is that WDS can work with Windows image (.wim) files. Windows image files can be created through the use of the Windows Sysprep utility.

      One component to which you need to pay attention when using the Windows deployment server is Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) network devices. PXE boot devices are network interface cards (NICs) that can talk to a network without the need for an operating system. PXE boot NIC adapters are network adapters that have a set of preboot commands within the boot firmware.

      This is important when using WDS because PXE boot adapters connect to a WDS server and request the data needed to load the operating system remotely. Remember, most of the machines for which you are using WDS do not have an operating system on the computer. You need NIC adapters that can connect to a network without the need for an operating system for WDS to work properly.

      For the same reason, you must set up DHCP to accept PXE machines. Those machines need a valid TCP/IP address so that they can connect to the WDS server.

      Preparing the WDS Client

      The WDS client is the computer on which Windows 7/8 will be installed. WDS clients rely on a technology called PXE, which allows the client computer to boot remotely and connect to a WDS server.

      To act as a WDS client, the computer must meet all of the hardware requirements for Windows 7/Windows 8 and have a PXE-capable network adapter installed, and a WDS server must be present on the network. Additionally, the user account used to install the image must be a member of the Domain Users group in Active Directory.

      After the WDS server has been installed and configured, you can install Windows 7/Windows 8 on a WDS client that uses a PXE-compliant network card.

      To install Windows 7/Windows 8 on the WDS client, follow these steps:

      1. Start the computer. When prompted, press F12 for a network service boot. The Windows PE appears.

      2. The Windows Welcome screen appears. Click the Next button to start the installation process.

      3. Enter the username and password of an account that has permissions to access and install images from the WDS server.

      4. A list of available operating system images stored on the WDS server appears. Select the image to install and click Next.

      5. Enter the product key for the selected Windows 7/8 image and click Next.

      6. The Partition And Configure The Disk screen appears. Select the desired disk-partitioning options, or click OK to use the default options.

      7. Click Next to initiate the image-copying process. The Windows Setup process will begin after the image is copied to the WDS client computer.

      Understanding Features On Demand

      One of the problems in previous versions of Windows Server was how roles and features were stored on the hard disk. Before the introduction of Windows Server 2012, even if a server role or feature was disabled on a server, the binary files for that role or feature were still present on the disk. The problem with this approach is that, even if you disable the role, it still consumes space on your hard drive.

      Features On Demand in Windows Server 2012 R2 solves this issue because not only can administrators disable a role or feature, they can also completely remove the role or feature’s files.

      Once this is done, a state of Removed is shown in Server Manager, or the state of Disabled With Payload Removed is shown in the Dism.exe utility. To reinstall a role or feature that has been completely removed, you must have access to the installation files.

      If you want to remove a role or feature completely from the system, use – Remove with the Uninstall-WindowsFeature cmdlet of Windows PowerShell. For example, if you want to remove Windows Explorer, Internet Explorer, and all dependent components completely, run the following Windows PowerShell command:

      If you want to reinstall a role or feature that has been removed completely, use the Windows PowerShell – Source option of the Install-WindowsFeature Server Manager cmdlet. Using the – Source option states the path where the WIM image files and the index number of the image will be located. If an administrator decides not to use the – Source option, Windows will use Windows Update by default.

      When you’re using the Features On Demand configuration, if feature files are not available on the server computer and the installation requires those feature files, Windows Server 2012 R2 can be directed to get those files from a side-by-side feature store, which is a shared folder that contains feature files. It is available to the server on the network, from Windows Update, or from installation media. This can be overwritten using the – Source option in the Windows PowerShell utility.

      Source Files for Roles or Features

      Offline virtual hard disks (VHDs) cannot be used as a

Скачать книгу