Bare Metal Deployments. Naming

[bene]

Hi all

 

I'm using SCCM 2012 R2 SP1, I have a Windows 7 task sequence which I am able to deploy successfully. However when deploying to bare metal I would like to have the ability to centrally rename computers.

 

I previously used WDS and made use of the 'Require administrator approval for unknown computer...'. At the point of approval I could rename the computers via the WDS console which suited me nicely.

 

I use the WDS role in order to PXE boot. I understand that no configuration changes should be made within the WDS role as this can cause negative effects when used in conjunction with SCCM. I must admit that I did enable the 'Require administrator approval for unknown computers...' in WDS when I was testing SCCM within a lab environment and as suspected it had no effect.

 

I am familiar with the variable which can be used within my task sequence which would prompt for a computer name on each computer during OSD however if possible I would like to manage this from a single computer rather than visiting each computer across site.

 

I am also familiar with importing new computers into SCCM using the MAC address, however gathering the information from new computers involves me having to visit the computers. Can anyone offer the most efficient way of gathering MAC addresses from bare metal computers? Would a MAC address scanner gather this information from a pre-installation environment?

 

I'd be really grateful if someone could please give me some pointers or best practices in achieving this. Apologies if I have missed anything out or have provided irrelevant details.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Ben.

[JTPort]

When doing computer naming, i used the customsettings.ini file to dynamically configure the computer name depending on a few variables. I found this link helped:

http://scriptimus.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/mdt-2010-setting-the-default-computername/