Microsoft Deployment Toolkit for Windows 10 - Full description
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) is a set of deployment tools and guidance for IT administrators who install Windows and applications across desktop and server environments. It brings deployment tasks into a common console and helps teams create repeatable installation processes rather than configuring each computer independently. MDT is intended for organizations that need standardized system images, consistent setup procedures and ongoing control over deployed configurations.
The toolkit supports Lite Touch Installation (LTI), which uses Windows deployment tools to automate much of the installation while allowing an administrator to initiate and supervise the process. For environments using System Center Configuration Manager, Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) can automate deployments further by integrating with that infrastructure. These approaches let administrators choose an automation level suited to their existing systems and operational needs.
MDT combines deployment utilities with process guidance and documentation. Administrators can use its shared console and workflows to prepare and apply desktop or server deployments, standardize images and include applications in setup. The guidance is provided with the toolkit in compiled help format, with separate Word-format documentation also available. The package is offered for installation on x86 or x64 host computers; either host edition supports deployment of both x86 and x64 Windows operating systems.
Typical uses include setting up new computers, refreshing existing installations, deploying applications as part of operating system setup and maintaining consistent configurations across groups of machines. Centralized, repeatable processes can reduce manual work and help limit differences between deployed systems, while the choice of LTI or ZTI accommodates organizations with or without Configuration Manager infrastructure.
MDT is freeware for Windows-based deployment administration. The supplied compatibility information covers Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10, while the toolkit's documented deployment scope includes Windows client and server operating systems from Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 through Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Host architecture determines which installer edition to use; it does not restrict the architecture of the operating systems being deployed.