Thoughts on ConfigMgr 2012 CEP Theme 4 Webcast
This post is to collect my thoughts around Theme 4. Hierarchy is a big part of my work life these days in ConfigMgr 2007 so this was definitely a meeting that I wanted to join. It looks like from the Attendee count that it is not so important to others. In general, the attendee count has dropped as Theme presentations have occurred. I hope that those that have forgotten or lost interest would tune in to future Themes.
Technical Notes from the Theme...
- Looks like we will have to wait until Q1 of 2011 for the Beta 2 bits. This is unfortunate since I've really wanted to get my hands onto the Beta 2 code that they have been using in the Themes. Additionally, my company won't allow us to run a TAP with Beta code so I can't get it within the TAP realm either.
- D.C. says they are taking a "bet" on SQL replication. I thought SQL replication was pretty sound.
- Interesting to see that inventory can be set up to go directly to the CAS. That will prove useful.
- Nice to see that the proxy MP and DP roles are bundled in the Secondary Site install. Who doesn't use the Proxy MP role on a secondary anyway.
- Hmmm, the CAS apparently has to be a new server. Our 2007 hierarchy is already set to have an informal central site above several primaries so that will be interesting to see how to handle that migration.
- In the Customer Profile 1, the sales office goes from a branch DP to a full DP in 2012. Why not just BranchCache? I know, I know--that would need Win 7 on the PC's.
- On the Replication slide, are these data types going to become standard SCCM nomenclature? If so, then that's something else new to remember for the 2012 exam.
- I'm hoping that the SQL replication will work more cleanly than the current model in 2007. That has caused me some major issues in just the past few months.
- Very smart--collections are evaluated globally. This will aid in software deployments that span the hierarchy.
- I'm glad to see that RBA will be controlled from the CAS. Management of admins will be easier now.
- Seeing the client agent setting changes is great but why not also give us group policy settings to do the same thing?
- I like the Sites Monitoring page that gives a nice concise view of site health.
- No more processing at each site that data is sent to.
That concludes my takeaway from the webcast. Apologies for the comment disjointedness but I was working on some other things through the meeting.