Where will you store your distribution files?

Files for the operating system and applications are stored in deployment shares for LTI and distribution points for ZTI and UDI. These files can require many gigabytes of space. Some organizations might need multiple deployment shares or distribution points for different regional offices.

For more information, see Estimating MDT Storage Requirements.

Will you deploy across the network, with removable media, or both? Will you use multicast deployments?

If you are deploying across the network, verify that there is sufficient bandwidth between the deployment shares, distribution points, and the target computers, and provide regional distribution points.

For more information, see Choosing a Deployment Method and Evaluating Network Requirements.

What is your imaging and source file strategy?

For more information, see Using Reference Computers in MDT Deployments.

Will you deploy a full set of operating system files or a custom image?

For more information, see Using Reference Computers in MDT Deployments.

How will you handle product keys and licensing?

Small organizations might assign each user an individual product key. Larger organizations should use Key Management Service (KMS) or Multiple Activation Key (MAK) activation. For more information, see Product Activation and Key Information.

Are you going to allow users to choose their own operating system, applications, locale, time zone, and administrative password?

Users can select this information at deployment time, or you can configure the information ahead of time. For more information, see Choosing LTI, ZTI, or UDI Deployments.

Will users refresh their current computer in place, migrate settings to a new operating system installation, or get a new computer?

For more information, see Identifying Deployment Scenarios.

Which users will be able to install which applications?

For more information, see Planning for Application Deployment.

Are you going to migrate user state?

For more information, see Estimate Storage Requirements for User State Migration Data.

Do you want to back up computers before deployment?

For more information, see Estimate Storage Requirements for Target Computer Backup.

Do you want to use BitLocker® Drive Encryption?

For more information, see Planning for BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Will you deploy 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems?

For more information, see Estimating MDT Storage Requirements.

Will you deploy different product editions (such as Professional, Ultimate, or Business)?

For more information, see Estimating MDT Storage Requirements.

What type of deployments will be performed (for example, deploy a new computer, replace an existing computer)?

For more information, see Identifying Deployment Scenarios.