Take a deep dive into the world of Windows desktop deployment using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit About This Book Learn Microsoft Deployment Toolkit best practices and how to adopt them into your deployment project Troubleshoot task sequence errors and quickly resolve deployment blockers An easy-to-follow, in-depth guide to image creation, customization, and deployment of Windows Who This Book Is For This book is ideal for those deploying or planning to deploy Windows, in need of a top-to-bottom guide on project deployment. It is also an invaluable resource for consultants who need a top-to-bottom guide (or just a refresher) on project deployment. What You Will Learn Build a production-ready MDT environment Administer the environment for multiple users Customize your reference image with an MDT Task Sequence Create standalone media for offline deployments Customize the default user profile according to the version of Windows Get to grips with some troubleshooting steps and processes to reduce the time for recovery of a failed image Customize and create Windows images for deployment Discover useful tips and tricks to help save time in your deployment projects In Detail The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) provides a comprehensive collection of tools, processes, and guidance for automating desktop and server deployments. It considerably reduces deployment time and standardizes desktop and server images. Moreover, MDT offers improved security and ongoing configuration management. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the official supported method of creating and customizing Windows images for deployment. Starting from scratch, this book walks you through the MDT setup, task sequence creation, and image deployment steps in detail. Breaking down the various MDT concepts, this book will give you a thorough understanding of the deployment process. Beginning with imaging concepts and theory, you will go on to build a Microsoft Deployment Toolkit environment. You will understand the intricacies of customizing the default user profile in different versions of Windows. Driver handling can be a challenge for larger organizations; we'll cover various driver concepts including mandatory driver profiles. ]Other important topics like the User State Migration Tool (USMT), configuration of XML files, and how to troubleshoot the USMT are also discussed in the book. We will cover the verifier and Windows Performance Toolkit for image validation scenarios. Furthermore, you will learn about MDT web frontend implementation as well as how to utilize the database capabilities of MDT for deeper deployment options. We'll wrap it all up with some links to resources for more information, blogs to watch, and useful Twitter handles. Style and approach This is a comprehensive guide written using a step-by-step approach. It begins with the basics and gradually moves on to the advanced topics MDT.

Get a head start deploying Windows 10--with tips and best practices from experts in the field. This guide shows you how to deploy Windows 10 in an automated way without impacting end users by leveraging System Center Configuration Manager, which is the most used product to deploy Microsoft operating systems in the industry today.

If your job is deploying Windows 10, this book is for you. In this book, you will find practical guidance based on our many years of real-world experience deploying Windows around the world. Deployment Fundamentals, Volume 6, provides you with detailed step-by-step instructions, as well as decision-making guidance and explanations that provide answers on the Whys and Hows around Windows 10 OS deployment using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 Update 2. The book also include many real-word notes and troubleshooting tips and tricks. To get you going as quickly possible, the book sample scripts contains a fully automated build of the entire environment, the hydration kit. That includes a fully configured Active Directory environment, including DNS, DHCP, WSUS, PXE, DFS-R Replication, SQL Express, and more. With this book, you will learn how to: Install and configure MDT 2013 Update 2 for production deployments - Build the supporting infrastructure - Use the script repository included with this book in your own environment - Create production-ready reference images for Windows 10 - Build a real-world deployment solution for Windows 10 - Add and deploy applications - Perform real-world driver management - Apply advanced configurations for CustomSettings.ini and deployment automation - Extend MDT using application wrappers, userexit scripts, and PowerShell - Prestage deployment settings using the MDT databases - Perform advanced configuration using web services - Deploy Office 2016, including the Click-to-Run Office 365 version

Get a head start evaluating Windows 10--with technical insights from award-winning journalist and Windows expert Ed Bott. This guide introduces new features and capabilities, providing a practical, high-level overview for IT professionals ready to begin deployment planning now. This edition was written after the release of Windows 10 version 1511 in November 2015 and includes all of its enterprise-focused features. The goal of this book is to help you sort out what’s new in Windows 10, with a special emphasis on features that are different from the Windows versions you and your organization are using today, starting with an overview of the operating system, describing the many changes to the user experience, and diving deep into deployment and management tools where it’s necessary.

Part of a series of specialized guides on System Center - this book shares real-world expertise for using Configuration Manager capabilities to deliver more effective IT services. Series editor Mitch Tulloch and a team of System Center experts provide concise technical guidance as they step you through key deployment and management scenarios.

Get up to date quickly with clear, expert coverage of SCCM 2016 Mastering System Center Configuration Manager provides comprehensive coverage of Microsoft's powerful network software deployment tool, with a practical hands-on approach. Written by Santos Martinez, Peter Daalmans, and Brett Bennett, this guide walks you through SCCM 2016 with in-depth explanations anchored in real-world applications to get you up to speed quickly. Whether you're planning a new installation or migrating from a previous version of Configuration Manager, this book provides clear instruction and expert insight to get the job done right. Fully aligned with the latest release, the discussion covers the newest tools and features with examples that illustrate utility in a variety of contexts. System Center Configuration Manager (formerly SMS) is one of Microsoft's flagship products; the 2016 release has been updated with better Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 compatibility, improved tools for managing non-Microsoft mobile devices in the cloud, and more. This book provides start-to-finish coverage and expert guidance on everything you need to get your system up to date. Deploy software and operating systems Automate processes and customize configurations Monitor performance and troubleshoot issues Manage security in the cloud and on Virtual Machines SCCM 2016 improves your ability to handle the bring-your-own-device influx in managing mobile, streamlining the latest hiccup right into the everyday workflow. Mastering System Center Configuration Manager provides the practical coverage you need to get up and running seamlessly.

Design, create and manage robust Power BI solutions to gain meaningful business insights Key Features Master all the dashboarding and reporting features of Microsoft Power BI Combine data from multiple sources, create stunning visualizations and publish your reports across multiple platforms A comprehensive guide with real-world use cases and examples demonstrating how you can get the best out of Microsoft Power BI Book DescriptionThis book is intended for business intelligence professionals responsible for the design and development of Power BI content as well as managers, architects and administrators who oversee Power BI projects and deployments. The chapters flow from the planning of a Power BI project through the development and distribution of content to the administration of Power BI for an organization. BI developers will learn how to create sustainable and impactful Power BI datasets, reports, and dashboards. This includes connecting to data sources, shaping and enhancing source data, and developing an analytical data model. Additionally, top report and dashboard design practices are described using features such as Bookmarks and the Power KPI visual. BI managers will learn how Power BI’s tools work together such as with the On-premises data gateway and how content can be staged and securely distributed via Apps. Additionally, both the Power BI Report Server and Power BI Premium are reviewed. By the end of this book, you will be confident in creating effective charts, tables, reports or dashboards for any kind of data using the tools and techniques in Microsoft Power BI.What you will learn Build efficient data retrieval and transformation processes with the Power Query M Language Design scalable, user-friendly DirectQuery and Import Data Models Develop visually rich, immersive, and interactive reports and dashboards Maintain version control and stage deployments across development, test, and production environments Manage and monitor the Power BI Service and the On-premises data gateway Develop a fully on-premise solution with the Power BI Report Server Scale up a Power BI solution via Power BI Premium capacity and migration to Azure Analysis Services or SQL Server Analysis Services Who this book is for Business Intelligence professionals and existing Power BI users looking to master Power BI for all their data visualization and dashboarding needs will find this book to be useful. While understanding of the basic BI concepts is required, some exposure to Microsoft Power BI will be helpful.