The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) is Microsoft's officially supported method of deploying and imaging Windows operating systems to a large set of computers, and is a subset of the operating system deployment functionality provided by Microsoft SCCM. MDT allows for strong flexibility for deployment by means of rules processing at the computer, role, and site layer, and the ability to choose applications to be installed at imaging time before delivery of a PC to a user.
MDT is OIT's official and only supported method of imaging all Valencia College-owned PC assets, and replaces Symantec Ghost for disk imaging and cloning.
MDT provides the following benefits over Ghost:
- Native support for GPT partitioning schemes (required for UEFI boot mode and Secure Boot).
- Centralized management enables OIT standard device configuration to be pushed college-wide which allows for a more consistent user experience, as well as automation of PC hostname assignment and domain join (allows for AD computer account to be placed automatically in assigned Organizational Unit).
- Automate driver sets, BIOS firmware updates, and implement BIOS settings targeted to specific PC make and model.
- Automate Windows Update via WSUS to ensure devices always receive the latest security updates.
- Automate installation of core applications and enforce mandatory apps to be installed in order to ensure system compliance.
- Customized task sequences can be targeted to groups of computers by service tag for computer labs needing area-specific customizations (settings, programs, etc).
- USMT (User State Migration Tool) for migrating user data to a new PC undergoing hardware refresh, or in the event an existing PC needs to be re-imaged.
The infrastructure for MDT consists of three servers located at West, East and Osceola Campuses (MDT-WEC, MDT-EAC, and MDT-OSC respectively), each one connected directly to the respective campus core router via a 10 Gbps fiber connection--this provides for maximum network throughput for imaging large numbers of computers simultaneously (classrooms, labs, etc). and eliminates the network broadcast problems commonly seen with Ghost. To minimize imaging traffic over the college WAN, the following should be used as a guideline to determine which campus connects to which server:
MDT-WEC
- West Campus
- District Office
- Fire Academy
MDT-EAC
- East Campus
- Winter Park Campus
- School of Public Safety
MDT-OSC
- Osceola Campus
- Lake Nona Campus
- Poinciana Campus
- Advanced Manufacturing Facility
To request an application be added, or to have an error corrected, create a new TDX ticket and assign to Wes Sondermann.