MagnumVP Posted December 17, 2015 Report post Posted December 17, 2015 We are looking to deploy new workstations with Windows 10 - 1511. We are going to control most setting through a GPO for Windows 10. We're looking to deploy the OS with Office 2016 as the base image. It is more preferable to install from Windows 10 Media and install office through SCCM or create the image, build and capture it? Is one easier to maintain over the other? Previously we have only built and imaged (ghost and sysprep) all computers so this will be our first deployment using SCCM. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YPCC Posted December 20, 2015 Report post Posted December 20, 2015 By far sccm for everything inc image. Create a reference machine, customise, install office, capture, deploy. Alternatively "precache" office. See google for more info about the precache option. The advantage is a standardised environment and an automated imaging process. You can heavily customise your reference machine as you wish including adding your core apps (adobe flash, reader, java, other business apps etc) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnumVP Posted December 22, 2015 Report post Posted December 22, 2015 Thank you for the information and recommendations. Can I just spin up a VM and use that as my Base Image or do/should I use a computer with similar hardware specs that I'm going to be deploying in the wild? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyweb Posted December 23, 2015 Report post Posted December 23, 2015 use a vm to build any reference image, always, I cover how to do this in my book here > http://www.amazon.com/Windows-noob-Guides-Configuration-Manager-2012/dp/9187445166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnumVP Posted December 23, 2015 Report post Posted December 23, 2015 Perfect. Thank you. If I'm planning on deploying AND managing Windows 10 1511 or later, can I still do that from 2012 R2 (latest SP and CU) or do I need to look at SCCM 1511 or wait for SCCM 2016? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YPCC Posted December 24, 2015 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 Sccm 2012 will work fine. Totally youd cboice as to whether you want 2012 r2 or sccm 1511. Depends whether the features it offers and licensing suits your needs. Im pushing to install 1511 at my workplace. Although sometimes the "latest and greatest" can also come with bugs. Sccm 2012 r2 has matured very well and is very stable. Will 1511 be just as stable?. My opinion is yes as its all built on the same technology unlike 2007 to 2012 which was a drastic changw Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyweb Posted December 24, 2015 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 you'll need to move to System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch if you want to service Windows 10 with updates for all releases of Windows 10 after TH2 (1511). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnumVP Posted December 24, 2015 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 Is Current Branch 1511 just a stop gap between SCCM 2012 and 2016 is released or are they forking SCCM? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagnumVP Posted December 24, 2015 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 you'll need to move to System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch if you want to service Windows 10 with updates for all releases of Windows 10 after TH2 (1511). The keyword there is "after" TH2. If I deploy Windows 10 (1511) under my current SCCM 2012 will I will need to upgrade to Current Branch OR SCCM 2016 (when released in Q3 of 2016) to move and maintain Windows 10 post TH2? For now I should be "ok". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anyweb Posted December 24, 2015 Report post Posted December 24, 2015 SCCM Current Branch is what you are referring to as SCCM 2016. There will be multiple updates released yearly for System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch to deal with new capabilities in mobile platforms and Windows 10. Therefore, if you are deploying Windows 10 now (and TH2 is the current release), and want to be able to support it in the future, you need to upgrade to the SCCM Current Branch release in order to deploy and patch the newer versions of Windows 10. The 'when' is when Windows 10 TH2 expires for Software Updates support and that would be 12 months after TH2 was released, so you 'could' stay on Configuration Manager 2012 R2 SP1 CUx until................... around November at the latest next year, and after that you'd have to move to Current Branch. Or, you'll be in a situation of having Windows 10 computers that you cannot patch with ConfigMgr. In all cases, Microsoft creates a servicing branch (referred to in Figure 1 as Servicing Branch #1) that is used to produce releases for approximately one year (although the lifetime of the branch will ultimately depend on when Microsoft publishes subsequent feature upgrade releases). see https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt598226%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396 for more details Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
