Trying to give something back to the Community...
I just wanted to let you all know that the Community Technology Preview (CTP), release of the ConfigMgr Physical to Virtual (P2V) Migration Toolkit is now available for download from Connect at:
https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/program6835
The following is from a document Microsoft sent through to me that I’d like to share with you to give you more information on what the Toolkit is and how you can use it:
The Configuration Manager team is pleased to release a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of the Physical to Virtual Migration Toolkit. This tool is designed to assist organizations in their migrations from Configuration Manager 2007, to Configuration Manager 2012. Below are some details and links for more information and access to the download.
The Configuration Manager Physical to Virtual Migration Toolkit is designed to assist organizations in migrating their environments from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012. This primary scenario this tool assists is situations where remote Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 site servers need to be retained during the side-by-side migration process to Configuration Manager 2012. There may be other applications of the tool.
The product enables customers to convert Configuration Manager 2007 site servers to Virtual Machines (VHD) files and restage the server as a Hyper-V host with the created VHD. By converting the existing site servers into Virtual Machines at remote locations, customers can re-use the same hardware (given sufficient resources) to stand-up a Configuration Manager 2012 site server and perform the side-by-side migration.
All pre-release versions are made available through the Connect website which enables feedback directly to the P2V migration toolkit development team during the Community Technology Preview phase:
The System Center Configuration Manager Physical to Virtual Migration Toolkit product is a separate installer, and is released separately from the Configuration Manager 2012 product as it is run against the existing ConfigMgr 2007 product.
The CTP release is supported through Connect website, please use the specific feedback form for the Configuration Manager Physical to Virtual Migration Toolkit.
The “P2V Migration for Software Assurance” tool automates the delivery of an updated and personalized Windows 7 operating system while backing up and converting the legacy Windows XP or newer desktop and its applications for seamless use within Windows 7. The tool does not support server SKU’s.
The “Configuration Manager Physical to Virtual Migration Toolkit” automates converting Configuration Manager 2007 site system servers from physical to virtual machines by taking the system offline.
Please see the following technical case study posted on TechNet outlining how Microsoft IT utilizes Hyper-V in combination with System Center Configuration Manager:
“Virtualization Cuts Capital and Operating Expenses by 75 Percent at Microsoft” http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff684119.aspx
Main Components to complete the following scenarios: A. “Convert the Configuration Manager 2007 site server in a remote location to a virtual machine and re-use the hardware to host a Hyper-V server with the created VHD” B. “Convert the Configuration Manager 2007 site server in a remote location to a virtual machine and save the resulting VHD file to a network location.”
The components below enable the IT Admin to create a virtualization task sequence and corresponding stand-alone media which are used to ‘automate’ the creation of the VHD, operating system re-install and Hyper- V Virtual Machine creation:
Additional components which enable the following scenario: C. “Walk up to a Configuration Manager 2007 site server and convert it from a physical to a virtual machine (VHD)”
The following tools can be used if the IT Admin decides to just create a bootable Windows PE disk with the virtualization toolkit to:
4. Windows PE Image Creator – Creates a bootable Windows PE CD, DVD or USB 5. VHD Capture Wizard – This wizard allows the IT Admin to choose which drives to virtualize and where to save the VHDs
During the development of the product the development team partnered with the VMM team on the Physical to Virtual conversion code.
Microsoft have just updated the following KB and I've updated the List of ConfigMgr KB Articles on FAQShop accordingly:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2205131/en-us?sd=rss&spid=12769
The deployment package is not available for an assigned client in a protected boundary for a branch distribution point if you enable a certain option in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2
I've just received the followng notification from Connect about ConfigMgr 2012 Beta 2:
"The Configuration Manager team is pleased to announce the release of the German and Chinese Simplified Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2 builds. For German users, the International Client Pack (ICP) with the German (DE-DE) client is also available.
German Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2 Download Page:
https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=34852
Chinese Simplified Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2 Download Page:
https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=34986
Even if you are planning to evaluate only the English product, if German or Chinese is your native language, please consider installing a remote admin console or the ICP client (German) on machines connected to your English site. We are looking forward to getting feedback on the translation quality as well as any functionality issues you encounter. You may see a few unlocalized strings and this is normal for the Beta release.
Before getting started, please reference the English Supported Configuration document and Release Notes files on TechNet.
Please remember to submit your feedback regularly using the Feedback Forms and monitor the Connect Discussion Groups. We look forward to hearing from you!
Thank you,
Configuration Manager Customer Team"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2489044/en-us?sd=rss&spid=12769
An update is available that lets you add Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 as supported platforms for Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2
The email below is one I was very pleased to receive in my Inbox yesterday which means Microsoft have officially released the Public Beta 2 of ConfigMgr 2012. I was very impressed with the build I saw in Redmond last month (pre-Beta 2), and putting it through it's paces was both an honour and a delight.
I'd encourage you to download the beta and give it a try as you'll get the chance to see the changes from CM07, the most obvious being the Admin Console.
"The Configuration Manager Team is pleased to announce the release of Configuration Manger 2012 Beta 2! It is now available on Connect:
https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=34794
Please reference the Supported Configuration Document and Release Notes which can be found on:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/4/5/54508737-EB00-4B65-8DB3-F0D810FA3A9F/Configuration Manager 2012 Beta 2 Supported Configuration.pdf
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg703318.aspx
A few notes before you get started:
1. Please use only SQL Server 2008 SP1 and CU 10 or 11 (SQL 2008 SP2 or SQL 2008 R2 is not supported)
2. Ensure site server computer has internet access to download pre-requisites or run setupdl.exe from an internet connected computer
3. Ensure Windows Firewall is either disabled or SQL ports 1433 and 4022 are openon the CAS and Primary site.
4. To manage Windows XP SP3 non-English clients, locate and download the Windows Remote Management update from the following location:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936059. This update is needed to prevent the client from continually attempting remediation. Please see relnotes for more information.
5. From the Microsoft Connect site (https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=29497), download the software update WSUS-KB131665-x64.exe and install the software update on all software update point site system rolesif you are usingSoftware Update Point based client deployment. Please see relnotes for more information.
6. For task sequence deployments the option for downloading content from the DP and running it locally will not work and will result in errors in the tsagent.log Workaround is to download content from the DP when requiredand run locally. Please see relnotes for more information
7. Configuration Manager Network Access Protection is not supported in this release
You many also reference How to videos posted on TechNet:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/systemcenter/cm/gg721914.aspx
We look forward to your feedback! Please submit your feedback regularly using the Feedback Form (https://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/feedback/CreateFeedbackForm.aspx?FeedbackFormConfigurationID=4216&FeedbackType=1).
Thank you,Configuration Manager Customer Team"
Many thanks to Simon and James for providing us with copies of their slide decks from our Cloud Event held last week. You can download copies of these from the media section of the site.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/830022/en-us?sd=rss&spid=12769
Site Component Manager may log status messages 4909, 4912, 4913, and 4915 after you install Systems Management Server 2003 or System Center Configuration Manager 2007
I just wanted to thank everyone that attended our Cloud Event last night which seemed to go down very well.
Many thanks as always to Microsoft for not only providing Cardinal Place and the refreshments, but also to Simon and James for coming along to present on Microsoft's Cloud Strategy and Intune respectively.
I'll post the slides and video as soon as I receive them.
Microsoft has just published KB976932 which contains a link to Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 SP1:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c3202ce6-4056-4059-8a1b-3a9b77cdfdda&displaylang=en
Yes for one day day only the Best of MMS 2011 is coming to the UK on the 3rd May at Microsoft's Cardinal Place.
To find out more/ register goto:
http://www.microsoft.com/uk/events/bestofmms2011/default.aspx
NOTE: You'll need to quote this code when you register: 960C50
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2516319/en-us?sd=rss&spid=12769
Packages with .ASPX and .ASMX files cannot be distributed to Configuration Manager 2007 Branch Distribution Points
Just a quick reminder that there is still time to register for our next event on the 17th March at Cardinal Place which is going to be all about Microsoft's Cloud Strategy and Windows Intune:
http://wmug.eventbrite.com/
We had a demo of Intune last week by the Intune Product Group during the MVP Summit and I was very impressed by it.
Hope to see you on the 17th (registrations close on Friday).
Well as I sit here in Seattle Tacoma airport waiting for my flight back to Heathrow I thought I'd reflect on the past week. The sole purpose of my trip was to spend the week with the ConfigMgr Product Group as part of the MVP Summit where basically they show us all the cool stuff that is coming in the next version not only to try and get us up to speed but also to get our feedback and they do truly listen to us.
The MVP Summit is one of those "money can't buy experiences" and to me is one of the most prized benefits of being a ConfigMgr MVP. We have a great group of people not just in the Product Group but also in my fellow MVPs, all of whom it's been a pleasure to spend the week with.
A special thanks goes out to our MVP Lead Wally Mead for organising the week which went without a hitch.
So what did we learn/ see? Well the answer is plenty. Unfortunately I can't share any of it with you as all sessions are under NDA but what I will say is that CM12 will be the best version ever.
Sure there is going to be some "scary" stuff in there (I use the word "scary" as most folks view new stuff as "scary"), but no mountain is unsurmountable. There are also some improved features in there which along with the new stuff can only strengthen ConfigMgr and make it an even better product that we have today.
Many thanks to Wally and the Product Group and the wider MVP Summit folks for organising a truly memorable week, the closing party (at Safeco field) for me was the best ever MVP closing party so congrats and thanks for that.
Watch this space because as soon as we can start sharing anything we've seen this week then of course we will.
Right off to the Gate to spend the next 10 hours travelling back to Heathrow (when are they going to invent the Star Trek transporter?).
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2483226/en-us?sd=rss&spid=12769
Software inventory is incorrect for .exe, .dll, and .ocs files for Windows Embedded CE 5.<x>-based or Windows Embedded CE 6.0-based mobile devices in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2