I’ve mentioned before that I’m a big fan of MDT, and using whatever tools possible to help with the automation and customisation of OS images, so was pleased to get this information today. SCCM 2012 and Windows 8 support are the two things that should get most people excited, and by most people, I mean a subset of most people, who like technology that helps deploy operating systems.

 

Reliable and Flexible OS Deployment-now with support for System Center Configuration Manager 2012 RC2

The Solution Accelerators team is pleased to announce Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 RC1 is available for download on Connect now.

Download the MDT 2012 RC1 release now

 

New features and enhancements make large-scale desktop and server deployments smoother than ever!

 

Support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2: This update provides support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2 releases. MDT 2012 fully leverages the capabilities provided by Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment. The latest version of MDT offers new User-Driven Installation components and extensibility for Configuration Manager 2007 and 2012. Users now also have the ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012.

 

Customize deployment questions: For System Center Configuration Manager customers, MDT 2012 provides an improved, extensible wizard and designer for customizing deployment questions.

 

Ease Lite Touch installation: The Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) is now integrated with Lite Touch Installation, providing remote control and diagnostics. New monitoring capabilities are available to check on the status of currently running deployments. LTI now has an improved deployment wizard user experience. Enhanced partitioning support ensures that deployments work regardless of the current structure.

 

Secure Deployments: MDT 2012 offers integration with the Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) tool to ensure a secure Windows deployment from the start.

 

Reliability and flexibility: Existing MDT users will find more reliability and flexibility with the many small enhancements and bug fixes and a smooth and simple upgrade process.

 

Support for Windows 8: The RC1 release of MDT 2012 provides support for deploying Windows 8 Consumer Preview in a lab environment.

Key Benefits:

  • Full use of the capabilities provided by System Center      Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment.
  • Improved Lite Touch user experience and functionality.
  • A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing      MDT users.

 

New Features:

 

For System Center Configuration Manager customers:

  • Support for Configuration Manager 2012 (while still      supporting Configuration Manager 2007)
  • New User-Driven Installation components for      Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2012
    • Extensible wizard and       designer, additional integration with Configuration Manager to deliver a       more customized OS experience, support for more imaging scenarios, and an       enhanced end-user deployment experience
  • Ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from      Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012

 

For Lite Touch Installation:

  • Integration with the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery      Toolkit (DaRT) for remote control and diagnostics
  • New monitoring capabilities to see the progress of      currently running deployments
  • Support for deploying Windows to computers using      UEFIAbility to deploy Windows 7 so that the computer will start from a new      VHD file, “Deploy to VHD”
  • Improved deployment wizard user experience

 

For all customers:

  • Integration with configuration templates from the      Security Compliance Manager Solution Accelerator, ensuring Windows is      secure from the start
  • A simple mechanism for running Windows PowerShell      scripts during a deployment, with task sequence environment and logging      integration
  • Better partitioning support, creating the recommended      partitioning structures on new computers and ensuring deployments work      regardless of the current structure
  • A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing      MDT users
  • Many small enhancements and bug fixes

 

Tell us what you think! Test drive our release and send us your constructive feedback through the Connect site. We value your input; this is the perfect opportunity to be heard.

Tell your peers and customers about Solution Accelerators! Please forward this to anyone who wants to learn more about OS deployment with MDT, and Microsoft Solution Accelerators.

Already using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit? We’d like to hear about your experiences.

 

MDT Team

Microsoft Solution Accelerators