Supposedly, using the audit mode in sysprep allows you to maintain fewer images, as you can customize a base image (during audit mode passes) for the various departments or user roles you might have in your company.
However I am having trouble imagining where this would be less hassle than maintaining all the images you might need, or maintaining a few base images and customizing post-deployment through group policy and the like.
Is there anyone using audit mode routinely as a part of corporate Windows deployment? Is it useful outside of SMS/SCCM, in a LTI-type deployment?
Best Answer
My take on disk images has always been to maintain as few as necessary to support the hardware, and to do all post-imaging customization through scripts (invoked via Group Policy or some other means) or the built-in software installation functionality in Group Policy. I haven't seen audit mode used anywhere in corporate Windwos and find little utility in it myself. I did see it used when I used to work for a "system builder" imaging machines that were going to be sold at retail, but since I wasn't really actively involved in that work I can't say if it was being used for its usefulness or because somebody just thought that it was a good idea.