You can use the AD DS tab to specify the computer naming policy and where to create the computer account. The settings on this tab will be applied when administrative approval is required for unknown computers (this is a setting on the PXE Response Tab). That is, these settings do not apply to computer accounts that you prestage in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). To view this tab, right-click the server in the MMC snap-in, and then click Properties. For more information online, see Configuring AD DS Integration (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=143071).
Computer naming policy
The following table outlines the variables that you can specify to create the customized name. You can use these options separately, or you can combine them.
| Variable | Result |
|---|---|
|
%First |
The user's first name. You can limit the length of the first name by adding a numerical value between the % and First. For example, %5First will limit the first name to five characters. |
|
%Last |
The user's last name. You can limit the length of the last name by adding a numerical value between the % and Last. For example, %5Last will limit the last name to five characters. |
|
%Username |
The user name. You can limit the length of the user name by adding a numerical value between the % and Username. For example, %5Username will limit the user name to five characters. |
|
%MAC |
The media access control (MAC) address for the network adapter. |
|
%[0][n]# |
The computer name includes an incremental number containing n digits. To include zero-padding in the incremental number, type a zero as shown. For example, if you use %03#, a three-digit number in the range from 001 through 999 is used. |
Examples
- If you want to limit the computer name to
three characters of the user's last name with a two-digit
incremental number appended, you would type the string
%3Last%02#. For example, for the fifth computer user whose
last name is Smith, the corresponding computer name would be
Smi05.
- If you want the computer name to consist of
the first three letters of the user's first name, followed by the
first three letters of the user's last name, followed by a
three-digit incremental number, type the string
%3First%3Last%03#.
Note the following issues when you set the client naming policy:
- 15 characters is the maximum length for a
computer name. However, the default policy allows names up to 63
characters. When a name that is more than 15 characters is
generated, any characters after the first 15 will be truncated, and
the computer will be unable to join the domain. You must specify a
naming policy that generates names with 15 or fewer characters.
- The computer name can contain only standard
characters as defined in RFC 1123 (Requirements for Internet Hosts
- Application and Support) as follows: all uppercase letters (A-Z),
lowercase letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and a hyphen (-).
Computer account location
This section allows you to specify the location where you want Windows Deployment Services to create accounts for computers that are pending administrative approval. If you do not want any computers to be joined to a domain after installation, you can specify this on the Client tab.