Assign Applications Using Roles in MDT 2013

Applies To: Windows 8.1

This topic will show you how to add applications to a role in the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 database and then assign that role to a computer. For the purposes of this topic, the application we are adding is Adobe Reader XI. In addition to using computer-specific entries in the database, you can use roles in MDT 2013 to group settings together.

In this topic

• Create and assign a role entry in the database

• Associate the role with a computer in the database

• Verify database access in the MDT simulation environment

See also

• Set Up MDT 2013 for BitLocker

• Configure MDT Deployment Share Rules

• Configure MDT 2013 for UserExit Scripts

• Simulate a Windows 8.1 Deployment in a Test Environment

• Use the MDT Database to Stage Windows 8.1 Deployment Information

• Use Web Services in MDT 2013

• Use Orchestrator Runbooks with MDT 2013

Create and assign a role entry in the database

1. On MDT01, using Deployment Workbench, in the MDT Production deployment share, expand Advanced Configuration and then expand Database.

2. In the Database node, right-click Role, select New, and create a role entry with the following settings:

   1. Role name: Standard PC

   2. Applications / Lite Touch Applications:

   3. Install - Adobe Reader XI - x86

Figure 12. The Standard PC role with the application added

Associate the role with a computer in the database

After creating the role, you can associate it with one or more computer entries.

1. Using Deployment Workbench, expand MDT Production, expand Advanced Configuration, expand Database, and select Computers.

2. In the Computers node, double-click the PC00075 entry, and add the following setting:

   1. Roles: Standard PC

Figure 13. The Standard PC role added to PC00075 (having ID 1 in the database).

Verify database access in the MDT simulation environment

When the database is populated, you can use the MDT simulation environment to simulate a deployment. The applications are not installed, but you can see which applications would be installed if you did a full deployment of the computer.

1. On PC0001, log on as CONTOSO\MDT_BA.

2. Modify the C:\MDT\CustomSettings.ini file to look like the following:

   [Settings]
   Priority=CSettings, CRoles, RApplications, Default
   
   [Default]
   _SMSTSORGNAME=Contoso
   OSInstall=Y
   UserDataLocation=AUTO
   TimeZoneName=Pacific Standard Time 
   AdminPassword=P@ssw0rd
   JoinDomain=contoso.com
   DomainAdmin=CONTOSO\MDT_JD
   DomainAdminPassword=P@ssw0rd
   MachineObjectOU=OU=Workstations,OU=Computers,OU=Contoso,DC=contoso,DC=com
   SLShare=\\MDT01\Logs$
   ScanStateArgs=/ue:*\* /ui:CONTOSO\*
   USMTMigFiles001=MigApp.xml
   USMTMigFiles002=MigUser.xml
   HideShell=YES
   ApplyGPOPack=NO
   SkipAppsOnUpgrade=NO
   SkipAdminPassword=YES
   SkipProductKey=YES
   SkipComputerName=NO
   SkipDomainMembership=YES
   SkipUserData=NO
   SkipLocaleSelection=YES
   SkipTaskSequence=NO
   SkipTimeZone=YES
   SkipApplications=NO
   SkipBitLocker=YES
   SkipSummary=YES
   SkipCapture=YES
   SkipFinalSummary=NO
   EventService=http://MDT01:9800
   
   [CSettings]
   SQLServer=MDT01
   Instance=SQLEXPRESS
   Database=MDT
   Netlib=DBNMPNTW
   SQLShare=Logs$
   Table=ComputerSettings
   Parameters=UUID, AssetTag, SerialNumber, MacAddress
   ParameterCondition=OR
   
   [CRoles]
   SQLServer=MDT01
   Instance=SQLEXPRESS
   Database=MDT
   Netlib=DBNMPNTW
   SQLShare=Logs$
   Table=ComputerRoles
   Parameters=UUID, AssetTag, SerialNumber, MacAddress
   ParameterCondition=OR
   
   [RApplications]
   SQLServer=MDT01
   Instance=SQLEXPRESS
   Database=MDT
   Netlib=DBNMPNTW
   SQLShare=Logs$
   Table=RoleApplications
   Parameters=Role
   Order=Sequence
   

3. Using an elevated Windows PowerShell prompt (run as Administrator), run the following commands. Press Enter after each command:

   Set-Location C:\MDT
   .\Gather.ps1
   

Figure 14. ZTIGather.log displaying the application GUID belonging to the Adobe Reader XI application that would have been installed if you deployed this machine.