Building Real World Infrastructure With Windows Server 2012 R2 MDT 2013 And

Windows Server 2012 R2 and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 together provide a powerful combination for building real-world infrastructure solutions. Whether you are setting up an enterprise-level environment or a small business network, these tools can make your life much easier and streamline the deployment process.

In this article, we will explore the key features and benefits of Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013, and discuss how they can be used together to build real-world infrastructure. We will also delve into some practical examples and best practices to help you get started with this powerful combination.

Deployment Fundamentals, Vol. 5: Building a Real-World Infrastructure with Windows Server 2012 R2, MDT 2013, and PowerShell

by Johan Arwidmark (Kindle Edition)

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	10672 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	261 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

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The Power of Windows Server 2012 R2

Windows Server 2012 R2 is the latest server operating system released by Microsoft. It provides a wide range of features and improvements over its predecessors, making it an ideal choice for building real-world infrastructure. Some of the key features include:

• Server virtualization: Windows Server 2012 R2 provides a robust virtualization platform that allows you to create and manage virtual machines efficiently. This helps in reducing hardware costs and providing high availability.
• Improved networking: The new network stack in Windows Server 2012 R2 offers improved performance, scalable networking features, and enhanced security. This ensures that your infrastructure is always efficient and secure.
• Storage capabilities: The Storage Spaces feature in Windows Server 2012 R2 enables you to create flexible and cost-effective storage solutions. It allows you to pool physical disks together, providing redundancy and scalability.
• Cloud integration: Windows Server 2012 R2 is designed to work seamlessly with Microsoft Azure, providing hybrid cloud capabilities. This enables you to easily extend your infrastructure to the cloud and take advantage of its benefits.

These are just a few examples of the many features and improvements offered by Windows Server 2012 R2. Its scalability, reliability, and enhanced security make it an excellent choice for building real-world infrastructure.

Streamlined Deployment with MDT 2013

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of deploying Windows operating systems and other software. It provides a standardized and automated approach to deployment, ensuring consistency and efficiency throughout the infrastructure.

With MDT 2013, you can create deployment task sequences that define the steps required to deploy Windows Server 2012 R2 and other software. These task sequences can be customized to meet the specific needs of your infrastructure, allowing you to automate various installation and configuration tasks.

Some of the key benefits of MDT 2013 include:

• Centralized management: MDT 2013 allows you to centrally manage and control the deployment process. This makes it easier to maintain consistency and ensure that all machines are deployed with the desired configurations.
• Driver management: MDT 2013 simplifies the process of managing drivers for different hardware platforms. It provides a unified driver store, which can be easily updated and maintained.
• Application deployment: With MDT 2013, you can also deploy applications alongside the operating system. This eliminates the need to manually install applications on each machine, saving time and effort.
• Customization options: MDT 2013 offers various customization options, allowing you to tailor the deployment process to your specific requirements. This includes adding custom scripts, configuring settings, and integrating with other tools.

By leveraging the features of MDT 2013, you can significantly reduce the time and effort required for deploying Windows Server 2012 R2 and other software in your infrastructure.

Building Real-World Infrastructure

Now that we have explored the key features and benefits of Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013, let's discuss how they can be used together to build real-world infrastructure.

One common scenario is setting up an enterprise-level environment that consists of multiple servers running Windows Server 2012 R2. With MDT 2013, you can create a standardized deployment task sequence that deploys the operating system, configures network settings, installs necessary drivers, and joins the servers to the domain.

This task sequence can be executed remotely, allowing you to deploy Windows Server 2012 R2 on multiple machines simultaneously. This saves time and effort, ensuring that all servers are deployed consistently and quickly.

Furthermore, MDT 2013 also allows you to automate the installation and configuration of additional software, such as Active Directory, SQL Server, and other server roles. This ensures that your infrastructure is fully functional and ready for production use.

In addition to enterprise-level environments, Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013 can also be used to build small business networks. With MDT 2013, you can create deployment task sequences that deploy the operating system and necessary software on client machines.

This helps in standardizing the client environment and ensuring that all machines are configured properly. It also eliminates the need to manually install the operating system and software on each machine, saving time and effort.

Best Practices

When building real-world infrastructure with Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013, it is important to follow some best practices to ensure a smooth deployment process. Here are a few tips:

• Plan your deployment: Before starting the deployment process, carefully plan and document your infrastructure requirements. This includes hardware specifications, network settings, software configurations, and other relevant details.
• Create standardized task sequences: Develop standardized deployment task sequences that cater to different scenarios in your infrastructure. This ensures consistency and reduces the risk of errors.
• Test and validate: Always test and validate your task sequences in a controlled environment before deploying them in production. This helps in identifying and resolving any issues or conflicts.
• Maintain proper documentation: Document your task sequences, configurations, and any customizations made. This facilitates easy troubleshooting and future reference.
• Stay up to date: Keep Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013 updated with the latest patches and updates. This ensures that you are benefitting from the latest features and security enhancements.

By following these best practices, you can ensure a successful deployment and achieve a robust and reliable infrastructure.

Building real-world infrastructure with Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013 is a powerful combination that offers numerous benefits. Whether you are setting up an enterprise-level environment or a small business network, these tools can streamline the deployment process and ensure consistency and efficiency.

With the scalability, reliability, and enhanced security of Windows Server 2012 R2, and the centralized management and automation features of MDT 2013, you can achieve a robust and reliable infrastructure that meets your specific requirements and supports your business needs.

So, start exploring the possibilities of building real-world infrastructure with Windows Server 2012 R2 and MDT 2013 today!

Deployment Fundamentals, Vol. 5: Building a Real-World Infrastructure with Windows Server 2012 R2, MDT 2013, and PowerShell

by Johan Arwidmark (Kindle Edition)

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	10672 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	261 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

No way! Automating the deployment of the entire infrastructure? That can’t be done!
These are words we have heard many times, but the answer is: Yes, you can, with the step-by-step guides, sample scripts, and other resources found in this book.
In the modern datacenter, everything is about automation, repeatable processes, and well-designed and documented infrastructure. This can be accomplished with PowerShell and MDT 2013. In this book, you learn how to install and configure the core infrastructure components in Windows Server 2012 R2. You start from absolutely nothing, and using the book and its sample scripts, build a complete real-world, production-ready infrastructure.