System Center Configuration Manager 2007

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rodtrent — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:10:17 GMT

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TechNet Forums: Configuration Manager – Software Updates Management
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Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 Evaluation

rodtrent — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:15:39 GMT

Configuration Manager R2 now also supports Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008, integrates support for application virtualization, and provides an update to operating system deployment capability initially shipped in Configuration Manager. In addition, Client Status Reporting, SQL Reporting, and Forefront Client reporting are all now available.

The following features are new to Configuration Manager 2007 R2:

Application Virtualization. For more information, see About Virtual Application Packages.
Forefront Client Security Integration. For more information, see About Forefront Client Security Integration with Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
SQL Reporting Services Reporting. Provides the ability to manage, browse, and run SQL Reporting Services Configuration Manager reports from the Configuration Manager console.
Client Status Reporting. Provides a set of tools and Configuration Manager 2007 reports to assess the status of client computers, sometimes referred to as "client health." Clients that show a change in activity patterns might need administrative intervention.
Operating System Deployment (OSD) Enhancements. The following enhancements are included in Configuration Manager 2007 R2:
- Unknown computer support—In Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you can deploy operating systems to computers using a PXE service point without first adding the computer to the Configuration Manager database. For more information, see About Unknown Computer Support for Operating System Deployment.
- Multicast deployment—Configuration Manager R2 will support multicast of operating system images to Windows PE, simplifying the deployment process in this scenario. Multicast can make more efficient use of network bandwidth when deploying large images to several computers at the same time. For more information, see About Multicast for Operating System Deployment.
- Also new within the OSD feature set is the ability to specify credentials on Run Command Line task sequence action. This provides “Run As” capability for applications, such as SQL Server, that should be installed under a specific account.

Feature Bullet Summary:
Virtual Application Packages
Configuration Manager 2007 supports running sequenced applications created using the Microsoft Application Virtualization Platform. Virtual application packages run on Configuration Manager 2007 client computers without having to install the software application on the local computer. Target computers must be running Windows XP or above to run virtual application packages.

Forefront Client Security Integration with Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Microsoft Forefront Client Security provides unified virus and spyware protection for business desktops, laptops, and server operating systems. You can use the Configuration Manager 2007 desired configuration management feature to monitor the Client Security agent on clients managed by Configuration Manager 2007 R2 sites.

SQL Reporting Services Reporting
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 SQL Reporting Services provides a set of tools and resources that help you use the advanced reporting capabilities of SQL Reporting services from the Configuration Manager console. Client Status Reporting
Client status reporting in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 provides up-to-date information on the status of client computers in a Configuration Manager 2007 hierarchy. Full documentation for the client status reporting feature is located in a separate help file, which is available when you install the feature.

Operating System Deployment (OSD)
OSD allows you to create operating system images and deploy those images to target computers. OSD also provides task sequences, which help facilitate the deployment of operating system images and other Configuration Manager 2007 software packages.

Dell Catalog to Support Microsoft System Center Configuration Manger for Dell Hardware Updates

rodtrent — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:45:43 GMT

This technical white paper describes the Dell Catalog to support Mi-crosoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) 2007 for Dell system updates. It provides an overview of the system update proc-ess using Dell Catalog, Microsoft System Center Update Publisher (SCUP) and SCCM. This white paper describes the steps that should be followed to:

Import the Dell Catalog into Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) using SCUP tool
Import updates from WSUS into SCCM
Scan managed systems using SCCM
Deploy the necessary updates to the Dell systems using SCCM

Finally, this white paper also provides some tips and best practices when using SCUP and SCCM to import Dell catalog and update Dell system BIOS, firmware, driver and Dell applications.

System Center Updates Publisher (SCUP) 4.0

rodtrent — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:42:55 GMT

SCUP 4.0 allows customers to import software update catalogs, create, modify, and export software update definitions, and publish software updates.

SCUP is a stand-alone tool that enables independent software vendors or line-of-business application developers to import software update catalogs, create and modify software update definitions, export update definitions to catalogs, and publish software updates information to a configured update server. By using updates Publisher to define software updates and publish them to the update server, administrators can begin detecting and deploying published updates to client and server computers in their organization.

Feature Summary:
Update Publisher enables administrators to do the following:

Import catalogs created by non-Microsoft organizations or created from within the administrator’s organization
Create applicability and deployment metadata for software updates.
Export software update catalogs so that they can be imported by Updates Publisher at another location, or export a test catalog to verify that the rules for the updates work as expected.
Manage software updates information

New in version 4.0

Ability to import and publish the following update types: bundle, driver, detectoid and updates with pre-requisites.
New “Software Update Details” view with “Dependencies” tab that displays update dependencies (prerequisites for a single update or children of an update bundle).
Note: none of the above update types can be duplicated or edited in the SCUP console (only export ,import, flag for publish, expire, delete and publish is available)

Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 Asset Intelligence Catalog Update

rodtrent — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 16:39:31 GMT

This package will update the Asset Intelligence Configuration Manager SP1 catalog to fix the MPC issue, correcting the LU_MSProd table.

Asset Intelligence enhances the inventory capabilities of Configuration Manager by extending hardware and software inventory. Many inventory classes improve the breadth of information gathered about hardware and software assets. This update will address the Microsoft Product Code (MPC) issue, correcting the data in the LU_MSProd table.

This update is only applicable to the Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 Asset Intelligence knowledge base. It is not intended for SMS 2003 SP3 release or Configuration Manager RTM release. An update for SMS2003 and Configuration Manager 2007 RTM will be provided at a later date.

The Configuration Manager 2007 Sample Configurations and Performance Questions whitepaper

rodtrent — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:58:58 GMT

This document is designed to provide an overview of sample hardware configurations used in stress and scale testing for different size environments. Additionally, it answers common questions about planning and configuring for optimal performance in Configuration Manager 2007.

ConfigMgr 2007 Visio Stencils

rodtrent — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:10:59 GMT

ConfigMgr (SCCM) 2007 Visio Stencils with example drawing.

Microsoft Assessment Configuration Pack for ENERGY STAR Power Management for SC ConfigMgr 2007

rodtrent — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:28:29 GMT

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy that helps save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. The ENERGY STAR guidelines for computers cover both the hardware devices and the power management features expected of the operating system and applications.

The ENERGY STAR program specifies criteria for hardware manufacturers to achieve defined efficiency levels with recommendations for computer power management settings.

Although the ENERGY STAR requirements are primarily targeted at hardware manufacturers to specify minimum efficiency ratings, there are also guidelines for computer software.

For additional detail refer to the EnergyStar_ConfigurationPack_reference_guide.doc included with this configuration pack.

Feature Summary
This Configuration Pack uses these ENERGY STAR defined efficiency levels and recommendations as follows:

Have computers enter system standby or hibernate after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity.
Have monitors enter sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity.
Create a warning notification if screen savers are not disabled. If one is enabled, the wait timeout period should be less than the monitor sleep setting.

This Configuration Pack applies only to desktop and notebook computers that are running Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems.

Download documentation:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/e/0/6e0ff944-5462-4bcc-a4c6-9d4d3d8cabc8/EnergyStar_ConfigurationPack_reference_guide.doc

System Center Solution: Managing the Dynamic Desktop

rodtrent — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:21:32 GMT

System Center Solution: Managing the Dynamic Desktop

Guidelines for Anti-Virus Exclusions for Microsoft Applications

rodtrent — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:59:00 GMT

The purpose of this document is to provide guidelines for anti-virus configuration parameters, depending on the software installed on a server. These guidelines are based on Microsoft Knowledge Base, Microsoft Premier Support as well as collective field experience from Microsoft Services.

These guidelines apply to both memory resident ‘Realtime’ scanning as well as on-demand ‘Local Scanning’.

It is important to achieve a balance between ensuring a secure and virus free server environment while also not interfering with reliability and performance of each server.A lack of exclusions with regards to virus scanning has traditionally been one of the main causes of outages with regards to applications and services. In addition, virus scanning is often a cause of performance issues.

Client Health Check Script and Scheduled task (Version 1.1 Release)

rodtrent — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:21:55 GMT

Sorry for the quick release between versions but i needed to address a few changes quickly so enjoy this new version

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One of the big complaints that I heard at MMS 2008 during the Client Health Check breakout (by Paul Thomsen) was that most solutions require yet another product and client. A key part of Microsoft’s solution (discussed in Paul’s session) is a tool by 1E . 1E uses their 1E Wakeup tool to monitor the client’s health when the Wakeup service isn’t being used.

Unfortunately some of us can not afford to purchase everything we need to get ConfigMgr up and running, let alone another product. While the 1E Client Health features are beneficial, due to budgetary restraints some people cannot go that route just yet. So this is simply a free solution that can get you moving in the right direction. The direction being a more healthy ConfigMgr environment.

This tool will check the health of a client from the machine itself instead of from the server or collections. It is to be used in addition to the Client Health Checks. I will be updating the checks once I have SCCM Deployed in production.

So I was thinking what if instead of a service that runs all the time why not just have a task sequence that fires off once or twice a day. This would allow you to do the same check without having to have something running all the time. So I created a script that will create a Scheduled task that will trigger a script to scan the system for problems.

This solution is meant for SCCM 2007 client but the script could be altered to use it on SMS 2003 as well.

Please read attached doc for full explination of how this works.

Note: this Script is very complex so I may have missed some things that it does. If so let me know and I will add it to the description.

Note: all executable files have been renamed so that they can get though virus scanners without being striped so make sure that you rename things.

This application includes the following:

check.mof
- This can be added to the Configuration.mof for tracking the usage of this toll in SCCM
Client_Health_Check.ipf
- This is the SMS installer Script to allow you to make changes to the scripts before you compile it and deploy it to you clients
Client_Health_Check_Local.doc
- This Document
Create_Task.vbs
- The script to create the Scheduled Task that will fire the Health Check task Script
Health_Check.reg
- Just an example of the Reg keys that are created by the Script
Health_Check.vbs
- The Script that will do all of the health checks and attempt to repair issues if you have any.

Please feel free to make any changes that you find necessary. If you make changes that are to fix bugs or make the script better as a whole please share them with me so I can release a new version for everyone to use.

Special Thanks To the following For code snippets:

1E And Richard Threlkeld For the original Health Check tool
David Turner For cache expander Function
DudeWorks For script functions from their original Health Check scripts
Sherry Kissinger For Error checking And Function editing
Authors of SMS 2003 Recipes (a must have book For any SMS admin)
My beta testers. I’ve been asked by some to not mention there names so I will not.
- The rest know who they are and I will gladly give them recognition if they want it.
The guys and gals on the MyITForum MSSMS list For chiming in when needed
And anybody else that added their 2 cents :-)

Thanks

Chris Stauffer <><

SMS to SCCM migration scripts

rodtrent — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 13:46:57 GMT

More information can be found here:

http://scug.be/blogs/sccm/archive/2008/03/17/how-to-transition-from-sms-2003-to-sccm-2007-notes-from-the-field-tips-amp-tricks.aspx

Integrating FCS with SCCM

rodtrent — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:49:48 GMT

Deploying Forefront client agents using System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) reduces administrative workload as these agents get installed automatically through SCCM Software Distribution. Administrators do not require additional software or technology, but can leverage their SCCM distribution infrastructure. Furthermore, as this is an administrative controlled policy, even machines that have removed client agents accidentally or intentionally receive the client agent automatically when they update their policy with the SCCM server. Once the agents have been deployed signature updates need to be applied on a routine basis which is also made possible by the use of existing SCCM .

White Paper: Why Upgrade?

rodtrent — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:46:06 GMT

Why Upgrade to ConfigMgr 2007?

Datasheet: Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade

rodtrent — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:45:20 GMT

Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade to ConfigMgr 2007.