System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Unleashed: Supplement to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (SCCM) Unleashed

Book description

Since Microsoft introduced System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, it has released two sets of important changes and improvements: Service Pack 1 and R2. This comprehensive reference and technical guide focuses specifically on those enhancements. It offers 300+ pages of all-new “in the trenches” guidance for applying Configuration Manager 2012’s newest features to improve user and IT productivity across all corporate, consumer, and mobile devices.

An authoring team of world-class System Center consultants thoroughly cover System Center integration with Microsoft Intune and its mobile device management capabilities. They fully address Microsoft’s increased support for cross-platform devices, enhanced profiles, changes to application management, operating system deployment, as well as improvements to performance, security, usability, and mobile device management.

The essential follow-up to System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Unleashed, this new supplement joins Sams’ market-leading series of books on Microsoft System Center.

• Use ConfigMgr 2012 R2 with Windows Intune to deliver people-centric management to any user, any device, anywhere
• Simplify BYOD registration and enrollment, and enable consistent access to corporate resources
• Integrate new mobile device management capabilities into the Configuration Manager console without service packs, hot fixes, or major releases
• Provision authentication certificates for managed devices via certificate profiles
• Automate repetitive software- and device-related tasks with PowerShell cmdlets
• Centrally control roaming profiles, certificates, Wi-Fi profiles, and VPN configuration
• Configure User Data and Profiles to manage folder redirection, offline files/folders, and roaming profiles for Windows 8.x users
• Enable users to access data in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) environments
• Manage devices running OS X, UNIX, Linux, Windows Phone 8, WinRT, iOS, and Android
• Understand the new cross-platform agent introduced in ConfigMgr 2012 R2
• Automate Windows setup with OSD
• Prepare for, configure, install, and verify successful installation of the Windows Intune connector role
• Respond to emerging challenges in mobile device management

Table of contents

  1. About This eBook
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents at a Glance
  5. Contents
  6. Foreword
  7. About the Authors
    1. About the Contributors
  8. Dedication
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. We Want to Hear from You!
  11. Reader Services
  12. Introduction
    1. Disclaimers and Fine Print
  13. Part I: Overview
    1. Chapter 1. People-Centric IT
      1. Microsoft’s People-Centric IT Philosophy
        1. Enabling Users for People-Centric IT
        2. Unifying Your Environment for People-Centric IT
        3. Protecting Your Data in a People-Centric IT World
      2. People-Centric IT and ConfigMgr 2012 R2 with Windows Intune
        1. Enabling Users with ConfigMgr 2012 R2 and Windows Intune
        2. Unifying Your Environment with ConfigMgr 2012 R2 and Windows Intune
        3. Protecting Your Data with ConfigMgr 2012 R2 and Windows Intune
      3. People-Centric IT and Windows Server 2012 R2
        1. Enabling Users with Windows Server 2012 R2
        2. Unifying Your Environment with Windows Server 2012 R2
        3. Protecting Your Data with Windows Server 2012 R2
      4. People-Centric IT and Microsoft Azure Active Directory
      5. Summary
    2. Chapter 2. What’s Changed Since Configuration Manager 2012 RTM
      1. Administration Changes
        1. Configuring Database Replication
        2. Configuring Internet Proxy Server on Each Site System
        3. Windows Intune Integration and Extensions for Windows Intune
        4. Software Update Points
        5. Certificate Profiles
        6. Client Settings
        7. Security
        8. Distribution Points (DPs)
        9. Automatic Client Upgrade
        10. Network Access Accounts
        11. PowerShell Support
      2. Assets and Compliance
        1. Collections
        2. Compliance Settings
      3. Software Library
        1. Application Management
        2. Software Updates
        3. Operating System Deployment
      4. Monitoring Changes
        1. Alerts
        2. Reporting
        3. Distribution Status
        4. Deployment Status
        5. Client Operations
      5. Other Improvements
        1. Setup and Recovery
        2. Client and Client Experience
      6. Summary
  14. Part II: Deep Dive
    1. Chapter 3. User Data and Profiles
      1. User Data and Profiles Overview
      2. User Data and Profiles Prerequisites
      3. Configuring User Data and Profiles
        1. Using Folder Redirection
        2. Using Offline Files
        3. Using Roaming User Profiles
        4. Roaming Profiles, Folder Redirection, and Offline Files in a Mash-Up
      4. Deploying User Data and Profiles Configuration Items
      5. Reporting User Data and Profiles Compliance
      6. Summary
    2. Chapter 4. New Application Deployment Types
      1. Application Overview
        1. Definition of an Application
        2. Defining Deployment Types
      2. What’s New for Applications Since ConfigMgr 2012 RTM
      3. Support for Write Filters in Windows Embedded
      4. Working with Virtual Applications
        1. Creating a Microsoft Application Virtualization 5 Deployment Type
        2. Using App-V Virtual Environments
        3. Creating an App-V Virtual Environment
      5. Deploying Applications to Mobile Devices
        1. Creating Application Store Deployment Types
        2. Sideloading Applications
        3. Using VPN Profiles in Your Applications
      6. Deploying Software to OS X, Linux, and UNIX Platforms
        1. Deploying Applications to Apple OS X Computers
        2. Deploying Software to Linux and UNIX
      7. Deploying Web Applications
      8. Best Practices for Working with Applications
        1. Best Practices for Installing Software
        2. Best Practices for Working with Applications in Task Sequences
      9. Summary
    3. Chapter 5. On-Premise Cross-Platform Support
      1. Supported Platforms
        1. Cross-Platform Agent Architecture
        2. Cross-Platform Agent Communication
        3. Client Agent Settings
      2. Cross-Platform Settings
        1. Linux/UNIX Requirements
        2. OS X Requirements
        3. Firewall Ports
        4. Downloading Client Agents
      3. Cross-Platform Agent Deployment
        1. Deploying the Linux/UNIX Client
        2. Deploying the OS X Client
        3. Uninstalling or Reinstalling Linux/UNIX
        4. Uninstalling OS X
      4. Cross-Platform Agent Components
        1. Settings Management
        2. Software Inventory
        3. Hardware Inventory
      5. Client Agent Commands
      6. Troubleshooting with Log Files
        1. Linux/UNIX Log Files
        2. Verbose Logs
        3. OS X Log Files
      7. Summary
    4. Chapter 6. What’s New in Operating System Deployment
      1. The Alphabet Soup of Prerequisites
        1. Operating System Version Support
        2. Boot Images
      2. Windows Setup Support Change
      3. Deployment Control
      4. Deployment Monitoring
      5. New Task Types
      6. New Built-In Task Sequence Variables
      7. UEFI Support
      8. Virtual Hard Disks and Windows To Go
        1. Deploying to and Maintaining VHDs
        2. Deploying WTG Media
      9. Other Improvements
        1. Offline Servicing
        2. Driver Package Export and Import
        3. Unknown Computer Cleanup
        4. Prestaged Media
        5. Content Prestaging
        6. Task Sequence Size Ceiling
      10. Troubleshooting Hints and Tips
        1. Reviewing SMSTS.log
        2. Using SMSPXE.log
        3. SMSTSErrorDialogTimeout
        4. Power Scheme
        5. Pausing a Task Sequence
        6. Windows 8.1 Wireless Network Prompt
      11. Summary
  15. Part III: Journey to the Cloud
    1. Chapter 7. Using the Intune Connector
      1. Getting Started with the Intune Connector
      2. Synchronizing AD with Microsoft Azure AD
        1. Creating a Windows Intune Instance and Azure AD Namespace
        2. Installing the Directory Synchronization Tool
      3. MDM Prerequisites
        1. Managing Windows 8.1 Devices
        2. Managing Windows Phone 8.x Devices
        3. Managing iOS Devices
      4. Installing the Windows Intune Subscription and Connector
        1. Creating the Intune Subscription
        2. Adding the Windows Intune Connector Site System Role
        3. Confirming the Installation of the Subscription and Connecter Role
        4. Removing or Overriding an Existing Intune Subscription
      5. Receiving Feature Updates Using the Extensions for Windows Intune
      6. Summary
    2. Chapter 8. Mobile Device Management in Configuration Manager 2012 R2
      1. Understanding Mobile Device Management Challenges
      2. Prerequisites of Mobile Device Management
      3. Enrolling Mobile Devices
        1. Enrolling Windows Phone 8 Devices
        2. Enrolling Windows 8.1 Devices
        3. Enrolling iOS Devices
        4. Enrolling Android Devices
      4. Inventorying Mobile Devices
        1. Available Discovery and Inventory Data
        2. Personal Versus Company-Owned Devices
      5. Managing Mobile Device Settings
        1. Configuration Items for Mobile Devices
        2. Creating Custom Configuration Items for Mobile Devices
        3. Remote Connection Profiles
        4. Company Resource Access
      6. Deploying Applications to Mobile Devices
        1. Defining Application Information
        2. Using the Company Portal
      7. Retiring/Wiping Mobile Devices
      8. Troubleshooting
        1. Log Files on Site Server
        2. Log File on iOS Devices
        3. Log File on Windows Phone 8.x Devices
        4. Log File on Android Devices
        5. Troubleshooting Windows 8.1 OMA-DM Devices
      9. Summary
  16. Part IV: Appendixes
    1. Appendix A. About Windows Intune
      1. Introduction to Windows Intune
        1. Intune Comes Into Focus
        2. Microsoft Strategic Direction Announcement
      2. Mobile Device Management Features
        1. Device Management
        2. Device Inventory
        3. Policy Settings Management
        4. Application Distribution and the Windows Intune Company Portal
        5. Device Retirement and Remote Wipe
      3. Windows Intune Licensing and Supported Architectures
        1. Unified Architecture
        2. Cloud-Only Architecture
      4. The Windows Intune Connector and Subscription
    2. Appendix B. Reference URLs
      1. General Resources
      2. Microsoft’s Configuration Manager Resources
      3. Other Configuration Manager Resources
      4. Blogs
      5. Public Forums
      6. Utilities
    3. Appendix C. Available Online
      1. Setting SMSTSPreferredAdvertID
      2. Creating an OfflineImageServicing Folder
      3. Viewing the Current Drive Letter Set
      4. Pausing a Task Sequence
      5. Live Links
  17. Index

Product information

  • Title: System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Unleashed: Supplement to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (SCCM) Unleashed
  • Author(s): Kerrie Meyler, Jason Sandys, Greg Ramsey, Dan Andersen, Panu Saukko, Kenneth van Surksum, Michael Wiles
  • Release date: September 2014
  • Publisher(s): Sams
  • ISBN: 9780133847253