Choose a Windows Deployment Strategy for Education
Applies To: Windows 8.1
For a Windows 8.1 deployment to PCs in education you can select a strategy based on your deployment size and infrastructure requirements, as well as tools you can use depending on the configuration, automation, and settings you require.
The choice of which deployment strategy to use depends on several factors, including the level of expertise and prior deployment experience available, whether tools like System Center Configuration Manager are already deployed, and the number of computers being targeted. As discussed, there are four primary deployment strategies:
High Touch with Retail Media
Lite Touch with Standard Image
Lite Touch, High Volume
Zero Touch, High Volume
Table 1 discusses each option.
Table 1. Windows Deployment Strategies
| High-Touch with Retail Media | High-Touch with Standard Image | Lite Touch, High Volume | Zero Touch, High Volume | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Deployment size |
Less than 100 computers |
100 to 200 |
200 to 500 |
500+ |
Location/ infrastructure |
Off-campus remote locations, reference computers, or small computer labs |
Off-campus remote locations or computer labs |
On-campus locations with Windows Server machines available; can be used for media-based deployments, if needed |
On-campus location with Windows Server machines and System Center Configuration Manager available; can be used for media-based deployments, if needed |
Skills available |
Generalist or student |
IT pro or student with mentor |
IT pro with deployment experience or advanced student with mentor |
IT pro with deployment and System Center Configuration Manager experience |
Application deployment |
Manual installation |
Manual installation |
Automatic installation |
Automatic installation |
Primary tool used |
Retail media |
Windows ADK |
MDT System Center Configuration Manager (optional) |
MDT and System Center Configuration Manager |
Infrastructure requirements |
None |
Low |
Low to medium, depending on strategy |
High |
Because all but the smallest deployments use a custom Windows image, this guide examines the High Touch with Standard Image and both of the High Volume strategies in more depth. In most cases, you can accomplish deployment by using MDT for the best combination of simplicity and flexibility. However, for large-scale deployments, System Center Configuration Manager with MDT is the recommended tool.
If you have a student mentoring program available, you’ll be able to adapt the High Touch with Standard Image and the Lite-Touch, High-Volume deployments for the mentoring program. These methods require little deployment experience and offer an opportunity for learning in a hands-on environment.
Table 2 looks at the deployment tools and their respective strategies along with other considerations that will help you choose the right strategy and tool.
Table 2. Deployment Tools and Strategies
| LTI with MDT | UDI with MDT and System Center Configuration Manager | ZTI with MDT and System Center Configuration Manager | |
|---|---|---|---|
Automation |
Allows for a customizable automation level, as needed |
Allows for customizable automation |
Fully automated |
Process initiation |
Manually or automatically |
Manually |
Manually or automatically |
Media |
Network or local media |
Network |
System Center Configuration Manager distribution or local media |
Deployment process configuration |
MDT |
MDT with System Center Configuration Manager |
System Center Configuration Manager |
Configuration settings |
Configuration settings predetermined |
Some configuration settings predetermined |
Configuration settings don’t need to be predetermined |
Initial configuration |
Low |
Medium |
High |
Interaction |
Some |
Some |
None |
Permissions |
IT pros need elevated permissions |
No elevated permissions needed |
|
Connectivity |
Slow or none |
High speed |
High speed |
Client requirements |
None |
The Configuration Manager client must manage the client computer |
|
Network permissions |
Clients can be behind a firewall |
Requires Remote Procedure Call communication |