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

Leveraging the build and capture process


The build and capture process is often described as the process to create a reference image. You will create a Build and Capture task sequence that will deploy the operating system, install any additional standard applications, OS customizations, and software updates, and then perform an OS capture to create a .wim file (the reference image). The goal is for this process to be 100 percent automated, so that you can recreate the reference build at any time with little effort.

The Build and Capture process is not a requirement for using OS Deployment in CM12. You could manually create your own reference build, SYSPREP, and capture it to a .wim file. But as you will see next, creating the build and capture process in CM12 will allow you to take advantage of software updates and other applications that are already in CM12, and provide a completely unattended process to prepare a reference build on a regular interval.

Getting ready

You must first decide what...