Planning and Managing Windows 7 Desktop Deployments and Environments

1. Preparing to Deploy Windows 7 Business Desktops

• Overview of the Desktop Lifecycle
• Desktop Deployment: Challenges and Considerations
• Tools and Technologies Used in the Desktop Deployment Lifecycle
• Assessing the Current Computing Environment for Deploying Windows 7
• Designing Licensing and Activation

2. Assessing Application Compatibility in Windows 7

• Overview of Application Compatibility
• Assessing and Resolving Application Compatibility Issues by Using ACT 5.5

3. Evaluating Windows 7 Deployment Methods

• Evaluating In-Place Deployment
• Evaluating Side-by-Side Deployment
• Evaluating Lite-Touch Deployment Method
• Evaluating Zero-Touch Deployment Method

4. Designing Standard Windows 7 Images

• Overview of Windows 7 Installation Architecture
• Overview of the Imaging Process
• Determining the Image Strategy
• Selecting the Image Servicing Methods

5. Deploying Windows 7 by Using WAIK

• Overview of WAIK 2.0
• Building a Reference Windows 7 Image by Using Windows SIM and Sysprep
• Managing the Windows Preinstallation Environment
• Capturing, Applying, and Servicing a Windows 7 Image

6. Deploying Windows 7 by Using Windows Deployment Services

• Overview of WDS
• Designing and Configuring WDS for Windows 7 Deployment

7. Deploying Windows 7 by Using Lite Touch Installation

• Designing the Lite Touch Installation Environment
• Implementing MDT 2010 for Deploying Windows 7

8. Deploying Windows 7 by Using Zero Touch Installation

• Designing the Zero Touch Installation Environment
• Performing Zero-touch Installation of Windows 7 by Using MDT 2010 and Configuration Manager 2007

9. Migrating User State by Using WET and USMT 4.0

• Overview of User State Migration
• Overview of USMT 4.0
• Planning User State Migration (USMT 4.0)
• Migrating User State by Using USMT 4.0

10. Designing, Configuring, and Managing the Client Environment

• Overview of Planning Client Configuration
• Designing and Configuring Standard System Settings
• Designing and Configuring Internet Explorer Settings
• Designing and Configuring Security Settings
• Designing and Implementing Group Policy
• Troubleshooting Group Policy

11. Planning and Deploying Applications and Updates to Windows 7 Clients

• Determining the Application Deployment Method
• Deploying Office 2007
• Planning and Configuring Desktop Updates by Using WSUS

12. Planning and Deploying Windows 7 by Using LTI

• Planning the MDT Lite Touch Environment

• Prepare to deploy Windows 7 business desktops
• Assess and resolve application compatibility issues with Windows 7
• Determine the most appropriate method to deploy Windows 7 based upon specific business requirements
• Design a standard Windows 7 image by assessing and evaluating the business requirements
• Deploy Windows 7 by using WAIK
• Deploy Windows 7 by using WDS
• Deploy Windows 7 by using Lite Touch Installation
• Deploy Windows 7 by using Zero Touch Installation
• Migrate user state by using Windows Easy Transfer and User State Migration Tool 4.0
• Design, configure, and manage the Windows 7 client environment
• Plan and deploy applications and updates to Windows 7 client computers

Lab1a: Assessing the Computing Environment by Using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit

Lab 1b: Recommending a Licensing Strategy

• Determining the Activation Method

Lab 2a: Evaluating Application Compatibility Using the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit

• Installing and Configuring ACT
• Collecting Application Inventory
• Organizing the Application Inventory
• Analyzing Application Inventory Results

Lab 2b: Creating Application Compatibility Fixes

• Identifying Application Compatibility Issues
• Mitigating Application Issues

Lab 3: Determining the Windows 7 Deployment Method

Lab 4: Determining the Windows 7 Imaging Strategy

Lab 5a: Using the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK)

• Install the WAIK
• Resources and Tools Included with the WAIK

Lab 5b: Building a Reference Image Using Windows SIM and Sysprep

• Building a Custom Answer File by Using Windows SIM
• Installing a Reference Computer Using a Custom Answer File
• Generalizing a Reference Computer by Using Sysprep

Lab 5c: Creating Windows PE Boot Media

• Adding Packages and Drivers to Windows PE
• Creating a Bootable Windows PE ISO Image
• Starting the Windows PE Operating System Environment

Lab 5d: Capturing and Applying a Windows 7 Image Using ImageX

• Capturing an Image Using ImageX
• Apply an Image Using ImageX

Lab 5e: Servicing Images by Using DISM

• Servicing a Reference Image using DISM

Lab 6: Deploying Windows 7 by Using Windows Deployment Services (WDS)

• Designing the WDS Environment
• Installing and Configuring the WDS Server Role
• Adding Boot and Install Images to WDS
• Provisioning Drivers by Using WDS
• Deploying a Desktop Operating System Using WDS

Lab 7a: Planning and Configuring MDT 2010

• Planning the MDT Lite Touch Environment
• Installing MDT 2010 and Additional Component Files
• Configuring the Deployment Share
• Creating a Task Sequence

Lab 7b: Deploying Windows 7 by Using Lite Touch Installation

• Updating the Deployment Share to Generate Windows PE Media
• Installing Windows 7 Using Lite Touch Installation

Lab 8: Deploying Windows 7 by Using Zero Touch Installation

• Planning the Zero Touch Installation Environment
• Preparing the Zero Touch Installation Environment
• Configuring Deployment Packages and System Images
• Configuring and Advertising a Client Task Sequence

Lab 9a: Migrating User State by Using Windows Easy Transfer

• Preparing the Window Easy Transfer Source Files
• Capturing User State Information from a Source Computer
• Loading User State Information to a Target Computer

Lab 9b: Migrating User State by Using the User State Migration Tool 4.0 (USMT)

• Planning for the User State Migration
• Creating USMT Migration Scripts
• Capturing and Restoring User State by Using USMT
• Performing a Hard-Link Migration

Lab 9c: Migrating User State by Using Hard Link Migration

• Performing a Hard-Link Migration

Lab 10a: Designing and Configuring the Client Environment

• Designing a Client Environment
• Implementing a Client Configuration

Lab 10b: Troubleshooting GPO Issues

• Resolving a GPO Application Problem

Lab 11a: Determining the Application Deployment Method

Lab 11b: Customizing the Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 Installation

• Configuring the Setup Category
• Configuring the Features Category
• Installing Microsoft Office Professional Plus By Using the Setup Customization File

Lab 11c: Planning and Managing Updates by Using WSUS

• Planning Automatic Updates Settings
• Configuring Automatic Updates Settings by Using Group Policy
• Approving and Deploying an Update by Using WSUS

Lab 12: Deploying Windows 7 Using the LTI Deployment Plan

• Performing a Network Assessment
• Configuring MDT 2010 for an LTI Deployment
• Configuring WDS for a PXE and Multicast Deployment
• Configuring an MDT 2010 Deployment Share
• Creating the Reference Computer
• Preparing the Deployment Task Sequences
• Performing an Upgrade on Target Computers

IT professionals interested in specializing in Windows 7 desktop and application deployments and managing the desktop environments for large organizations; Ideal candidates include support technicians or IT professionals currently in deployment roles who want to advance their careers or enhance their skills in planning and deploying Windows 7 desktops.