Microsoft Surface 3 - Manual (Page 21)

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to meet a wide variety of tasks. Windows PE is runs exclusively from RAM to make sure no files are locked in the disk to
which we are deploying a new Operating System.
User State Migration Tool
The User State Migration Tool (USMT) is a command line utility that is used to back up and restore user-specific data and
settings. USMT includes two processes, ScanState and LoadState. ScanState is used to backup user settings, either to
the network, an external device, or locally on the system in a way that will be preserved through a file-based image
deployment using Microsoft tools. LoadState is then used in the deployed operating system to restore the user data and
settings for a seamless transition to the new computer.
Volume Activation Management Tool
The Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) collects activation data for large deployments by serving as a central
relay for communication with the Windows activation servers. It also provides a secure central management solution for
product keys and inventory and monitoring services for licensing and activation. VAMT also facilitates management of
licensing through Active Directory-Based Activation (ADBA).
System Center Configuration Manager
One of the most feature-rich solutions for the deployment and management of computers within an organization is
Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager, also known as SCCM. This enterprise tool serves not only as a utility
for facilitating operating system deployment, but also for managing active systems across an enterprise. SCCM enables
the deployment of applications, management of updates, and complex reporting of the environment. SCCM is capable
of managing not only Windows computers, but also those running non-Microsoft operating systems and mobile devices.
SCCM enables package and update management, so not only can a new environment be pushed to client computers
such as Surface Pro 3, but also driver and firmware updates. See Chapter 6 for more information about driver and
firmware deployment for Surface Pro 3 scenarios.
SCCM also supports a fully-automated, zero-touch deployment scenario. As a management solution, it is able to
seamlessly initiate deployment in a refresh scenario and perform the distribution of the environment without any user
interaction. SCCM integrates with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit integration (see next section for more information),
to enable even more functionality, such as support for User Driven Installation (UDI). UDI is a framework that enables an
IT department to create a custom deployment wizard to guide users through a specific installation or customization
task.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Each of the tools and technologies discussed thus far enable some deployment functionality, but the Microsoft
Deployment Toolkit (MDT) pulls all those technologies together, acting as a wrapper to consolidate the configuration
and unify the deployment experience.
Note: Early versions of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit were known as Business Desktop Deployment, or BDD.
The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is a highly scalable deployment solution. It can be used in deployments for small and
medium sized businesses (SMB), or large enterprises alike. MDT can handle small deployments where no servers are
available and the deployment files are hosted on a user’s workstation. Likewise, MDT can be used for distributed
deployments to multiple sites and thousands of computers across data centers, networks, and domains.