Install Windows Server 2012 R2 - MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2: Installation and Configuration Study Guide - page 24

After Windows Server 2012 R2 server is installed, you need to look at how to manage
and configure the server. In the next section, you will learn how to manage a server
remotely and with Windows PowerShell.
Using Windows Deployment Services
Another way that many IT departments deploy operating systems has been through the
use of Windows Deployment Services (WDS). WDS allows an IT administrator to install
a Windows operating system without using an installation disc. Using WDS allows you to
deploy the operating system through a network installation. WDS can deploy Windows
XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server
2008/2008 R2, Microsoft Windows 2012, and Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2.
The following are some of the advantages of using WDS for automated installation:
■ You can remotely install Windows 7/Windows 8.
■ The procedure simplifies management of the server image by allowing you to access
Windows 7/8 distribution files from a distribution server.
■ You can quickly recover the operating system in the event of a computer failure.
Here are the basic steps of the WDS process from a PXE-enabled WDS client:
1. The WDS client initiates a special boot process through the PXE network adapter (and
the computer's BIOS configured for a network boot). On a PXE client, the user presses
F12 to start the PXE boot process and to indicate that they want to perform a WDS
installation.
2. A list of available Windows PE boot images is displayed. The user should select the
appropriate Windows PE boot image from the boot menu.
3. The Windows Welcome screen is displayed. The user should click the Next button.
4. The WDS user is prompted to enter credentials for accessing and installing images
from the WDS server.
5. A list of available operating system images is displayed. The user should select the
appropriate image file to install.
6. The WDS user is prompted to enter the product key for the selected image.
7. The Partition And Configure The Disk screen is displayed. This screen provides the
ability to install a mass storage device driver, if needed, by pressing F6.
8. The image copy process is initiated, and the selected image is copied to the WDS client
computer.
The following sections describe how to set up the WDS server and the WDS clients and
how to install Windows 7/8 through WDS.
Preparing the WDS Server
With the WDS server, you can manage and distribute Windows 7/8 operating system
images to WDS client computers. The WDS server contains any files necessary for PXE
booting, Windows PE boot images, and the Windows 7/8 images to be deployed.