Installation & Configure WDS (Windows Deployment Service)

       Hi,Guys Today i have an interesting topic for you that was how to Installation & Configure WDS (Windows Deployment Service).The Deploying operating systems it’s always a hard thing to do. Annoying, uncomfortable, but necessary for every environment. Why? Because every desktop computer on every organization has their own life cycle (even servers, a longer one, but cycle at last). 

Common Base Image Life Cycle

Even if your organization doesn’t have many desktops and even if those desktops don’t seem to need an image refresh in several months; the dynamics of today’s technology makes your base operating systems to change: Updates available, service packs, a new version of your organization’s software, newer operating systems, etc. And don’t forget the consequences of any user’s intervention: overloading the hard drive, personal software installation, etc; transforming always into a need to a fresh new installation. No need to keep enumerating things that normally happens; you probably know all of them.

The bottom line is that a good and automated system to deploy your full operating systems images will significantly (and I do mean significantly) improve your daily tasks: Making an awkward job of following the installations steps for maybe 2 or 3 hours and transforming it to 30 mins of a complete unattended provisioning. Here’s where Windows Deployment Services comes to play.

Now What are the requirement to install WDS 

• Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003 SP2 * for the WDS server .
• Active Directory and DNS up and working.
• DHCP server available and authorized by Active Directory on your network. Linux DHCP servers do not need to be authorized by AD.
• On the client side: NICs PXE compliant.

Almost all of Network Adapter that are available for several years now are in fact PXE compliant, so I think you don’t have to worry about that.

(Optional) And if we want to create our own unattended files.

And some Hardware requirements 

• Processor: No special specs on processor characteristics, but of course to WDS work properly you will need a Pentium III 800 MHz or higher.
• Memory: 256 mb minimum.
• HD: Recommended 30 GB of free space on the disk that will be used for images storing.

This was always depends on the amount of images you will use to deploy. For example, I have over 5 full Vista images (meaning operating system, Office 2012 and several other's software's) and less than 10 GB of disk space used.

Hope you understand's what you need to install now lets move to the installation process

First think if you are instating WDS on a Windows server 2008 or older version you have need to install some package of services i given below :

Go to “Add or Remove Programs” and you get this screen :-

Just add the Windows Deployment Services role from the “Add Role Wizard“. After that, all the configurations tasks are the same, since it is the same snap-in; and you’ll get bonus options using WDS on W2K8, like multicasting transmissions.

To install Windows Deployment Services on Windows Server 2003 SP1 first you must install the “Remote Installation Service” (RIS) component, you will not need to configure anything special with this component. After that, you have to use WAIK media: in the options you will find the Windows Deployment Services for installation.After doing this your installations process is completed.

Now lets Configure your Installation of WDS

First access the “Windows Deployment Services” Screenshot given below :

Once you have used the instructions in this section to configure the server, add a boot image, and an install image, you will be ready to deploy images.

Select Windows Deployment Service role >> Select your Server >> Right Click >> Configure Server 

One think that you have to remember  Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is not supported for Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2008.

If you are running Windows Deployment Services and a non-Microsoft DHCP server on the same computer, in addition to configuring the server to not listen on port 67, you will need to use your DHCP tools to add Option 60 to your DHCP scopes.  

Review the requirements and click Next to begin configuring the WDS.

Give a suitable Path for your WDS Installation Folder. This folder will contain Boot Images, Install Images, PXE Files, tools etc. Or you can choose a NTFS Disk part to save your disk space !

Now If Windows Deployment Services and DHCP are running on the same computer, configuring Windows Deployment Services to not respond to any client computers will not work.This is because although Windows Deployment Services will not respond, DHCP will. You can try to work around this issue by disabling DHCP option 60 on the DHCP tab or by selecting Do Not Listen on Port 67 and Configure DHCP Option 60 to 'PXEClient' as shown below :

Select Do not respond to any Client Computers

Once you have configured all the necessary settings, the WDS service will start up.

When the configuration completes, you are now ready to add Images to your WDS Server. Before clicking on Finish, select the "Add Images to the Server now" option as shown below :

 

You must add at least one boot image and one install image before you will be able to boot to the Windows Deployment Services server and install an image.
 
I have copied the contents of my Windows 2008 R2 Server ISO DVD and stored it in a separate folder (D:/Win2k8R2). You can do the same with your Windows DVD. 

There are two types of Images that you can use in WDS:

• Boot images. Boot images are Windows PE images that you boot a client computer into to perform an operating system installation. In most scenarios, you should use the Boot.wim file on the product DVD from one of the following operating systems: 
  • Client: Windows Vista (with at least Service Pack 1 (SP1)) or Windows 7 
  • Server: Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2
  And you can also use custom boot images that you have created using the Windows AIK (for example, for diagnostic testing). 

And To Install images are the operating system images that you deploy to the client computer. You can use the Install.wim file from the product DVD to deploy images for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2. For operating systems released prior to Windows Vista, you must create a custom install image.Thanking you hope this will helpful for you.!! Must leave an comment and don't forgot to share :)