Windows Deployment Services
By
Patrick Nelson
Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a
Windows 7 deployment
tool for deploying over networks.
It’s an updated version of Remote Installation Services
(RIS.) and replaced RIS in Windows Server 2008.
It was updated for Windows Server 2008 R2.
The advantage of using WDS is that you don’t have to install
each operating system from disk.
WDS is capable of some advanced tasks like performing
multicast deployments; managing and deploying driver
packages; creating custom install images; unattended
installations and also creating discover images.
Multicast includes Multiple Stream Transfer and lets you set
performance thresholds on multicast clients, effectively
letting slower clients to move to slower streams, so that
they don’t slow down fast machines.
This was a problem in the original multicast but drivers stored on the WDS server are dynamically provisioned
now. Updating new drivers becomes a bit simpler.
You just add them to the store. They can also be placed in
the boot images straight from the WDS driver store.
WDS now allows you to deploy a Windows 7-based virtual hard
disk (VHD) file to a machine and boot from it. It’s only
supported in the command line though.
WDS can be installed using the Initial Configuration Wizard,
Server Manager, or the command line. Once you’ve installed
the server role, you will need to configure the server.
Then simply add a boot image and an install image and WDS is
ready to deploy Windows 7.
Upgrading from RIS involves a clean installation if
possible--plus Microsoft suggests you don’t mix WDS and RIS
due to possible unpredictable results.
Extensibility is new for WDS.
Data and images can be transmitted by using multicasting on
a stand-alone server—a Transport Server.
Transport Servers are stand-alone servers that do not
require Active Directory Domain Services, DHCP, or DNS.
IPv6 support is added for multicasting, although only in
Windows Server 2008 R2, not Windows Server 2008. Extensible
Firmware Interface (EFI) support is also added for network
booting of x64-based computers with EFI.
Issues with WDS primarily relate to DHCP. If DHCP is on a
server in a different subnet, the router will need to be
configured to broadcast packets. If WDS and DHCP are on the
same computer you may need to disable some DHCP options.
Microsoft has a library section on TechNet specifically
relating to WDS.
It includes a Getting Started guide and tips on how to install and configure WDS. Install an install image, perform unattended installs, create discover images and also troubleshooting amongst other things. You can explore it in depth here.