System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed

This book is your most complete source for in-depth information about Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007!

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed is a comprehensive guide to System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) 2007. ConfigMgr 2007 helps you manage servers and desktops, integrates SMS 2003 “feature pack” functionality, and adds new capabilities. It enables you to assess, deploy, and update servers, clients, and devices across physical, virtual, distributed, and mobile environments, including clients that connect only over the Internet. This book guides you through designing, deploying, and configuring ConfigMgr 2007 with detailed information on topics such as capacity planning, security, site design and hierarchy planning, server placement, discovery, native mode, and using Windows Server 2008. You will learn how to tackle challenges such as setting up DCM and OSD, customizing inventory, creating queries and using query results, and configuring asset intelligence.

Detailed information on how to…

•  Understand how ConfigMgr works

•  Plan your ConfigMgr deployment

•  Manage Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

•  Architect for performance

•  Install or migrate to ConfigMgr 2007 with Windows 2003 or Windows 2008

•  Discover and manage clients

•  Create and distribute packages

•  Understand patch and compliance management

•  Create queries

•  Use reports

•  Deploy operating systems

•  Secure ConfigMgr 2007

•  Perform site maintenance

•  Back up ConfigMgr components

Kerrie Meyler, MVP, is the lead author of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Unleashed and System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed (Sams Publishing). She is an independent consultant and trainer with over 15 years of Information Technology experience. Kerrie was responsible for evangelizing SMS while a Sr. Technology Specialist at Microsoft, and has presented on System Center technologies at TechEd and MMS.

Byron Holt, an IT professional for over 15 years, has been a lead SMS and Configuration Manager engineer for several Global 5000 corporations and was part of the Active Directory and Enterprise Manageability support teams while working at Microsoft. Byron’s experience includes software development, security architecture, and systems management. Byron currently works for McAfee, in the security engineering team.

Greg Ramsey, Configuration Manager MVP, has worked with SMS and desktop deployment since 1998. He currently works for Dell, Inc., as a ConfigMgr administrator, and previously was a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. Greg is a columnist for myITforum.com, cofounder of the Ohio SMS User Group and Central Texas Systems Management User Group, and creator of SMSView. Greg previously coauthored SMS 2003 Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (Apress, 2006).

About the Contributors

Jason Sandys, a Senior Consultant at Catapult Systems, has over 10 years of experience in development and systems management. Jason concentrates on implementing and supporting Microsoft-centric solutions for a wide variety of customers, focusing primarily on Configuration Manager and Operations Manager. Jason presented at MMS and TechEd in 2009 on ConfigMgr native mode.

Cameron Fuller, MVP, is a Managing Consultant for Catapult Systems, an IT consulting company and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. He focuses on management solutions, with 15 years of infrastructure experience. Cameron is the coauthor of Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Unleashed and System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed.

Anthony Puca, MVP, is a Senior Solution Architect for EMC, a Global System Integrator and Gold Certified Partner focused on information infrastructure. Anthony concentrates on management technologies, and presents frequently on System Center management technologies.

Peter Zerger, MVP, is a consulting partner with AKOS Technology Services. He has 10 years of experience in the IT industry. Pete is webmaster of System Center Central (http:// systemcentercentral.com), a popular community site focusing on the Microsoft System Center suite.

Jannes Alink, ConfigMgr consultant, works at Inovativ, a European consultancy with a dedicated focus on the System Center family. Jannes began as a support engineer and now consults in infrastructure management with System Center, with a primary focus on SMS 2003 and Configuration Manager 2007.