Understand When to Use LocationServer.xml

MDT offers multiple ways to determine which server to connect to during an LTI deployment. Different methods for locating the deployment server are best suited for different scenarios; therefore, it is important to understand when to use LocationServer.xml.

MDT provides several methods for automatically discovering and using the most appropriate deployment server. These methods are listed in Table 10.

Table 10. Methods for Automatically Determining the Deployment Server

Method	Details
%WDSServer%	This method is used when the MDT server is co-hosted on the Windows Deployment Services server. When an LTI deployment is initiated from Windows Deployment Services, an environmental variable—%WDSServer%—is created and populated with the name of the Windows Deployment Services server. The DeployRoot variable can use this variable to automatically connect to a deployment share on the Windows Deployment Services server—for example: DeployRoot=\\%WDSServer%\Deployment$
Location-based automation	MDT can use location-based automation in the BootStrap.ini file to determine the server to which it should deploy. Use the Default Gateway property to distinguish between different locations; for each Default Gateway, a different MDT server is specified. For more information about using location-based automation, refer to Selecting the Methods for Applying Configuration Settings.

Method

Details

%WDSServer%

This method is used when the MDT server is co-hosted on the Windows Deployment Services server.

When an LTI deployment is initiated from Windows Deployment Services, an environmental variable—%WDSServer%—is created and populated with the name of the Windows Deployment Services server.

The DeployRoot variable can use this variable to automatically connect to a deployment share on the Windows Deployment Services server—for example:

DeployRoot=\\%WDSServer%\Deployment$

Location-based automation

MDT can use location-based automation in the BootStrap.ini file to determine the server to which it should deploy.

Use the Default Gateway property to distinguish between different locations; for each Default Gateway, a different MDT server is specified.

For more information about using location-based automation, refer to Selecting the Methods for Applying Configuration Settings.

Each approach listed in Table 10 offers one way to automate the selection of the deployment server at a given location for certain scenarios. These approaches are targeted to specific scenarios—for example, when the MDT server is co-hosted with Windows Deployment Services.

There are other scenarios in which these approaches are not suitable—for example, if there are multiple deployment servers at a given location or automation logic is not possible (for example, the network is not segmented enough to allow location determination or the MDT server is separated from Windows Deployment Services).

In these scenarios, the LocationServer.xml file provides a flexible way to present this information at deployment time without requiring knowledge of server names and deployment share names.

Related Topics

Understanding LocationServer.xml