The OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) of the Microsoft Server Appliance Kit (SAK) tells Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) how to use the tools provided by the SAK to create server appliances based on Microsoft Windows Server 2003. It is intended to be a used alongside the SAK Hardware Development Kit and the SAK Software Development Kit, which provide details on how to develop specialized hardware and software used to create a server appliance. For more information about the OEM documentation supplied with the SAK, see Microsoft Server Appliance Kit 3.0 (StartHere.chm).

The Server Appliance Kit OPK is intended to be a companion to the Microsoft Windows OEM Preinstallation Kit User's Guide and the Windows Preinstallation Reference. The Server Appliance Kit OPK does not attempt to provide detailed information on how to preinstall, customize, and deploy Microsoft Windows Server 2003. Instead, the Server Appliance Kit OPK focuses on how to use the SAK tools and frameworks as part of the overall process of creating a server appliance running Windows Server 2003. It relies on the Windows OPK to provide the details on how to preinstall Windows Server 2003 and prepare the resulting image for manufacture. If you are not already familiar with the process of preinstalling Windows, you are strongly encouraged to study the Windows OPK before continuing with the Server Appliance Kit OPK.

To learn more about the Server Appliance Kit OPK and how to use the SAK to develop a server appliance, see OPK Overview.