Microsoft Official Course

Module 1

Overview of System Center 2012 R2

Configuration Manager
Module Overview

• Introduction to System Center 2012 R2

Configuration Manager
• Overview of the Configuration Manager Site
System Roles
• Overview of the Configuration Manager Optional
Site System Roles
• Overview of Configuration Manager Deployment
Scenarios
• Overview of the Configuration Manager Client
Lesson 1: Introduction to System Center 2012 R2
Configuration Manager

• Overview of the System Center 2012 R2 Set of

Products
• Overview of Configuration Manager 2012
• New Functionality in the System Center 2012 R2
Configuration Manager Release
• Sites and Hierarchies
• Using the Configuration Manager Console
Overview of the System Center 2012 R2 Set of
Products
System Center product Usage
System Center 2012 R2 App Controller • Self-service access for private cloud
and public cloud applications
System Center 2012 R2 Configuration • Change and configuration
Manager management
System Center 2012 R2 Data Protection • Data protection for application
Manager servers
System Center 2012 R2 Endpoint • Malware protection for client systems
Protection
System Center 2012 R2 Operations • Monitor applications, services, and
Manager devices
System Center 2012 R2 • Automation of IT processes
Orchestrator • Integration with other management
solutions
System Center 2012 R2 Service Manager • Integrated service desk
• Automation of IT processes
System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine • Manage virtualized infrastructures
Manager • Build private clouds
Overview of Configuration Manager 2012
Asset Change Administrative
management management features

Hardware and Application Compliance Role-Based

Software Management Settings Administration
Inventory
Software Power Remote
Asset Update Management Management
Intelligence Management
Client
Software Operating Health Reporting
Metering System
Deployment
Endpoint
Protection Monitoring
Content
Management
Sites and Hierarchies

Single primary site Multiple primary sites in a hierarchy

Central
administration
site

Primary Primary
site site

Secondary
site

Secondary
site
 Using the Configuration Manager Console
Ribbon
Navigation pane

Results
pane
Workspaces

Preview
pane
Lesson 2: Overview of the Configuration
Manager Site System Roles

• Overview of the Configuration Manager Site

System Roles
• Planning the Site Database
• Planning the Site Server Role
• Planning the SMS Provider Role
• Planning the Management Point Role
• Planning the Distribution Point Role
Overview of the Configuration Manager Site
System Roles
Default site system roles
Core roles Default roles
• Site server • SMS Provider • Management point
• Component server • Site database server • Distribution point
• Site system

Optional site system roles

• Asset Intelligence New roles
synchronization point • Application Catalog website
• Fallback status point point
• Out of Band service point • Application Catalog web service
• Reporting services point point
• Software update point • Certificate registration point
• State migration point • Enrollment point
• System Health Validator point • Enrollment proxy point
• Endpoint protection point
• Microsoft Intune connector
Planning the Site Database

• All Configuration Manager sites have a server

hosting the site database role
• You can move the site database server role by
using site maintenance
• Secondary sites use SQL Server Express by default
• The site database server can use the Standard or
Enterprise edition. SQL Server 2012 Enterprise
edition allows:
• More than 4 sockets or 16 processor cores
• Support for more than 64 GB RAM
• Support for AlwaysOn Availability Groups
Planning the Site Server Role

• The Configuration Manager site roles that are

created during Configuration Manager
installation are:
• Site server: Core Configuration Manager functionality
• Site system: Any server hosting the SMS Executive
service
• Component server: Any server hosting a role
• Only the site system role has configurable
properties
Planning the SMS Provider Role

• The SMS Provider manages read and write access

to the Configuration Manager databases primary
and central administration sites
• The Configuration Manager console connects to
the SMS Provider to gain access to the
Configuration Manager database
• The SMS Provider ensures that administrative
users can view only authorized data
• An SMS Provider must be present in each primary
site and in the central administration site
• You can deploy multiple SMS Providers in a site
Planning the Management Point Role

• Ensure each primary and secondary site contains at least

one management point
• Configure to use HTTP or HTTPS
• Configure to use the site database or a replica database
Planning the Distribution Point Role

• Place close to clients,

because it hosts package
source files, operating
system images, and
updates
• Place close to operating-
system deployment
location, because it
includes the PXE and
multicast functionality
• Plan to include in
distribution point groups
to manage content
distribution
• Plan to associate with one
or more boundary groups
Lesson 3: Overview of the Configuration
Manager Optional Site System Roles

• Planning for Reporting Services

• Planning Roles for Client Management
• Planning Roles for Software Updates
• Planning Roles for Endpoint Protection
• Planning Roles for Application Management
• Planning Roles for Operating System Deployment
• Planning Roles for Securing the Configuration
Manager Infrastructure
• Overview of Role Placement
Planning for Reporting Services

• Is installed on a server
running SSRS
• Provides tools and
resources to use the
advanced reporting
capabilities of SSRS
• New reports can be
created by using the
Reporting Services
Report Builder
• System Center 2012 R2
Configuration Manager
supports role-based
administration for reports
Planning Roles for Client Management

Roles that assist client management include:

• Fallback status point
• Enrollment point
• Enrollment proxy point
• Microsoft Intune connector
• Out of band service point
Planning Roles for Software Updates

When planning software update points, you should:

• Plan to deploy the software update point in the central
administration site first (if one is present)
• Ensure that WSUS is installed on the site system that will host
the first software update point
• Remember that the first software update point will synchronize
with Microsoft Update
• Remember that System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
supports multiple software update points in each primary site
• Remember that software update points in secondary sites
synchronize with software update points in primary sites
Planning Roles for Endpoint Protection

• You can install only on a

central administration site
or stand-alone primary site
• You must accept a separate
license agreement when
installing
• You must install the
Endpoint Protection point
before using Endpoint
Protection
• You can choose your level
of participation with the
Microsoft Active Protection
Service:
• No participation
• Basic membership
• Advanced membership
Planning Roles for Application Management

• Application Catalog is implemented by using two

roles:
• Application Catalog web service point: Provides
software information from the software library
• Application Catalog website point: Provides web
interface for end users
• Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point:
• Can be installed only at the top of a hierarchy on a
central administration site or stand-alone primary site
• Downloads software classification and hardware
requirements from System Center online
• Generates data used in creating reports about software
families, software categories, and specific software titles
Planning Roles for Operating System Deployment

• The side-by-side
operating system
deployment scenario
uses a state migration
point
• The in-place upgrade
scenario can use the
state migration point
or local storage
• You can install
multiple state
migration points
to support the
deployment process
Planning Roles for Securing the Configuration
Manager Infrastructure

• The Certificate registration Certification

authority
point:
• Communicates with the server
that runs the Network Device Network
Device
Enrollment Service Enrollment
Service
• Allows mobile devices that
support SCEP to request and Certificate
receive certificates registration
point
• The Network Device
Enrollment Service
communicates with the
certification authority
Overview of Role Placement

• When planning a hierarchy, you must consider

limits on role placement
• In a stand-alone primary site hierarchy, you can
install all roles on either the site server or separate
servers
• In a multiple primary site hierarchy, there are limits
to where you can install a role. For example:
• The central administration site does not support any of
the client management roles
• Primary sites do not support the Asset Intelligence
synchronization role when they are part of a hierarchy
• Secondary sites do not support installing any roles to
other servers, except the distribution point role
Lesson 4: Overview of Configuration Manager
Deployment Scenarios

• Determining When to Use a Primary Site

• Determining When to Use a Central
Administration Site
• Determining When to Use a Secondary Site
• Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Small-to-Medium Organization
• Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Medium-to-Large Organization
• Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Global Organization
• Discussion: Determining When to Use a Stand-
Alone Primary Site or a Hierarchy
Determining When to Use a Primary Site

• Install a primary site to:

• Directly manage clients
• Scale up the number of clients that can be managed
• Reduce the effect of a primary site failure
• Provide local connectivity for administration consoles
• Independently manage content
• A primary site:
• Can be stand-alone or a member of a hierarchy
• Can have only a central administration site as a parent
and only secondary sites as child sites
• Replicates data to the central administration site when
it is a member of a hierarchy
Determining When to Use a Central
Administration Site
• Install a central administration site to:
• Allow the installation of multiple primary sites in the same
hierarchy
• Scale up the number of clients that can be managed
• Support up to 400,000 clients when SQL Server Enterprise edition
is used
• A central administration site:
• Is the top level site in the hierarchy
• Supports up to 25 primary sites as child sites
• Cannot have clients assigned to it
• Does not support all site system roles
• Can be used to manage all clients and perform site management
tasks for all sites in the hierarchy
• Contains site data collected from the entire hierarchy
Determining When to Use a Secondary Site

• Install a secondary site:

• If a location does not have local administrative user
• To manage the transfer of client data across low bandwidth
networks
• A secondary site:
• Is remotely installed from the parent site
• Uses SQL Server Express or a local instance of SQL Server
• Uses file-based replication for all replication from the secondary
site
• Replicates client information to its primary site
• Can route content to other secondary sites that have a common
parent
• Has a management point and a distribution point that are
configured on the secondary site server
Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Small-to-Medium Organization

Small-to-medium sized organizations often use a

single primary site which includes:
• Site server Single server
with all site
• Site database roles

• Management point
• Distribution point
• Reporting services point
• Software update point
• Fallback status point
• Other roles as required
Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Medium-to-Large Organization

Medium to large organizations use primary and

secondary sites Site
server
• A primary site typically includes: Site
database
• Site server Software
update point
• Site database
• Management point
• Distribution point
• Reporting services point
• Software update point
• Fallback status point Secondary Remote
• Other roles as required site server distribution
point
• Secondary sites include:
• Management point
• Distribution point
 Implementing Configuration Manager 2012 for a
Global Organization
Example of a complex hierarchy implementation:

Central administration site

Primary sites

Remote
distribution
Secondary point
sites
Lesson 5: Overview of the Configuration
Manager Client

• Role of the Configuration Manager Client

• Client Types Supported by System Center 2012 R2
Configuration Manager
• Configuration Manager Client Architecture
• How Clients Locate Site Systems
Role of the Configuration Manager Client

• Downloads and processes policies from the management point

• Collects and reports to the management point hardware
inventory, software inventory, and software metering data
• Downloads software and updates from the distribution point
• Installs software and updates
• Executes task sequences
• Collects compliance results and performs remediation actions
• Allows administrators to connect by using remote
management tools
• Performs health validation for Network Access Protection
• Installs the Endpoint Protection client to help protect against
malware and for firewall management
Client Types Supported by System Center 2012 R2
Configuration Manager
• Windows XP • Mac OS X 10.6
• Windows Vista • Mac OS X 10.7
• Windows 7 • Mac OS X 10.8
• Windows 8 • AIX Version 7.1, 6.1, 5.3
• Windows 8.1 • Solaris Version 11, 10, 9
• Windows Server 2003 • HP-UX Version 11iv2
• Windows Server 2003 R2 • HP-UX Version 11iv3
• Windows Server 2008 • RHEL Version 4, 5, 6
• Windows Server 2008 R2 • SLES 9, 10, 11
• Windows Server 2012 • CentOS 5, 6
• Windows Server 2012 R2 • Debian 5, 6
• Ubuntu 10.4, 12.4
• Oracle Linux 5, 6
 Configuration Manager Client Architecture

Client components:
Core Components Software Distribution Agent

Hardware Inventory Agent Software Inventory Agent

Out of Band Management Agent Software Metering Agent

Power Management Agent Software Updates Agent

Remote Tools Agent Source List Update Agent

Operating system components Configuration Manager client uses:

Windows Installer Windows Update SQL Compact

BITS MSXML .NET 4.0 Silverlight RDC WMI

How Clients Locate Site Systems

• Using Active Directory Domain Services

• The Active Directory schema is extended
• The Configuration Manager sites publish to AD DS
• The client computers are members of an Active Directory domain
and can access a Global Catalog server
• Using DNS
• The clients must be assigned to a specific site
• Configure a client property that specifies the domain suffix
• DNS servers support SRV resource records
• Using WINS
• The first management point in a primary site is automatically
published to WINS
• When the clients connect to this management point, they
download a list of other management points