System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (SCCM) Unleashed

This is the comprehensive reference and technical guide to Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2012.

A team of expert authors offers step-by-step coverage of related topics in every feature area, organised to help IT professionals rapidly optimise Configuration Manager 2012 for their requirements, and then deploy and use it successfully.

The authors begin by introducing Configuration Manager 2012 and its goals, and explaining how it fits into the broader System Center product suite. Next, they fully address planning, design, and implementation. Finally, they systematically cover each of Configuration Manager 2012's most important feature sets, addressing issues ranging from configuration management to software distribution.

Readers will learn how to use Configuration Manager 2012's user-centric capabilities to provide anytime/anywhere services and software, and to strengthen both control and compliance.

• PART I: Configuration Manager Overview and Concepts
• Chapter 1 Configuration Management Basics
• Chapter 2 Configuration Manager Overview
• Chapter 3 Looking Inside Configuration Manager
• PART II: Planning, Design, and Installation
• Chapter 4 Architecture Design Planning
• Chapter 5 Network Design
• Chapter 6 Installing System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• Chapter 7 Migrating to System Center 2012 Configuration Manager
• PART III: Configuration Manager Operations
• Chapter 8 The Configuration Manager Console
• Chapter 9 Configuration Manager Client Management
• PART IV: Software and Configuration Management
• Chapter 10 Managing Compliance
• Chapter 11 Packages and Programs
• Chapter 12 Creating and Managing Applications
• Chapter 13 Distributing and Deploying Applications
• Chapter 14 Software Update Management
• Chapter 15 Mobile Device Management
• Chapter 16 Endpoint Protection
• Chapter 17 Configuration Manager Queries
• Chapter 18 Reporting
• Chapter 19 Operating System Deployment
• PART V: Administering System Center Configuration Manager
• Chapter 20 Security and Delegation in Configuration Manager
• Chapter 21 Backup, Recovery, and Maintenance
• PART VI: Appendixes
• Appendix A Configuration Manager Log Files
• Appendix B Extending Hardware Inventory
• Appendix C Reference URLs
• Appendix D Available Online

Kerrie Meyler, System Center MVP, is the lead author of numerous System Center books in the Unleashed series, including System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed (2008), System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed (2009), System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Unleashed (2010), System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed (2011), and System Center Service Manager 2010 Unleashed (2011). She is an independent consultant and trainer with more than 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, CISSP and an IT professional for more than 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. He currently works for McAfee managing internal deployment and validation. Byron coauthored System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed (Sams, 2009).

Marcus Oh, System Center MVP, is IT Manager of Directory and Systems Management for a large telecommunications provider, running directory services and management infrastructure for ~30,000 systems. He has been a MVP since 2004 in System Center, specializing in Configuration Manager and Operations Manager. Marcus has written numerous articles for technology websites as well as his own blog. He coauthored Professional SMS 2003, MOM 2005, and WSUS (Wrox, 2006), and was a contributing author to System Center Opalis Integration Server 6.3 Unleashed (Sams, 2011). Marcus is also a coauthor to the upcoming System Center 2012 Orchestrator Unleashed (Sams).

Jason Sandys, ConfigMgr MVP, is currently the Director for Solutions Engineering for Adaptiva (Adaptive Protocols, Inc.) where he is responsible for delivery of ConfigMgrcentric solutions. Jason was formerly a managing consultant for Catapult Systems Inc. and has more than 15 years of experience in a wide range of technologies, environments, and industries with extensive experience implementing and supporting SMS and Configuration Manager beginning with SMS 2.0. Jason is also active in the online support community, was a contributing author to System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed (Sams, 2009), and is a frequent presenter at Microsoft TechEd and MMS.

Greg Ramsey, ConfigMgr 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 SMS View. Greg previously coauthored SMS 2003 Recipes: A Problem-Solution Approach (Apress, 2006) and System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Unleashed (Sams, 2009).
 

Contributing Authors:

Niall Brady, Samuel Erskine, Torsten Meringer, Stefan Schörling, Kenneth van Surksum, and Steve Thompson.