Collection based on Distribution Lists
SCCM allows you to create collections based on Security groups but it does not allow you to create collections based on Distribution lists. Well not directly anyhow.
http://kb.iu.edu/data/ajlt.html
In Microsoft Active Directory, when you create a new group, you must select a group type. The two group types, security and distribution, are described below:
- Security: Security groups allow you to manage user and computer access to shared resources. You can also control who receives group policy settings. This simplifies administration by allowing you to set permissions once on multiple computers, then to change the membership of the group as your needs change. The change in group membership automatically takes effect everywhere. You can also use these groups as email distribution lists.
- Distribution: Distribution groups are intended to be used solely as email distribution lists. These lists are for use with email applications such as Microsoft Exchange or Outlook. You can add and remove contacts from the list so that they will or will not receive email sent to the distribution group. You can't use distribution groups to assign permissions on any objects, and you can't use them to filter group policy settings.
I’ve been getting a lot of requests lately to distribute software to a Distribution group in Exchange but ConfigMgr Doest recognize Distribution Groups so I end up exporting the list of users then one by one running those users thought a report in ConfigMgr that tells me what machine is most likely the users machine based on the Top User for that machine. This works but it takes for ever and waste a lot of time that my team and I could be doing something else.
Well it turns out you can actually nest Distribution groups inside of Security Groups.
So the solution is simple. Create a new Security group then enter the Distribution groups that need the advertisement in the Security Group that you created.
Then simply use the Collection Query from my last Post
You can read more about Group Security here
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc776995%28WS.10%29.aspx
Nested Groups
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc776499%28WS.10%29.aspx