Deployment options in Windows 8

The Windows ADK is the fundamental collection of tools for configuring and   deploying
 Windows 8. You use these tools individually or directly infrequently, however. Instead,
 Microsoft provides a variety of deployment options that are built on top of the Windows ADK

MDT 2012 is one of the most popular toolsets built on top of the Windows ADK. It’s more
of a deployment framework. MDT 2012 helps manage deployment content in preparation
for deployment, and then collects and applies deployment information through wizards at
the time of deployment. MDT 2012 allows you to control the level of information required at
deployment time. MDT 2012 also allows you to perform fully automated deployments that
require no deployment information at the time of deployment.

MDT 2012 can be used by itself or in conjunction with Configuration Manager. Although
Configuration Manager is very capable of deploying Windows 8 without using MDT 2012,
Microsoft recommends that you use MDT 2012 with Configuration Manager to extend
its   capabilities with a deployment framework based on years of real-world experience.
 Essentially, MDT 2012 is like having dozens of deployment experts writing custom code to
support your Windows 8 deployment.

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 Update 1

MDT 2012 (Figure 5-1) helps automate the deployment and ongoing management of
 Windows 8 deployment content. It leverages and automates the tools in the Windows ADK to
deploy Windows 8 and applications along with it. MDT 2012 provides wizards that help in the
initial creation of deployment content.

As previously mentioned, Configuration Manager is more than capable of deploying
Windows 8 without using MDT 2012. However, MDT 2012 adds an additional framework to
Configuration Manager that helps you build a more flexible and more intelligent deployment
process for your organization.
Learn more about operating system deployment with Configuration Manager on TechNet
at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682018.aspx.

Desktop virtualization

Desktop virtualization isn’t really a deployment tool as much as it is an alternative way to
deliver desktop environments to users. It enables you to provide a work desktop to users that
they can access from any device. The result is that you can more easily and more   responsibly
adopt Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs in your company. The topic is significant
enough that it gets its own chapter in this book. See Chapter 11, “Windows 8 virtualization,”
to learn more