Customizing Image Deployment by creating deployment templates

Every organisation has its own user and department needs. For each department the administrator would want to provide a specific OS with a particular set of applications and this requirement will vary accordingly. You can customize the captured image by creating deployment templates, where you can select the disk partitions, configure the settings to be performed after successful deployment and define the computer settings like adding computer under domain, adding user accounts, installing applications to the target computers etc., 

Scenario:

1. For administrators working in hospitals, you might have various departments like radiology, pharmaceutical, biotechnology etc., you can customize deployment for each department by creating different deployment templates.
2. For administrators working in school/college, for each department students you can create different deployment templates. Say you have created a deployment template for Science students, whenever a new student joins, you can use the created deployment template

Steps to create deployment templates

The templates creation involves the following steps,

Configuring Template Details

1. Under Customize, select Deployment template under Customize Deployment.
2. Select Create Deployment Template
3. Specify a unique name for the template
4. Select the image which you want to customize from the list of captured images in the repository.
5. Select a deployment preference between completely erasing the target computers' partition or add / overwrite an existing partition. If you choose to add / overwrite a partition ensure to Modify Partition Settings. If you want to overwrite a partition, specify the exact partition number to overwrite. Follow this link to learn more about selecting a deployment preference.
6. Select the partition(s) to deploy from the available disk partitions in the captured image. The target disk size must be higher than the total size of selected partitions in the template. If you have selected an MBR image with OS partitions, you will have an option for MBR to GPT disk style format conversion.
7. Specify the target hard disk/BIOS numberwhere you want to deploy the image. To find the hard disk's number follow the steps given below,
   • Open command prompt
   • Execute the command "diskpart". 
   • Execute the command "list disk". View the hard disk details and specify the target disk number to deploy image.
8. Now, choose to enable or disable the disk adjustment settings. Enabling the disk adjustment option will automatically extend the data partitions by utilizing the un-allocated space in the target disk. As the target disk size must be higher than the total size of the selected partitions, this feature will help you optimally utilize the unallocated space in the target disk.

   Depending on your deployment preference, the disk adjustment process will vary in any one of the following ways:

   • Completely erase target computers partitions and deploy:The data partitions will be extended proportionately utilizing the unallocated space.
   • Add new partition: The data partition will be extended in the unallocated space.
   • Overwrite the partition:The data partition will be extended on the overwritten partition.

Post Deployment activities

While customising the image for deployment you can configure some actions to be performed after deployment. Refer this document to know more about the post deployment activities.

After customizing the image for deployment, the next step is to deploy the image on target computers. Refer this document to know about how to deploy images.