7 Deployment Tools for Windows 7
Today, Windows 7 is released to cities around the world. Are you thinking about migrating your PCs to Windows 7 for your organizations? To help you with deploying Windows 7 successfully and quickly, Microsoft has been developing lots of great tools and best practice (available on Microsoft.com).
Here's a list of my 7 favorite deployment tools to help you more easily and quickly plan and deploy Windows 7 to your organization.
- Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit 4.0 - Download the MAP Toolkit and start assessing your existing PCs for their Windows 7 hardware and device compatibility.
- Application Compatibility Toolkit - Use the tools and guidance from the Application Compatibility Toolkit to assess your current applications and mitigate potential issues prior to deploying Windows 7.
- Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 - Leverage MDT tools and processes to execute and manage the different stages of Windows 7 deployment.
- Windows Automation Installation Kit - Use AIK to automate Windows installations, capture Windows images, and configure/modify PC images during the deployment process.
- Security Compliance Management Toolkit (Windows 7 Baseline Beta) - Get this solution accelerator and learn how to help you plan, deploy, and monitor security baselines of Windows® operating systems including Windows 7.
- Infrastructure Planning and Design (IPD) Guides for App-V and MED-V - Download the IPD guides to get clarity on how to design a highly optimized desktop infrastructure with Windows Optimized Desktop technologies such as App-V (application virtualization) and MED-V (managed desktop virtualization).
- Windows Optimized Desktop Toolkit (formerly Windows Optimized Desktop Scenarios Solution Accelerator) - Use the assessment tool and best practice to determine which Windows technologies including Windows 7, DirectAccess, App-V, MED-V, etc are best for your desktop end users.
Start with these tools and you'll have a lot of fun deploying Windows 7 to your end users!
Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft)