Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 is now Available for Download

Getting ready to deploy Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2?  Check out the recently released Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2. MDT 2010 is the next version of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a free Solution Accelerator for operating system and application deployment. New features such as flexible driver management, optimised UI workflow, and Windows PowerShell, which will help simplify deployment and make your job easier. Save time and money when you deploy faster and more easily with MDT 2010.

Download the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 and give us your feedback (Live ID login and registration required). If already a member, click here.

Learn more about this toolkit by visiting MDT TechNet site

 

MDT 2010 Beta 2 adds the following new features and functionality:

Deployment Workbench Enhancements

  • Manage multiple Deployment Shares from a single Deployment Workbench including local Deployment Shares or from a network location including standalone DFS shares
  • Replicate content between Deployment Shares through "Linked Deployment Shares" and use selection profiles to manage what content gets replicated
  • Multiple users can now interact with the same Deployment Share
  • Create folders to manage Drivers, Task Sequences, Operating Systems, and OS Packages
  • Drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, and cut-and-paste between folders or between Deployment Shares

Powershell Capabilities

  • Anything done from within the Deployment Workbench can be scripted through PowerShell
  • A drive provider has been added for enumerating folders, items, and properties
  • Cmdlets can be used for importing content such as Drivers, Operating Systems, Task Sequences, etc.

Task Sequence and Script Enhancements

  • Improved Diagnostics and Logging with more specific error messages
  • Real time logging directly to a network share
  • Enhanced log collection
  • Two new task sequence templates (Capture Only, Post OS Installation)
  • Pause and Resume a task sequence
  • Automatically detect and fix domain join problems
  • Improved user interface for client wizards
  • Deploy to a specified disk or partition (Vista or later)
  • Refresh BitLocker encrypted systems to Windows 7 without decrypting the contents of the disk

Configuration Manager Enhancements

  • Improved wizard for creating task sequences
  • USMT 4.0 hard-link support

 

Also check out Michael Niehaus blog, where he goes through the top features with a series of blog posts including:

MDT 2010 New Feature #1: Logging directly to the network

MDT 2010 New Feature #2: Gathering virtualisation details

MDT 2010 New Feature #3: Suspend and resume a Lite Touch task sequence

MDT 2010 New Feature #4: Folders everywhere

MDT 2010 New Feature #5: Support for multiple deployment shares

MDT 2010 New Feature #6: Drag and drop

MDT 2010 New Feature #7: Boot image creation optimized

MDT 2010 New Feature #8: No more visible command windows when booting Lite Touch Windows PE

MDT 2010 New Feature #9: Copy and paste support in the Deployment Workbench task sequence editor

MDT 2010 New Feature #10: Detection of signed drivers

MDT 2010 New Feature #11: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 support