The MPS Deployment Tool maintains two file paths to manage access to the Microsoft Installer (MSI) applications, Microsoft Provisioning System (MPS) component source files, XML configuration data, and log files. These paths are maintained using the following Active Directory object so that subsequent MPS Deployment Tool installations can discover these paths:

When you run the MPS Deployment Tool for the first time on your Provisioning Engine server, the tool detects that this Active Directory object is missing and then prompts you to provide the paths to the ConfigShare and MSIShare that you set up during tool installation. This enables the tool to configure the Active Directory object with these locations for future tool sessions.

During subsequent sessions of the MPS Deployment Tool, you have the option of editing these share paths using the File Locations command on the Files menu. When you launch this command, the File Locations dialog box appears and enables you to set the path for the Installer files and the Configuration/Log files by directly typing them in or by browsing to the locations.

The Installer file path points to an MSI share that contains the following structure:

\\computername\MSIShare

• MSI applications
  
• MPS component source files
  

The Configuration/Log file path points to a configuration share that contains the following structure:

\\computername\ConfigShare

Config folder

• MpsRequirements.xml
  
• MpsConfig.xml
  
• ActionHistory.xml
  

Log folder

• MSI.log
  
• Session.log
  

Once you configure the file locations and you perform a deployment with the MPS Deployment Tool, you should not move the files from these locations. When performing subsequent deployments or reconfigurations with the MPS Deployment Tool, the tool will look to these locations to find the MSI applications, MPS component source files, and the configuration files that contain information that will be used to populate the Requirements Status tree and to verify the environment. Minimal Service Provisioning Configuration in the Hosted Services Network shows an example server configuration that you might utilize to enable the MPS Deployment Tool to locate the shares containing the MSI applications, MPS component source files, log files, and so on.