Rolling Out the Deployment

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

After testing your implementation in the lab and conducting a pilot program to refine your plan and further test your implementation, you are ready to deploy Windows Server 2003 throughout your enterprise. For some organizations, the initial pilot project is the first phase of the rollout. Others remove their pilot project installations and start their production rollout with clean installations. During the production rollout, testing and support activities remain important while iterative cycles of deployment, testing, validation, and support become the primary focus.

After Windows Server 2003 has been rolled out, responsibility for maintaining the new operating system infrastructure is formally turned over to the operations and support groups. At this point, you might want to develop a project closeout report, which includes final versions of all major project deliverables, sign-off by the team and management, and a summary of the next steps that need to be taken.

You might also decide to conduct a project review. Use the project review to objectively assess the strengths and weaknesses of your entire project and to analyze how you could improve future infrastructure deployments.