Category: Azure

MDT in a box – Part 1 – Prepare the Server

    Stefan Peters

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 1 – Prepare the Server

Deploy a Windows 2019 Server in Azure with a v3 type machine. We need v3 for Nested Virtualization.

I use a D2s_v3, with a [smalldisk] Win2019 GUI image, and a few extra disks. Except for the Hyper-V disks regular Standard HDD will do just fine. If you have enough Azure ‘money’ you can pump it up to D4s_v3 with Premium SSD to speed things up.

Continue reading MDT in a box – Part 1 – Prepare the Server →

MDT in a Box – Part 2 – Install MDT

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 2 – Install MDT

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 2 – Install MDT

Install ADK

Start the installer (adksetup.exe), change path if required and click Next.

Choose your privacy setting, Next.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 2 – Install MDT →

MDT in a Box – Part 3 – Configure MDT

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 3 – Configure MDT

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 3 – Configure MDT

From the start menu start “Deployment Workbench” this is the MDT management console.

Go to the Deployment Shares, right click on it, and click New Deployment Share.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 3 – Configure MDT →

MDT in a Box – Part 4 – Deploy Windows 10

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 4 – Deploy Windows 10

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 4 – Deploy Windows 10

Imports Windows 10 ISO file

Download an official Windows 10 ISO file from your preferred Microsoft source. I use this version: en_windows_10_business_editions_version_1909_updated_april_2020_x64_dvd_aa945e0d.iso downloaded from MSDN. Mount the ISO file or extract the ISO file to a folder.

Start Deployment Workbench.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 4 – Deploy Windows 10 →

MDT in a Box – Part 5 – Add Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD base image)

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 5 – Add Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD base image)

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 5 – Add Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD base image)

Windows Virtual Desktop is this wonderful new service from Microsoft that gives great flexibility to create a Remote Desktop experience without the need to build complex infrastructure. All you need to do is create the “golden image”. Depending on your application the “golden image” can be created just once, manually with the ARM Wizard. Install some manual applications and keep the WVD Virtual Machines up to date by updating Windows and applications manually.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 5 – Add Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD base image) →

MDT in a Box – Part 6 – Add applications

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 6 – Add applications

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 6 – Add applications

Some Applications

I am going to show an example how to add a few applications to the task sequence. First, we need to create a source folder structure. You can use any structure you like but I always use these rules:

  • I create a folder for every vendor.
  • I create a folder for each application.
  • I create a folder for each version.

When you add an application with MDT, it will copy all files and folders below the folder you select. So, putting every version in a separate folder is no luxury. Make sure you clean older versions when they are no longer in use.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 6 – Add applications →

MDT in a Box – Part 7 – Add Language Pack

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 7 – Add Language Pack

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 7 – Add Language Pack

If you are building an image for WVD and you want to change the language you need to add a language pack. In this example I add the Dutch (NL) language pack.

For the Windows 10 – 1909 version we need to use the 1903 language pack. I used this ISO file downloaded from MSDN: mu_windows_10_language_pack_version_1903_x86_arm64_x64_dvd_c45a68ac.iso

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 7 – Add Language Pack →

MDT in a Box – Part 8 – Windows Updates

    Stefan Peters

MDT in a Box – Part 8 – Windows Updates

Introduction

This BLOG will describe the instruction how to create your very own “MDT in a Box” server. You can use this server to create images for physical computers, RDS, WVD and probably also other VDI environments. MDT is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a few Windows tool to automate the Operation System Deployment (OSD). I use this often in my work for customers to create “golden images” for RDS or WVD.

With the MDT in a box you can create VHD or WIM files for your environments, or for you client environments. You can install several applications, scripts, language packs and updates in this task sequence.

In my work I use MDT to create “golden images” for RDS2019 and Windows Virtual Desktop with Windows 10 Enterprise Multi Session.

This BLOG is very long so I split it in a few parts.

1. Prepare the Server

2. Install MDT

3. Configure MDT

4. Deploy Windows 10 – ISO

5. Deploy Windows 10 – Multisession (WVD)

6. Add applications

7. Add language pack.

8. Add Windows Updates

MDT in a Box – Part 8 – Windows Updates

It is very useful to have the OSD install all recent Windows Updates. For this to work we need a working WSUS environment. If you have one in your environment, you can use that one. In this blog I will install the WSUS role on the MDT server.

On the MDT server, start the Server Manager.

Click on 2 “Add roles and features”

On the before you begin page, click next.

Continue reading MDT in a Box – Part 8 – Windows Updates →

Azure NAT with Ubuntu Linux

    Stefan Peters

Introduction

When creating a workplace for your users in Azure using RDS or Windows Virtual Desktop you might recognize this issue. All servers in Azure use a dynamic outbound IP for browsing. When you need to access websites that require IP whitelisting this can be an issue.

You can use multiple solutions for this problem:

  • Route your internet traffic back to on-prem via ExpressRoute or VPN
  • Use Azure Firewall, or a virtual firewall appliance (can be costly)
  • Use a self-build outbound NAT VM

This blog will explain how to build your own outbound NAT VM for your Azure virtual net. Although this is not Enterprise ready it will work just fine. Determine production readiness for yourself.

Continue reading Azure NAT with Ubuntu Linux →

WVD Group Assignments – PowerShell

    Stefan Peters

Windows Virtual Desktop is a great way of publishing remote desktops to your users. In contrast of Remote Desktop Services (RDS) you do not have to manage the infrastructure of brokers, gateway etc. the WVD service will manage all of this to you.

I have been working with WVD for several months now and I have created some PowerShell scripts to make WVD life easier. At time of writing assigning user by user to a WVD hostpool is the only method of assigning users to hostpools. There is no method to assign an AzureAD group or WSAD group to a hostpool. Because managing the user (upn) assignments of hundreds of users is not very convenient I created a PowerShell script to make this easier.

The PowerShell script read a Windows Server Active Directory (WSAD) group, takes out the UPN of the members and assigns them to the HOSTPOOL. It is a one-way sync with add and remove.

Continue reading WVD Group Assignments – PowerShell →