ADS/RIS - Choosing Between ADS and RIS for Bare-Metal Deployments and Re-Deployments

Choosing Between ADS and RIS for Bare-Metal Deployments and Re-Deployments

Windows Server 2003 includes two deployment solutions:
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ADS is a new solution delivered with Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition, and is designed for automated, high-speed server deployment.
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RIS was first delivered with Windows 2000 and has been enhanced in Windows Server 2003 to enable fully automated deployments. RIS now supports deployments to servers as well as to desktops.

Of the two solutions, only RIS supports deployment of desktops—that is, computers targeted to run a Windows client operating system, such as Windows XP. ADS is designed and optimized for deployment of servers—that is, ADS is targeted to run a Windows server operating system, such as Windows Server 2003.