April 2010 - Posts

• ConfigMgr 2007 Toolkit V2

  It's hit the streets, ConfigMgr 2007 Toolkit V2 This is one handy toolkit to have about. Preloader gets some love, compressing hmm ... V2 is well received, thanks for updating! Check it out here Today the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit V2 went live on the Microsoft Download Center.  This release is a follow up to our original release back in 2007.  With this V2 release we re-introduced the Delete Group Class, MP Troubleshooter, Preload Package and Send Schedule Tools from the SMS 2003 Toolkit.   All four tools where frequently requested from our customers and we are happy to enable them for use with ConfigMgr 2007 with some added features.  The release also includes an updated Security Configuration Wizard Template for ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 and Windows Server 2008 R2.  Furthermore this release includes all the original 2007 Toolkit tools along with the new ones in one easy to install MSI. The following list provides specific information about each tool in the toolkit.  Client Spy - A tool that helps you troubleshoot issues related to software distribution, inventory, and software metering on Configuration Manager 2007 clients.  Delete Group Class Tool - A tool used to remove inventory group definitions along with history data, tables, views and stored procedures for the group. New in 2007: In addition to removing the entries in the GroupMap and AtttributeMap tables, Delete Group Class Tool also removes the inventory stored procedures, schema views and tables. Desired Configuration Management Migration Tool - A tool used to migrate from the DCM Solution for SMS 2003 to DCM in ConfigMgr 2007. Desired Configuration Management Model Verification Tool - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for the validation and testing of configuration items and baselines authored externally from the Configuration Manager console. Desired Configuration Management Substitution Variable Tool - A tool used by desired configuration management content administrators for authoring desired configuration management configuration items that use chained setting and object discovery. Management Point Troubleshooter Tool - A tool that checks a computer system before and after a management point installation to ensure that the installation meets the requirements for management points. New in 2007: MP Troublshooter Tool can detect WebDAV rules and will provide simple automatic fix, which will help admin to correct issues like WebDAV authoring rules.  Also supports Native Mode. Policy Spy - A policy viewer that helps you review and troubleshoot the policy system on Configuration Manager 2007 clients. Preload Package Tool - A tool used to manually install compressed copies of package source files on Configuration Manager 2007 sites. New in 2007: Preload Package Tool now supports compressing packages before transferring them across the network.  Supported Packages: Software Distribution Package, Virtual Application Package, Boot Image, Operating System Image, Operating System Install Package and Driver Package. Security Configuration Wizard Template for Configuration Manager 2007 - The Security Configuration Wizard (SCW) is an attack-surface reduction tool for the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system. Security Configuration Wizard determines the minimum functionality required for a server's role or roles, and disables functionality that is not required. The Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 Security Configuration Wizard template supports new site system definitions and enables the required services and ports. Send Schedule Tool - A tool used to trigger a schedule on a Client or trigger the evaluation of a specified DCM Baseline. You can trigger a schedule either locally or remotely. New in 2007: Send Schedule Tool can now trigger DCM Baseline evaluation. Trace32 - A log viewer that provides a way to easily view and monitor log files created and updated by Configuration Manager 2007 clients and servers. <----- The daddy of log file viewers, and an old dog now, overdue an overhaul for 64-bit winky wink :-)  Lifted from the System Center team blog on the Nexus SC site, not seen the Nexus? Posted Apr 30 2010, 04:05 PM by Robs Blog - MVP Filed under: ConfigMgr 2007 Toolkit V2

• Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Beta

  The official beta release of ConfigMgr 2007 R3 is ready for public consumption, check it out here Key features for this release are: • Monitoring and Planning: The Power Management feature collects information about computer usage and power settings for computers in the origination.  Reports are provided to allow the administrator to analyze this data and determine optimal power management settings for computers. • Enforcement: Power management allows the administrator to create power plans which can be applied to collections of computers. These power plans configure Windows power management settings on computers, and different power plans can be configured for peak and non-peak working hours. • Compliance: After applying power plans to computers in the organization, the administrator can run reports to validate that power settings were correctly applied and to calculate power and carbon footprint savings across collections of computers. Posted Apr 22 2010, 01:17 PM by Robs Blog - MVP Filed under: ConfigMgr 2007 R3

• WMUG Virtual Event: Shavlik demonstrate SCUPdates

  Rather short notice, but I've lined up Shavlik to demonstrate their SCUPdates tool. This takes place today at 6:30PM GMT (15th of April 2010). We'll be recording this one, so plenty of opportunity to catch up with it post-session, as it will be hosted in the usual spot on myITforum's WebTV. Check out the Shavlik SCUPdates tool here: http://www.shavlik.com/scupdates.aspx Our events page for this one details when it starts and how to join: http://wmug.co.uk/groups/wmug_event_content/pages/wmug-event-15th-april-2010-6-30pm-gmt-shavlik-scupdates-livemeeting.aspx If you're at MMS 2010 this year, so are the Shavlik team, and they would love to see you. So, if this session generates any questions you cannot get answered in the Q&A, feel free to drop in and say hi. Posted Apr 15 2010, 07:32 AM by Robs Blog - MVP Filed under: WMUG Virtual Meeting, Shavlik, SCUPdates

• v.Next - Letting the cat out of the bag

  No doubt I'll lose my MVP status for telling you all this, as it is all under NDA and no one must know right now. But I felt you must know about this development. I found out today ... that v.Next won't be built upon PowerShell, even the SDK won't support it, instead they are going to introduce a new peice of technology Microsoft released recently: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=b006d58d-c2c7-44ad-936b-e7e2d7de793e From what I was told, the decision to exclude PowerShell from the main product, and from the SDK was because "most of those SMS Admins are completely incapable of stringing together letters of the alphabet, let alone using PowerShell to automate their daily activities". Fair enough, that description matches with a lot of SMS Admins I know :-) This will revolutionalise our world! Want to see what upgrading a hierarchy to SP2 looks like?, wonder no more, here is a real live example script: 10 FOR each Site Server in the hierarchy 20 CONNECT to AAA Primary site server 30 REMOVE Management Point 40 REMOVE Client 50 UPGRADE site to Service Pack 2 PLEASE (please is an important keyword in this new programming language, without the PLEASE clause all errors will be left to you to fix) 60 INSTALL Management Point 70 INSTALL Client 80 TEST Management Point 90 FIX Management Point if any ERRORS 100 NEXT So Boys and Girls, time to get this new tool out and take it for a drive, get your skills up to speed in readiness for v.Next which releases in June 2010 (really!) I also hear that if you go to MMS and do the v.Next sessions then Microsoft will give you a free MS Press book on this new programming language to kick-start your adventures with it. Posted Apr 01 2010, 07:56 AM by Robs Blog - MVP Filed under: v.Next, April Fools