The software lifecycle process is too large to discuss here. I will only touch on some aspects.
The Software_development_process and Software_development_methodology are a good places to start understanding how software development happens.
Software_testing gives a good explanation of testing.
Organizations often run three or four different environments for software development.
Development is where developers make and change software.
Testing is where the software it checked.
Production is where the software interacts with actual, real-world situations.
Pilots can be used to check the software with a small number of uses in production. These users use the software in their normal work. They are closely monitored to ensure everything is working correctly. If the pilot is successful, the software is opened up for all users. The system is now fully operational for all staff.
A closed pilot is where the only a very few users are involved. They are usually very familiar with the existing software. Sometime the software is re-installed after this pilot is completed.
An open pilot is where the there a larger number of users who use represent all areas of the organization who use the software. Usually after this pilot, the software us used by all users of the software.
Training is where the people learn how to use the software.
Depending on the organization and the software in question, different lifecycle components are used. This is often determined by the level of risk.
For the Windows 7 software lifecycle at Data#3, the risk assessment returned as low. As a result only closed and open pilots and production will be conducted.
Windows 7 RC1 (Release Candidate 1) will be used with a closed pilot. These workstations will be rebuilt after the closed pilot.
Windows 7 RTM (Release to Manufacture) will be used with the open pilot.
GPO, KMS and Certificate Servers.
Some of these services can run on the one server.
Group Policy Objects (GPOs).
This allows an administrator to control aspects of the workstations and servers in a Domain.
Active Directory (A/D) Domain Windows 7 workstations require at least one Windows 2008 Server Domain Controller (DC) for GPOs.
There are a number of new GPOs that can be configured for Windows 7.
Just remember to make ALL GPO changes on a Windows 2008 server. While you can have both Windows 2003 and 2008 DCs, changes made on a Windows 2003 DC can corrupt the GPOs.
For more information follow these links. Wikipedia Microsoft
Microsoft Key Management Server (KMS).
Microsoft Volume License customers register Windows 7 workstations with a server on the customer’s network. A special license is used on the KMS server. This license is register with Microsoft.
A KMS license server v1.2 is required. This comes with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. There is a download for Windows Server 2003.
For more information follow this link. Microsoft
DirectAccess and Certificate Authority.
If you are installing DirectAccess, a Certificate Authority to give the Windows 7 workstations client certificates is required. This gives the workstations Client certificates.
Also with DirectAccess, IPv6 is required. You can translate IPv4 to IPv6 and back again. We had some difficulty implementing this with the Beta software.
For more information follow this link. Microsoft