UIU Blog

The premise of this post is that Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) has been chosen (hence purchased) as a tool to fulfill one or more business objectives, specifically including the deployment of Windows operating systems to hardware in your environment.

Deploying with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)
MDT is Microsoft's low-cost (free), feature-rich OS deployment solution designed for small to medium sized businesses. When using MDT, post-deployment configuration objectives must be addressed prior to deployment with respect to application installation and machine configuration settings.  MDT offers User Driven Installation (UDI) and Lite Touch Installation (LTI) with Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) as an implementation unrealized by most. UDI implementations may fly in very small, highly adept environments where users don't freak out about semi-technical interrogatories. LTI implementations are the most common as they require little of the end user, and given a lab setting, an Administrator can handle the setup finalization before it hits the floor.

Incidentally, MDT also provides a development framework  to allow others, (or you for that matter,) to create customized scripts which may further augment MDT's feature set.

Deploying with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
SCCM is Microsoft's flagship management console, encompassing OS deployment, application distribution, reporting, Windows Updates, hardware inventory, et al. Post-deployment configuration objectives are handled after deployment is complete with the SCCM Client application, requiring little or no work in that regard prior to OS deployment.

Post-deployment tasks can include application installation and updates, Windows Updates, additional hardware and user configuration tasks, et al.

Why you might integrate MDT with SCCM:
If you've used MDT in the past and are proficient with its operation, you may enjoy the flexibility and additional features that MDT offers for your OS deployments within SCCM. For example, if you've already spent the time in MDT to iteratively develop mature configuration settings that are customized for OS deployments in your environment(s), integrating MDT with SCCM will allow you to continue to use those configurations (perhaps with some small modifications).

Why you might NOT integrate MDT with SCCM:
If you're not familiar with MDT, it may introduce an unnecessary level of complexity in your already complicated SCCM environment, increasing not only requirements, points of failure and difficulty of operation, but it will also increase the learning curve for staff.
Creating an MDT Task Sequence is a different animal than preparing an SCCM Task Sequence from a requirements standpoint as well as an administration view. Simply put, the wizards are more involved, requiring tertiary applications such as ADK, USMT and requesting the specific locations of boot images and OS images, previously created or captured.

Summary:
In short, there is no simple answer. As usual it comes down to familiarity and training cost vs. feature requirements. Many will say that MDT does what SCCM cannot and wherein that may be true, you must determine if you really require those features.
If you need fine-tuned controls and don't mind the requirements for MDT, familiar or not, you may want to consider integrating MDT with SCCM, noting that there will be a learning curve. If you're just performing a basic OS install, SCCM is likely going to be easier to use and troubleshoot if something goes awry.

Food for thought.