Users Guide

Pre-requisites and deployment
The Deployment Toolkit (DTK) is a collection of Windows PE and Linux-based utilities and scripts that help in performing operating system
tasks and deployment on Dell systems. An advanced knowledge of Windows PE and Linux is required for users who want to use the DTK
utilities to perform preoperating system and postoperating system conguration tasks or to run a scripted deployment in the respective
environments.
A preoperating system environment is dened as the environment used to congure system hardware before a major operating system,
such as Microsoft Windows or Linux, is installed. DTK utilities and scripts, for example, are run in a Windows PE or Linux environment for
hardware conguration.
Because of the open nature of the utilities and scripts and the environment in which they can be used, it is recommended that DTK users
have an advanced understanding of the Windows PE and Linux environment and scripting knowledge for the respective environments. DTK
users with an advanced understanding of Windows PE and Linux can take full advantage of the utilities and exploit their capabilities
preceding and beyond what the sample scripts can provide.
CAUTION: Some of the DTK utilities can destroy data if used incorrectly. To avoid the potential risk of data loss, take all
necessary precautions to protect data so that mission-critical systems are not disrupted in the unlikely event of a failure. See the
Dell EMC OpenManage Deployment Toolkit Command Line Interface Reference Guide available at dell.com/openmanagemanuals
for complete information about the capabilities of each DTK utility.
NOTE: For Microsoft WinPE and OS deployment support limitations, see http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/
hh824993.aspx
Topics:
• Supported systems
• Supported operating systems
• Supported BIOS Firmware versions
• Prerequisites and requirements
• Deploying operating systems
• Deployment
• Deployment matrix
• DTK deployment overview
• Conguring a source system
Supported systems
For a complete list of supported PowerEdge systems, see the Dell EMC Systems Software Support Matrix in the required version of
OpenManage Software at dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
Supported operating systems
DTK utilities support Windows PE 10.0 (64-bit) and Windows PE 5.1 (64-bit), to deploy the following operating systems in BIOS and UEFI
mode:
• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation, Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter editions
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Foundation, Essentials, and Standard editions
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14 Pre-requisites and deployment