Automated Deployment Services components

Automated Deployment Services (ADS) enables you to reduce data center administration costs though remote and automated operating system deployment, and configuration and control of servers. ADS is made up of the following components:

Controller service

The Controller service tracks computers, called "devices," within the data center and enables the administrator to group them into sets and run administrative jobs on the sets. The Administration Agent, which handles communications with the Controller after the device is running a full operating system, is installed with the Controller by default. For more information about the Controller, see Controller.

Network Boot Services (NBS)

Network Boot Services allows computers without an operating system to be remotely configured to run a selected operating system image. NBS is made up of the ADS PXE service

ADS PXE service

One of the services that is part of Network Boot Services. The ADS PXE service first detects when a device boots on the network and then relays the boot information to the Controller service.

and the Deployment Agent Builder service

Deployment Agent Builder service

One of the services that is part of Network Boot Services. The Deployment Agent Builder service creates Deployment Agent images that are customized to the hardware of a device. This process occurs when a device requests a Deployment Agent image.

. For more information about NBS, see Network Boot Services.

Image Distribution service

The Image Distribution service enables you to capture

capture

Convert the content of a physical disk or volume into an image file.

and deploy images

images

A file that contains the contents of a disk volume. The contents of an image can be stored as an exact physical representation of the volume or as a collection of files.

locally or remotely. The Image Distribution service image store provides the storage location for images. Using the Controller, you can track and manage those images. For more information about the Image Distribution service, see Image deployment infrastructure.

Administration tools

Automated Deployment Services (ADS) includes the ADS Management snap-in, Sequence Editor, and a set of command-line tools that enable administrators to locally and remotely manage ADS. Using the ADS Management snap-in or the command-line tools, you can monitor devices, group and manage sets of devices, run jobs and task sequences, and manage images. The Sequence Editor enables you to create and edit task sequences. For more information about the administration tools, see Using the Controller interfaces.

Volume imaging tools

ADS includes a library of powerful tools that enable you to capture, edit, and deploy images. These tools can be used stand-alone from within Windows, or can be used with the ADS Controller to capture and deploy local or remote images to one or more devices. In addition, these tools enable you to mount an image and edit files within the image, without having to deploy the image and recapture it.

Documentation

The Automated Deployment Services (ADS) online Help provides set up, operations, and management information.