Understanding the Deployment Tools | Introducing Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003

Improvements in the Windows Server 2003 family make it easier to manage deployment and migration. Remote Installation Services (RIS) has been extended to give you greater flexibility and precision in deploying specific configurations across the network. User state migration is more powerful, giving you the ability to efficiently migrate files and settings for large numbers of users. Windows Installer eases the process of customizing installations, updating and upgrading applications, and resolving configuration problems.

Remote Installation

The Remote Installation Services feature simplifies the task of installing an operating system on computers throughout an organization. It provides a mechanism for computers to connect to a network server during the initial boot process, while the server controls a local installation of any of the following operating systems:

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
64-bit version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (RISetup only)
Windows 2000 Professional
Windows 2000 Server
Windows 2000 Advanced Server

Computers without any resident operating system can connect to a networked server during initial startup, and the server performs a local installation of the operating system. It uses RIS during initial startup before the resident operating system, if any, loads. RIS can be used either to install the correct configuration of the operating system on a new computer or to restore a failed computer to a known operating system configuration. With RIS, computer hardware connected through a LAN finds a networked RIS server and requests installation of a new copy of the operating system appropriately configured for the user and computer.

User State Migration

Migrating files and settings for multiple users in a corporate environment is made easier with the User State Migration Tool (USMT). USMT gives you command-line precision in customizing specific settings such as unique modifications to the registry.

USMT is designed for administrators only; individual users do not need to use USMT. In addition, USMT requires a client computer that is connected to a domain controller running Windows 2000 Server or later. USMT reduces the cost of deploying the operating system by addressing each of the following areas:

Migration technician costs
Employee downtime repersonalizing the desktop
Employee downtime finding missing work files
Help-desk calls assisting employees with repersonalizing their desktop
Employee ramp-up time on the new operating system
Employee satisfaction with the migration experience

USMT consists of two executable files (ScanState.exe and LoadState.exe) and four migration rule information files (Migapp.inf, Migsys.inf, Miguser.inf, and Sysfiles.inf). ScanState.exe collects user data and settings based on the information contained in Migapp.inf, Migsys.inf, Miguser.inf, and Sysfiles.inf. LoadState.exe deposits this user-state data on a computer running a fresh (not upgraded) installation of Windows XP Professional. USMT is driven by a shared set of .inf files that can be modified by administrators or OEMs. In virtually all cases, when using USMT for automated migration, administrators will want to modify the .inf files to better handle their unique environment and needs. Additional .inf files can be created for additional migration requirements. With no modification of default settings, USMT migrates the following:

Internet Explorer settings
Outlook Express settings and store
Outlook settings and store
Dial-up connections
Phone and modem options
Accessibility
Classic desktop
Screen-saver selection
Fonts
Folder options
Taskbar settings
Mouse and keyboard settings
Sound settings
Regional options
Office settings
Network drives and printers
Desktop folder
My Documents folder
My Pictures folder
Favorites folder
Cookies folder
Common Office file types

It's easy to modify what's included in the state that ScanState.exe collects. The tool can be instructed to collect or leave specified files, folders, registry entries, or registry subtrees.

Windows Installer

Managing software applications in a corporate environment has traditionally burdened organizations with high costs. With Windows Installer, you can greatly simplify the process of customizing installations, updating and upgrading applications, and resolving configuration problems. Windows Installer manages shared resources, enforces consistent file version rules, and diagnoses and repairs applications at run time. The result is significantly lower TCO for managing applications.

Before the development of Windows Installer, software applications used various setup technologies, each of which contained unique installation rules for each application. At times, the applications did the wrong things at setup time. For example, an earlier version of a particular file might be installed over a newer version. Utilizing multiple setup technologies makes it difficult to maintain accurate reference counts on shared components for the many applications installed on a computer. As a result, installing or removing applications might break other applications.

Using Windows Installer, the operating system implements all of the proper installation rules. To adhere to those rules and to avoid the problems described in the preceding paragraph, an application needs only to describe itself in a Windows Installer package. Windows Installer then performs the installation tasks for each application, which can help you prevent or minimize common installation problems.

Windows Server 2003 introduces new features that can increase the security of information in your organization and enhance the usability and manageability of Windows Installer.

64-bit support.

Windows Installer is implemented as a native 64-bit service in 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition. This service handles the installation of both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. Applications that are 64-bit are packaged in specially marked 64-bit Windows Installer packages. These packages enable installation of both 32-bit and 64-bit components.
Software restriction policies.

The increased role of the Internet in business increases security threats to your network from viruses. Using software restriction policies, you can protect your computer environment from suspect code by identifying and specifying the applications that are allowed to run. The system identifies each application by using a hash rule, a certificate rule, a path rule, or an Internet zone rule.

Windows Installer packages, patches, and transforms are affected by software restriction policies. The levels established for configuring whether to allow users to run a piece of code are either unrestricted or restricted. In particular, Windows Installer runs only those packages that you set at the unrestricted level. If any transforms or patches are involved in an installation, you must set them to run at the unrestricted level for the installation to succeed.

If you configure a software restriction policy to run a package at a level other than unrestricted, Windows Installer displays an error message explaining that a policy is in place that prevents this application from being installed. Windows Installer also logs an event in the application event log.

The system evaluates the software restriction policy when you first install an application, when you apply a new patch, or when Windows Installer needs to recache the installation package for an application. You can apply software restriction policy to all Windows Installer packages for administrators and nonadministrators.

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