Planning Low-Volume Deployment

In low-volume deployment projects, such as in a small or medium-sized business, the planning guidance in MOF 4.0 can be overwhelming. Regardless, the MDT 2010 technology framework is well suited to low-volume deployment projects. In fact, a small business can prepare MDT 2010 to deploy Windows 7 in as little as a few hours, and a medium-sized business can accomplish it in a few days. This section describes some of the planning steps you should take in this scaled-down scenario. (Even though you can use the MDT 2010 technology framework without using the planning guidance available in MOF 4.0, you should still put some effort into planning your deployment, along the lines of what is outlined here.)

The first step in the deployment process is to assess your business needs so that you can define the project scope and objectives. Next, decide how best to use Windows 7 to meet those needs. Then assess your current network and desktop configurations, determine whether you need to upgrade your hardware or software, and choose the tools for your deployment. Having made these decisions, you are ready to plan your deployment. An effective plan typically includes the following:

• A schedule for the deployment Build a simple schedule by using Microsoft Office Excel 2007, or use a more formal tool like Microsoft Office Project 2007.
• All the details for customizing Windows 7 to suit your requirements Document the applications, device drivers, updates, and settings that you want to customize.
• An assessment of your current configuration, including information about users, organizational structure, network infrastructure, and hardware and software Create a test environment in which you can deploy Windows 7 by using the features and options in your plan. Have your test environment mirror your production network as closely as possible, including hardware, network architecture, and business applications.
• Test and pilot plans When you're satisfied with the results in your test environment, roll out your deployment to a specific group of users to test the results in a controlled production environment. This is your pilot test.
• A rollout plan Finally, roll out Windows 7 to your entire organization.

Creating the deployment plan is a cyclical process. As you move through each phase, modify the plan based on your experiences.

Note Even if you choose not to use the deployment guidance in MOF 4.0, you can still use the job aids it includes, which provide templates for planning a deployment project more quickly and more thoroughly.