I am currently using Dell servers and I think I will be going with DSDP to help with the iDrac configs, etc. 

Do I need to create a DHCP scope on my domain controller for OSD, or is that not necessary in my circumstance? 

DHCP can be a very handy thing to have...
You don't have to run DHCP on your DC, but if the DC is the only other machine you have available in that network, and you don't want to setup forwarding/referrals, you could setup a desktop/laptop with a very lightweight DHCP service running on it.

Or, using boot media, you could do it manually by hand, and then do something like this:
http://blog-en.netvnext.com/2012/11/automating-windows-deployment-with-no.html

I've no personal experience with Dell servers (well not for a very long time), but there will be guides around the web, maybe even on the Dell site, to help.

I cannot find any straightforward doc or any step by step guide that outlines both the networking and the OSD tasks together. 

I won't need to use anything like multicasting, because I will just be building one or two servers a month for the next year or so and I just need to automate server builds, not workstation builds since everything is going virtual with Dell/Wyse thin clients. 

OSD is VERY confusing for me and there seems to be different info out there all over the place that's causing me brain drain. 

The networking side is what I find to be incredibly confusing. For instance, I have read that configuring a separate VLAN specifically for OSD PXE installs configured to use IP Helpers is the best way to go, but do I really need all that if I am just building one or two servers a month? Can I just use a thumb drive to boot into WinPE and install the OS from WDS (I think that's right, but like I said, I am very confused about OSD tasks) without having to configure anything on the networking side at all?

I have to get started on configuring my SCCM 2012 R2 environment for OSD to deploy Server 2012 R2 OSes within a week and have it completed by 2 weeks, so I am sweating it to say the least. 

Any help at all from you incredibly knowledgeable SCCM Gods is ALWAYS greatly appreciated. I am indebted to you all for you consistent help and support. 

Thank you all so much. 

Well it would be great to get the server OS builds as automated as possible on the networking side, but the problem with that is if I rely on the networking team, I will be waiting for a VERY long time and I have to get this done now. The networking team are contractors and they are all over the place and we have to schedule them WAY in advance, unless there is an emergency, then the SLA kicks in and they have to be here much faster. However, since this is not an emergency, I will wait for a good 2 to 4 weeks and I can't wait that long. So, I guess I can just use boot media which is no big deal and I don't mind doing that part manually anyway. 

I think that link you just shared is exactly what I may be looking for. 

One more thing and this may sound like pretty dumb question, but do I need to use Windows Deployment Services (WDS) if I am going to use static IPs for my server builds?

Thanks

• Edited by I AM Sir Ask Alot 10 hours 14 minutes ago

There's no obligation to use PXE for OSD. You can use boot media, and that can be in several forms (ISO image on disk storage for booting virtual machines)(bootable CD/DVD for booting physical machines)(bootable UFD for booting physical machines)

You can also use full/standalone media (that takes a little more work).

Essentially, servers are not any different from workstations, from the OSD perspective in CM.
You will need to address the same requirements for storage drivers, network drivers, etc. (in both WinPE and FullOS).

Depending on the nature of the hardware selected for servers, there may be several steps of preparation of the hardware, prior to commencing OSD (e.g. setup RAID arrays, setup firmware and iLO/DRAC/oob)

Your server hardware vendor should offer guidance for most of these steps.

There are plenty of OSD guides on the web.

Thanks Don

I am currently using Dell servers and I think I will be going with DSDP to help with the iDrac configs, etc. 

Do I need to create a DHCP scope on my domain controller for OSD, or is that not necessary in my circumstance? 

Thanks