You can connect the Deployment Workbench to an existing MDT DB, which allows you to copy, or replicate, the MDT DB to another SQL Server instance, and then configure CustomSettings.ini to access the MDT DB.

Note   To connect to an existing MDT DB, you must be a user in the MDT DB and be granted the db_datareader database role.

To connect to an existing MDT DB

1.   Click Start, and then point to All Programs. Point to Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, and then click Deployment Workbench.

2.   In the Deployment Workbench console tree, go to Deployment Workbench/Deployment Shares/deployment_share/Advanced Configuration/Database (where deployment_share is the name of the deployment share in which you will add the application).

3.   In the Actions pane, click New Database.

The New DB Wizard starts.

4.   Complete the New DB Wizard using the information in Table 179.

Table 179. Information for Completing the New DB Wizard

On this wizard page

Do this

SQL Server Details

1.   In SQL Server name, type computer_name (where computer_name is the name of the computer running SQL Server).

2.   In Instance, type instance_name (where instance_name is the name of SQL Server instance on the computer running SQL Server).

If you are using SQL Server installed as the default instance, you can leave Instance blank. If you are using SQL Server Express, type SQL Express for the instance name.

3.   In Port, type port_number (where port_number is the TCP port number for the SQL Server if different than the default value).

If you are using the default value, you can leave Port blank.

4.   In Network Library, select network_library (where network_library is the network library used to communicate with SQL Server and can be either Named Pipes or TCP/IP Sockets).

5.   Click Next.

Database

1.   Select Use an existing database that already contains the required tables and views.

2.   In Database, select database_name (where database_name is the name of the existing MDT DB).

3.   Click Next.

SQL Share

1.   In SQL Share, type share_name (where share_name is the name of a network shared folder on the computer specified on the SQL Server Details wizard page).

This text box is required for Windows PE to connect to the database using the Windows Integrated Security with Named Pipes protocol. Windows PE connects to the network shared folder, establishing a network connection to the server so that Windows Integrated Security in SQL Server authenticates correctly.

If Windows PE is not connecting to the database using this protocol, you can leave SQL Share blank.

2.   Click Next.

Summary

Review the information in the Details box, and then click Next.

Confirmation

Tip   You can click Save Output to save the output of the wizard to a file. You can also click View Script to view the Windows PowerShell scripts used to perform the wizard tasks.

Click Finish.

 

The New DB Wizard finishes. The database configuration information is shown in the details pane of the Deployment Workbench.

Related Topics

Creating a New MDT DB or Connecting to an Existing MDT DB