Book Image

Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager: Administration Cookbook

Book Image

Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager: Administration Cookbook

Overview of this book

Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (CM12) is a systems management application for managing large groups of Windows-based computer systems. System Center 2012 Configuration Manager provides remote control, patch management, software distribution, operating system deployment, network access protection, and hardware and software inventory. This practical cookbook shows you how to administer System Center 2012 Configuration Manager and understand how to solve particular problems/scenarios Packed with over 50 task-based and immediately reusable recipes, this book starts by showing you how to design a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Infrastructure. The book then dives into topics such as recommended SQL configuration for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, deploying Windows 7 with Operating System Deployment (OSD), deploying Applications and Software Updates, managing Compliance Settings, managing Sites and managing Inventory amongst others.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)
Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager: Administration Cookbook
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Introduction


Operating System Deployment (OSD) in CM12 is a key feature of the product. Many admins report that their primary reason for implementing CM was just to leverage OSD, and frankly, we can't blame them. The Task Sequence (TS), which the CM uses to drive the OSD process, is very flexible and powerful, as you will learn in this chapter.

OSD is easily the single biggest feature in CM. Entire books and careers are built around it. Our aim in this chapter is just to get the reader started with the basics; the art and finesse will come with time.

While the title of this chapter mentions Windows 7, all recipes should apply equally to Windows 8 (or Server 2008/R2/2012). Because there are some special issues around mass storage devices with Windows XP and because XP is nearing end of life, we will omit XP imaging in this chapter. Mass storage challenges are present with both Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.