Remote Installation Service (RIS) definition

Remote Installation Service (RIS) is a feature included in Microsoft's Windows

2000 server that allows network administrators to install the Windows 2000
Professional operating system and its upgrades to any number of client
computers at one time from a centralized location. If the client computer is
connected to the server through a local area network (LAN), the computer's
hardware will find the RIS server and request a copy of the operating system.
The network administrator can use the RISrep imaging option to copy several
versions, or images, of a company's desktop configuration to the server so
that if a request is made, the server can issue an "image" for a particular
computer or user. Microsoft promotes the use of RIS as a way to configure
new computers right out of the box and to restore the operating system on a
computer that has failed.
Remote Installation Services (RIS) is an automated installation technology
that you can use to create installation images of operating systems or of
complete computer configurations, including desktop settings and
applications. These installation images can then be made available to users
at client computers. RIS is typically used during large-scale deployments
when it would be too slow and costly to have administrators or end users
interactively install the operating system on individual computers.
Compared to a standard interactive installation, RIS decreases installation
time, eliminates the need to use CDs during installation, and minimizes end
user and administrator interaction during installations. To accomplish this, RIS
relies on Pre-Boot eXecution Environment (PXE) technology. PXE technology
enables computers without an operating system to start up and connect
remotely over a TCP/IP network connection to a RIS server, which then installs
an operating system. The client computers must support remote booting with
the PXE ROM, or they must be started with a remote-startup floppy disk and
have a network adapter that is supported by that disk.
To perform a RIS installation, an administrator or end user typically boots a
client computer from a PXE-capable network adapter by pressing F12 early in
the startup process. This instructs the computer to acquire an IP address and
connect to a RIS server. The client computer then downloads a small version
of the Windows Setup program from the RIS server. You can configure a RIS
installation so that the Windows Setup program interactively steps the
administrator or end user through a shortened setup process, or you can
configure it so that the entire setup process is automated after the end user
or administrator presses F12. Also, you can configure a RIS installation so the
installation is image-based or setup-based. By using image-based
installations, you can deploy applications with an operating system. By using
setup-based installations, you have more flexibility in terms of handling

hardware differences among the computers in your organization.