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6451B
Planning, Deploying, and
Managing Microsoft® System
Center Configuration Manager
2007 R2
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Welcome!
Thank you for taking our training! We’ve worked together with our Microsoft Certified Partners
for Learning Solutions and our Microsoft IT Academies to bring you a world-class learning
experience—whether you’re a professional looking to advance your skills or a
student preparing for a career in IT.
We wish you a great learning experience and ongoing success in your career!
Sincerely,
Microsoft Learning
www.microsoft.com/learning
1
IDC, Value of Certification: Team Certification and Organizational Performance, November 2006
Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 xiii
Acknowledgement
Microsoft Learning would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their
contribution towards developing this title. Their effort at various stages in the
development has ensured that you have a good classroom experience.
Contents
Module 1: Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager
2007
Lesson 1: Introduction to Configuration Manager 2007 1-3
Lesson 2: Configuration Manager Features 1-8
Lesson 3: Configuration Manager Deployment Scenarios 1-19
Lesson 4: Overview of the Configuration Manager Client 1-27
Course Description
This five-day course provides students with the knowledge and skills to plan,
deploy, and manage Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007. The
course focuses on planning and deploying a single-site System Center
Configuration Manager infrastructure, including client deployment, hardware and
software inventory, software distribution, deploying operating systems, and
managing software updates. The course also includes instruction on how to
configure a multiple site hierarchy, and how to use Configuration Manager 2007 in
native mode.
Audience
This course is intended for systems engineers who have one to three years
experience supporting multiple desktop and server computers running Windows
Server® operating systems in medium to large enterprise organizations, and those
who plan on deploying Configuration Manager 2007.
Additionally, this course is intended for Configuration Manager 2007
administrators who are responsible for configuring and managing one or more
Configuration Manager 2007 sites and their supporting systems. Administrators
typically will have one to three years of experience supporting multiple desktop
and server computers running Windows Server in medium to large enterprise
organizations.
Student Prerequisites
This course requires that you meet the following prerequisites:
• A base-level understanding of Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS)
2003 or Configuration Manager 2007.
About This Course ii
Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
• Provide an overview of Configuration Manager 2007.
• Plan and deploy a single-site architecture.
• Plan for and complete client deployment.
• Collect and manage inventory, implement software metering, and use Asset
Intelligence.
• Query data, and create reports.
• Distribute software.
• Deploy virtual applications.
• Deploy and manage software updates.
• Deploy Windows operating systems.
• Determine computer compliance using desired configuration management.
• Configure Wake On LAN, Out of Band Management, and Remote Tools.
• Plan and configure a multiple site hierarchy.
• Maintain and monitor Configuration Manager 2007.
• Describe native mode and Internet-based client management.
About This Course iii
Note: To access the full course content, insert the Course Companion CD into the
CD-ROM drive, and then in the root directory of the CD, double-click StartCD.exe.
• Course evaluation. At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to
complete an online evaluation to provide feedback on the course, training
facility, and instructor.
This section provides the information for setting up the classroom environment to
support the business scenario of the course.
Important: At the end of each lab, you must revert the virtual machine back to the
state the virtual machine was in before the lab started. To revert a virtual machine,
perform the following steps:
1. In Hyper-V Manager, right click the virtual machine name, and click Revert.
The following table shows the role of each virtual machine used in this course:
6451B-NYC-CFG1 Configuration Manager 2007 server in the in the NYC site of the
Contoso.com domain.
6451B-ATL-CFG1 Configuration Manager 2007 server in the in the ATL site of the
Contoso.com domain.
6451B-TOR-CFG1 Member server located in the TOR site of the Contoso.com domain
About This Course vii
Software Configuration
The following software is installed in this course:
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Configuration Manager 2007 R2
• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
Classroom Setup
Each classroom computer will have the same virtual machine configured in the
same way. All of the aforementioned virtual machines are deployed in each student
computer.
Module 1
Overview of Microsoft® System Center
Configuration Manager 2007
Contents:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Configuration Manager 2007 1-3
Lesson 2: Configuration Manager Features 1-8
Lesson 3: Configuration Manager Deployment Scenarios 1-19
Lesson 4: Overview of the Configuration Manager Client 1-27
1-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Key Points
The primary Configuration Manager 2007 features fall into three broad categories:
• Asset management, which includes inventory, Asset Intelligence, and software
metering.
• Deployment, which includes software distribution, operating system
deployment, and software update management.
• Network security and support, which includes desired configuration
management, diagnostics and troubleshooting, and Network Access Protection
(NAP).
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-5
Management Space
Key Points
System Center plays a central role in helping IT organizations benefit from self-
managed, dynamic systems. System Center solutions capture and aggregate
knowledge about your infrastructure, policies, processes, and best practices. This
helps your IT staff build manageable and automated systems that can reduce costs,
improve application availability, and enhance service delivery.
Key Points
Configuration Manager allows organizations of all sizes to improve efficiencies and
reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) in systems management through:
• Comprehensive deployment and updates.
• Enhanced IT infrastructure insight and control.
Key Points
Configuration Manager features and managements tools help organizations:
• Collect information about hardware and software installed on clients.
• Distribute software to clients.
• Track software usage.
• Deploy new operating systems and applications.
• Assess computer baseline deviation.
• Manage critical software updates.
• Manage assets.
• Administer client computers remotely.
• Start computers that have been turned off, in preparation for management
events.
1-10 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The Configuration Manager 2007 Administration console, or Configuration
Manager console, is the primary interface that you use to configure, run, and access
Configuration Manager features and tools. You install and use the Configuration
Manager console to accomplish day-to-day tasks required to configure your sites,
maintain your Configuration Manager site database, and monitor the status of your
Configuration Manager hierarchy.
1-12 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 provides significant enhancements to the
original Configuration Manager 2007 release. These enhancements include:
• Out of band management
• Updates to the operating systems supported as site systems and clients
• Improvements to Asset Intelligence
• Additional reports
• Compatibility with Microsoft SoftGrid® and Application Virtualization (App-V)
applications
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-13
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 provides additional enhancements and
significant changes to the SP1 release. These include:
• ExtADSch.exe now offers feedback on the command line in addition to
logging.
• Support for Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2.
• Support for the Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 management pack when
using either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the System Center Operations
Manager agent.
• Windows® 7 BranchCache™ feature support, which enables caching and peer-
to-peer file sharing of distribution point content clients in branch locations.
• Windows 7 DirectAccess, which enables Internet-based clients to access site
systems as if connected to internal network.
1-14 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 provides additional features beyond those
available in the original release. These include:
• App-V management
• Forefront Client Security integration for desired configuration management
• SQL Reporting Services reporting
• Client status reporting
• Operating System Deployment enhancements, including:
• Support for Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE)-based deployment to
unknown computers
• Multicast deployment
• Using alternate credentials for command lines in task sequences
1-16 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The Configuration Manager Software Development Kit (SDK) provides
documentation and samples for writing applications to access and modify
Configuration Manager data. It includes information on extending and
customizing the Configuration Manager console. It also provides comprehensive
reference material for Configuration Manager features.
The Configuration Manager SDK provides information for automating
Configuration Manager administration through scripting. and for enhancing
Configuration Manager through development of additional functionality.
1-18 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Discuss the following issues:
Question: Are you upgrading from Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS)
2003 or migrating from another configuration management solution?
Question: What are some of the challenges you face in the configuration
management workspace?
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-19
Configuration Manger 2007 supports organizations of all sizes. The way you
deploy Configuration Manager depends on factors such as the size of the
organization, geographical dispersal, administrative structure, and the number of
client computers.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe basic implementation considerations for small-to-medium
organizations.
• Describe basic implementation considerations for medium-to-large
organizations.
• Describe basic implementation considerations for global organizations.
1-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Medium Organizations
Key Points
Small-to-medium organizations often deploy Configuration Manager by
implementing only the required Configuration Manager components.
To better understand a Configuration Manager implementation for a small-to-
medium organization, consider the following scenario:
A. Datum Corporation is a small company with 500 computers in one location. A.
Datum uses a Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory® Domain Services
(AD DS)-based network and employs Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
for software updates. The organization is satisfied with this solution.
However, A. Datum needs a solution for hardware and software inventory. It also
must be able to deploy various applications to computers in different departments.
The solution must also offer a way to report on the inventory data gathered.
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-21
follows:
• A primary site
• A single server hosting the following site system roles:
• Site server
• Site database
• SMS Provider
• Management point
• Distribution point
• Reporting point
• A fast boundary based on the Active Directory site name
• For each department, one custom collection that contains the computers for
that department
1-22 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Large Organizations
Key Points
Medium-to-large organizations often deploy Configuration Manager by
implementing many site system roles on several servers.
To better understand a Configuration Manager implementation for a medium-to-
large organization, consider the following scenario:
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-23
six locations. The main office has 4,000 computers, and each of their four
manufacturing facilities has 100 computers. Fabrikam also has a number of small
satellite offices, each with 5 to 10 computers. Each manufacturing facility is
connected to the main office by a 1.544 megabits per second (Mbps) wide area
network (WAN) connection. Each satellite office connects to the main office by
using a 256 kilobits per second (Kbps) WAN connection. Fabrikam has deployed
Windows Server 2008 R2 and AD DS throughout the company. The main office
and manufacturing facilities each have their own Active Directory sites. No domain
controllers have been deployed at the satellite offices. Thus, the satellite offices are
configured as part of the main office’s Active Directory site. Fabrikam already
employs a SQL Server 2008 SP1 computer, which has ample capacity. Fabrikam's
IT support is centralized at the main office.
Fabrikam needs a solution for asset management, standard and virtualized
application deployment, and software update distribution. Because of the large
number of workstations, they want to ensure that they can positively identify
computers that are not properly configured for management. Additionally,
Fabrikam wants to be able to deploy operating systems to newly purchased, PXE-
enabled computers that have no operating system installed, and to deploy
operating system upgrades to users’ existing computers. Fabrikam also needs to
ensure that computers can still receive changes to management policy, even if a
single management server fails.
Fabrikam wants to ensure that all client-to-server communication related to the
management solution is encrypted. They have deployed a public key infrastructure
(PKI) solution.
To meet these requirements, Fabrikam could deploy Configuration Manager as
follows:
• One primary site in native mode
• A dedicated site server
• Site database on the existing SQL Server 2008 computer
• Default management point on a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster of two
computers
1-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Organizations
Key Points
Large and global organizations often deploy Configuration Manager in a multi-site,
multi-tier hierarchy.
To better understand a Configuration Manager implementation for a global
organization, consider the following scenario:
Humongous Insurance needs a comprehensive management solution for its
approximately 50,000 computers. The company has a main office in London, and
regional offices in Vancouver, Buenos Aires, Madrid, Cairo, Beijing, and Auckland.
Each regional office has several dozen satellite offices throughout its respective
continent.
1-26 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
offices have between 1,000 and 2,500 workstations and servers. The main office
and regional offices have local IT staff. Satellite offices have between 50 and 1,500
workstations and servers. Some of the smaller satellite offices have only one multi-
purpose server; those offices have no local IT staff. Larger satellite offices have
several servers and a small local IT staff.
Additionally, many of the satellite offices are responsible for managing computers
used by employees who work from home. Some of these remote computers
connect to the corporate network with virtual private network (VPN) connections.
Others are not regularly connected to the corporate network, and must be
managed over the Internet.
To meet these requirements, Humongous Insurance could deploy a Configuration
Manager hierarchy. Humongous Insurance's hierarchy could include:
• In London, a central site that is parent to the regional sites
• In each regional office, a primary child site that is also parent to that region's
satellite offices
• A primary child site in each large satellite office
• A secondary child site in each small satellite office
• A proxy management point in each secondary site
• Slow boundaries for VPN-connected clients
• Site systems configured to support Internet-based clients
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-27
Key Points
Configuration Manager supports many Windows-based platforms as clients. To
manage a computer, you first must install the Configuration Manager client
software.
Client agents are Configuration Manager components that run on top of the base
client components. Every client agent that you enable allows you to use a different
Configuration Manager feature.
Question: If no agents are enabled within Configuration Manager, what data will
the Configuration Manager client collect?
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-29
Key Points
Configuration Manager supports Internet-based client management, which allows
you to manage clients when they are not connected to your company network, but
have a standard Internet connection.
Because exposing Configuration Manager site systems to the Internet introduces
additional security concerns, using Internet-based client management requires that
sites be in native mode. This ensures that connections to the management point,
software update point, and distribution points are authenticated by an
independent authority, and that data to and from these site systems are encrypted
using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Some client management features—such as user-based software distribution and
Operating System Deployment—are unavailable to Internet-based clients.
Key Points
Configuration Manager supports:
• Windows 2000 SP4
• Windows XP SP2 and later
• Windows Vista®(Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions)
• Windows 7 (Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate Editions)
• Windows Server 2003 SP1 and later, and Windows Server 2003 R2
• Windows Server 2008 (Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter Editions), and
Windows Server 2008 R2 (Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter Editions)
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-31
Key Points
Configuration Manager supports many mobile clients, such as Windows Mobile 6
Professional and Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC.
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-33
Key Points
International Client Packs (ICPs) contain additional language files that you can
add to the Configuration Manager client, which must be installed first. Two ICPs
are available.
ICP 1 contains language files for the following languages:
• English
• French
• German
• Japanese
• Spanish
1-34 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In Configuration Manager, certain types of data always flow down from parent site
to child site, and from site to client. Other types of data always flow up from client
to site, and from child site to parent site. If a type of data flows from client to site,
then that type also flows from child to parent (if one exists). Likewise, if a type of
data flows from parent to child, then that type also flows from site to client.
In a Configuration Manager hierarchy, data that flows from parent to child is often
thought of as flowing down the hierarchy, and data that flows from child to parent
is often thought of as flowing up the hierarchy. If communication between the site
and the client is considered in the same way, then it can also be said that some
data flows "down" from site to client, and other data flows "up" from client to site.
If all Configuration Manager data flows are considered from that perspective, then
any particular type of data can be considered to always flow in the same direction,
either "up" or "down."
1-36 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
includes:
• Management data
• Configuration data
Data that always flow “up” from client to site, and from child site to parent site
includes:
• Client data
• Status data
Overview of Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 1-37
Review Questions
1. How does System Center Operations Manager complement Configuration
Manager?
2. How do you anticipate your organization will use the features included in
Configuration Manager 2007?
Clair Hector is the IT director and Jae Pak is the systems administrator for
Northwind Traders. Clair oversees all the IT and information services (IS)
departments. Jae manages the day-to-day operations of the network and server
environment.
1. Jae Pak wants to know if his organization has enough software licenses for
their computers. Which Configuration Manager feature should he use to
determine how many software licenses he needs?
2. Jae Pak reports to Clair Hector that their organization needs 100 licenses for a
particular software product. Clair is trying to trim their department’s budget.
She wants to determine if all 100 licenses are absolutely necessary to perform
their work. What Configuration Manager feature can Jae use to determine
usage levels for the software product? What kind of data does this
Configuration Manager feature provide?
3. Next, Jae must work with his team to examine the Configuration Manager
hierarchy to determine what roles the sites will play. He needs to understand
the following concepts:
• What are the differences between the primary and secondary
Configuration Manager sites?
• What are site systems? Name two site systems. What do they do?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-1
Module 2
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site
Architecture
Contents:
Lesson 1: Planning a Configuration Manager 2007 Site Deployment 2-4
Lesson 2: Preparing to Deploy a Configuration Manager 2007 Site 2-19
Lesson 3: Installing a Configuration Manager 2007 Site Server 2-36
Lab A: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server 2-41
Lab B: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server, Continued 2-51
Lesson 4: Performing Post-Setup Configuration Tasks 2-57
Lesson 5: Discovering Resources 2-66
Lab C: Managing Users and Configuring Boundaries and Discovery
Methods 2-84
Lesson 6: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Tools in Configuration
Manager 2007 2-91
Lab D: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Configuration Manager 2007 2-104
2-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Key Points
Preplanning involves examining and documenting the current computing
environment, determining business and technical objectives, and building a test
lab in preparation for the pilot project.
Preplanning Worksheets
The following table lists the available preplanning worksheets, and some sample
questions raised in the worksheet:
Server Environment Where are your servers located, and what function do
Preplanning Worksheet they fulfill?
What are the naming conventions used throughout your
environment?
2-8 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: What are your business objectives for Configuration Manager 2007?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-9
Deployment
Key Points
In the planning phase, you need to design your Configuration Manager site
hierarchy, and create a project deployment plan and schedule. You can use the
following tools to help you plan your Configuration Manager environment.
• Configuration Manager Planning Worksheets
• Infrastructure Planning and Design Guide for Configuration Manager 2007
Planning Considerations
During the planning phase, incorporate the requirements defined in the
preplanning phase such as:
• Site configuration.
• Support for business and technical objectives.
2-10 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Prioritize business objectives at the start of the project so that they are clearly
understood and agreed upon by IT and business managers.
Key Points
To set up a new Configuration Manager 2007 site, you can use either the Setup
Wizard or perform an unattended installation using a scripted installation method.
Use the /script setup command-line option for scripted installations. You must
create an initialization file and specify the initialization file name after specifying
the /script setup command-line option. The name of the file is unimportant as
long as it has the .ini file name extension. When referencing the setup initialization
file from the command line, you must give the full path to the file. For example, if
your setup initialization file is named setup.ini and it is stored in the C:\setup
directory, your command line would be:
Question: You need to quickly install a Configuration Manage 2007 site for a
demonstration. Which deployment method would you use?
Key Points
Site codes and site names identify and manage the sites in a Configuration
Manager hierarchy, and you must plan them carefully before deployment.
Note: Configuration Manager setup does not verify that the site code you enter is
not in use already.
To enter a site’s code when using Configuration Manager Setup, you must enter
three alphanumeric characters. Only the letters A through Z, numbers 0 through 9,
or combinations of the two, are allowed when specifying site codes. The sequence
of letters or numbers has no effect on communications between sites. For example,
it is not necessary to name a primary site ABC and a secondary site DEF.
The site name is a friendly name identifier for the site. Use only the standard
characters A through Z, a through z, 0 through 9, and the hyphen (-) in site names.
Note: Changing the site code or site name after installation is not supported.
Key Points
Use site modes to configure client-to-server communication. Configuration
Manager 2007 includes two sites modes: native mode, and mixed mode.
Native mode provides a higher level of security between clients and servers than
that which is provided by mixed mode. Mixed mode exists to provide a supported
site mode for networking environments that do not have an existing public key
infrastructure (PKI) infrastructure and backward compatibility with Microsoft
Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 clients and sites.
Mixed Mode
Use mixed mode if any of the following are true:
• The site will support SMS 2003 clients.
• The site has a parent site configured for mixed mode.
2-16 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
site server.
• You have not implemented a PKI in your environment.
Mixed mode sites cannot use client certificates to authorize clients; instead, they
use a configurable approval setting.
Native Mode
Use native mode if you need the highest level of security in Configuration Manager
or must support Internet-based clients. Before you configure native mode, you
must configure all of the following:
• An existing PKI
• A site server signing certificate that is installed on the site server
• Web certificates on certain site system roles
• Client authentication certificates on all Configuration Manager clients, and on
the management point
Deployment
Key Points
Consider the following scenario:
The Woodgrove Bank corporate headquarters uses 5,000 client computers. The
company also has two remote offices connected via separate 155 megabits per
second (Mbps) wide area network (WAN) links, one of which supports 200 client
computers, and the other 25 client computers. Information Technology (IT)
management would like to install Configuration Manager 2007, and use hardware
and software inventory, reporting, and software delivery. IT expects to support
delivery of large applications such as the 2007 Microsoft Office system.
2-18 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: What are some of the site planning considerations you should use to
identify the number and types of sites you require?
Question: What are some of the site systems that you should consider during your
planning stage?
Question: What are some of the factors that will determine the site mode used in
the deployment?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-19
When preparing to deploy a Configuration Manager 2007 site, there are several
prerequisites that need to be in place before the installation of Configuration
Manager 2007 can proceed as planned. In addition, if the deployment plan
includes publishing site information to AD DS, then the Active Directory Schema
needs to be extended.
After completing this module, you will be able to:
• Describe site system requirements.
• Use the Configuration Manager prerequisite checker.
• Install and configure the prerequisites for Configuration Manager 2007.
• Extend the Active Directory schema.
2-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Before installing Configuration Manager 2007, you must check your systems for
hardware requirements, supported platforms, and database requirements.
In general, the requirements for Configuration Manager installation are:
• A Windows Server® 2003 operating system with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or
greater, that is capable of running Configuration Manager in your
environment.
• A server installed with Microsoft SQL Server® 2005 SP2 or greater. This server
can be the same server as the site server, or a separate server.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-21
The following table lists the minimum hardware requirements for a Configuration
Manager 2007 site system.
Hardware
component Requirement
Processor 733 megahertz (MHz) Pentium III minimum (2.0 gigahertz (GHz) or
faster recommended)
Free disk space 5 gigabytes (GB) minimum (15 GB or more free recommended if
using Operating System Deployment)
Network adapter Site system computers must have network connectivity to other
Configuration Manager 2007 site systems, and they must have
network connectivity to clients to manage them.
Key Points
During installation, the Configuration Manager setup prerequisite checker verifies
that software and settings required for setup are installed. In some cases, the
required software may require additional software updates that Configuration
Manager setup does not verify. Before beginning Configuration Manager setup,
ensure that the operating system, and additional software components that
Configuration Manager setup relies on, have been updated with all relevant
software updates.
The prerequisite checker reviews installation requirements for the following
components:
• General site
• Configuration Manager primary site server
• Site database
• SMS Provider
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-25
Setup.exe /prereq
Key Points
After reviewing the Configuration Manager 2007-supported configurations, you
should next ensure that you have the proper prerequisites for installing a
Configuration Manager site or site system. Knowing what the prerequisites are
ahead of time enables you to efficiently deploy Configuration Manager sites and
features to most effectively support the clients assigned to the site.
In general, the custom installation prerequisites for a Configuration Manager 2007
primary site in mixed mode are:
• Internet Information Services (IIS) installed with the World Wide Web Service
or Web Server role, and:
• Active Server Pages (ASP) enabled
• Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) enabled
• Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) enabled
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-27
Question: You plan to install Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 with all
components on a single Windows Server 2008 R2 computer. What features and
components must be installed prior to Configuration Manager setup?
2-28 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to check for missing prerequisites with
the prerequisite checker, and how to install Windows Server 2008 features to
support the Configuration Manager installation.
Additionally, the instructor will configure WebDAV for IIS 7.5 and modify BITS
request filtering. Configuring WebDAV and modifying BITS request filtering is
necessary for BITS-enabled distribution point site server computers.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-29
• Enable WebDAV
• Add Authoring Rule
• Allow access to all content
• Allow access to this content to all users
• Read permissions
• WebDAV Settings
• Allow anonymous property queries: True
• Allow Custom Properties: False
• Allow property queries with infinite depth: True
• Allow hidden files to be listed: True
4. In the Actions pane, click Apply.
5. Close the Server Manager.
Question: Which IIS 7.5 features are required to support Configuration Manager
2007 SP2?
Key Points
Extending the Active Directory schema is a forest-wide action that you perform
only once per forest. Extending the schema is an irreversible action and must be
performed by a member of the Schema Admins Group, or an administrator with
sufficient permissions to modify the schema. You can extend the Active Directory
schema before or after Configuration Manager setup. However, if you extend the
schema before setup, Configuration Manager automatically configures the site to
publish site information during setup, and publish site information to AD DS at the
completion of setup.
You can extend the Active Directory schema using either of the following methods:
• LDIFDE command-line utility and the ConfigMgr_ad_schema.ldf file
• ExtADSch.exe utility
2-32 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Method two:
1. Extend the Active Directory schema.
2. Set security permissions on the System container. You must grant the primary
site server’s computer account full control to the System container, and all of
its child objects, so that it can successfully publish information.
3. Enable Active Directory publishing for the Configuration Manager site.
Question: What permissions must you have to extend the Active Directory schema
for Configuration Manager 2007?
Question: What permissions must you set on the System Management container?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-33
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to extend the Active Directory schema,
and then verify that you successfully extended it. Additionally, the instructor will
create a System Management container in AD DS and configure its permissions.
Prior to extending the schema, you should always:
1. Create a backup of the schema master domain controller’s system state using
the NTBACKUP utility.
2. Disconnect the schema master domain controller from the network.
Note: This demonstration illustrates one method of extending the Active Directory
schema, and one method of setting System Management container permissions. The
lab that follows utilizes alternative methods.
2-34 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: Given a successful extension, you would now reconnect the schema master
domain controller to the network and allow it to replicate the schema extensions to
the global catalog servers throughout the Active Directory forest. If unsuccessful,
you would instead restore the previous system state using the NTBACKUP utility to
reverse the schema extension actions before reconnecting the schema master
domain controller to the network.
• Configure security so that the Configuration Manager server has full control
permissions on System Management container and “This object and all
descendant objects”.
Key Points
There are a number of tasks you can perform with the Configuration Manager
2007 Setup Wizard. You can determine which options best fit your deployment
needs.
You can use the Configuration Manager Setup Wizard to perform an in-place
upgrade if you determine that you can upgrade an existing SMS 2003 or
Configuration Manager 2007 primary site directly to Configuration Manager 2007.
When you upgrade a site to Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 using the in-place
upgrade method, the site server and its site systems do not change their site system
roles. Also, existing clients do not change their site assignments when you upgrade
the site.
Question: What is the major difference between a primary site and a secondary
site?
Question: What new installation methods can you use to deploy a site server?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-39
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to install a primary site and the
Configuration Manager console.
Demonstration Steps
Question: If you do not select the NAP client agent during installation, would you
need to re-run setup if you decide to install a Windows Server 2008 NAP
infrastructure at a later date?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-41
Server
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1, 6451B-NYC-CFG1, and the 6451B-NYC-
CL1 virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
2-42 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Lab Scenario
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. Contoso has begun a new
initiative for system management and auditing. As part of this initiative, Contoso
has plans to upgrade the client operating systems and line-of-business (LOB)
software throughout the company. You have decided that Configuration Manager
2007 will meet Contoso’s requirements for management and audit support, while
also providing a mechanism for upgrading the existing clients.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-43
Scenario
To ensure a successful Configuration Manager installation, you must first prepare a
server.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Check for existing prerequisites.
2. Install Windows Server 2008 features.
3. Configure WebDAV.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed the prerequisite components
for a Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 single-site deployment.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-45
Configuration Manager
Scenario
You have prepared a server for installing a Configuration Manager 2007 primary
site server. After researching the methods that client systems can use for locating a
site server, you have determined the most efficient method for the Contoso
environment is AD DS. To utilize AD DS, you first need to extend the Active
Directory schema.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Extend the Active Directory schema with EXtADSch.
2. Configure Active Directory permissions.
Results: After this exercise, you should have extended the Active Directory schema
and set permissions for the Configuration Manager server to publish information in
AD DS.
2-46 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
Having prepared the server and the Active Directory environment for
Configuration Manager 2007, you are now ready to begin the installation. You
have decided to use a custom installation and install a management point on the
primary site server. You will also install the Configuration Manager console on
your desktop.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Install a primary site.
2. Install the Configuration Manager console.
Results: After this exercise, you should have begun the installation of Configuration
Manager 2007 and the Configuration Manager console on a separate machine. The
installation will run for about 30 minutes while the instructor continues with the
course. You will continue deploying a Configuration Manager site server in the next
lab.
2-48 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to verify a successful site server
installation, and then you will see how to install Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
Demonstration Steps
Question: What is the name of the Configuration Manager setup log file, and
where is it located?
Question: Which user was added to the SMS Admins group during installation?
Question: What are the requirements for installing Configuration Manager 2007
R2?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-51
Server, Continued
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and click
Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1, 6451B-NYC-CFG1, and the 6451B-NYC-
CL1 virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the virtual machines. Log on to the computers as
Contoso\Administrator, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
2-52 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. Contoso has begun a new
initiative for system management and auditing. As part of this initiative, Contoso
has plans to upgrade the client operating systems and LOB software throughout
the company. You have decided that Configuration Manager 2007 will meet
Contoso’s requirements for management and audit support, while also providing a
mechanism for upgrading the existing clients.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-53
• Collection creations
• Adding a login for the SMS Site Server
• SQLINSTALL Returning with Success!
• Successfully created local user group
• Granted SMS Admins rights to WMI Name Space
• Done with service installation
• Completed monitoring installation of Configuration Manager services
• Installation and configuring site are done
• Moving to Finish page
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Configuration Manager
installation has completed successfully.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-55
Management Container
Scenario
You are satisfied that the installation was successful, and now want to verify that
the Active Directory objects were successfully created.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
• Verify the creation of the Configuration Manager objects in AD DS
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the System Management
container was successfully created in AD DS, and that the Configuration Manager
objects were created in AD DS.
2-56 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You successfully installed Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, and the Active
Directory objects exist as expected. Now you are ready to install the Configuration
Manager 2007 R2 update.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Install Configuration Manager 2007 R2 on NYC-CFG1.
2. Verify the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 installation.
3. Install Configuration Manager 2007 R2 on NYC-CL1.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and verified Configuration
Manager 2007 R2.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-57
After installing Configuration Manager 2007, you must configure the new site.
Begin the site configuration process by defining site characteristics, and
configuring site systems at a single site. After completing basic site system
configuration, you must prepare the site to manage clients, and additional feature
installation and configuration. After installing primary sites, there are some
mandatory tasks that you must complete, and others which are optional.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the required post-setup configuration tasks.
• Configure Configuration Manager 2007 object security.
• View and configure site settings.
2-58 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
After Configuration Manager setup, there are still a few tasks you must perform to
create a functioning Configuration Manager 2007 site. A Configuration Manager
site usually requires a management point, and additional site settings must be
configured before you configure specific features.
Note: Configure each Configuration Manager 2007 site individually. Child sites do
not inherit the properties of their parent sites.
The Configuration Manager console is the primary interface between you and the
Configuration Manager site. The Configuration Manager console tree contains a
hierarchical listing of Configuration Manager objects. From the console tree, you
can view:
• The contents of a selected item displayed in the results pane.
• Shortcut menu options in the Actions pane.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-59
You must perform the following tasks after installing a Configuration Manager site,
if the site will have assigned clients:
• Configure Configuration Manager site boundaries. Boundaries are defined by
IP subnets, Active Directory site names, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
Prefix, or IP ranges. Decide whether you will use the site boundary for either a
slow or unreliable, or a fast local area network (LAN) connection.
• Configure the site’s default management point. Install the management point
site system role on one or more site systems for the site. If installed during
setup, Configuration Manager automatically configures the default
management point. Otherwise, you need to configure the management point
yourself.
• Configure site systems. Add additional site systems for offloading components,
and modify site system properties. Site system properties are described in later
modules.
• Configure site system roles, and add additional roles for planned features. Site
system roles are described in later modules.
• Configure site components. The following components have site-level
configuration options:
• Out of band management
• Software distribution
• Software update point
• Status reporting
• System Health Validator point
Site components are described in later modules.
Question: What are several site system roles you might be required to set up after
deploying a Configuration Manager site?
2-60 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The SQL Server database stores the Configuration Manager security settings. By
default, the setup process grants the site server system account (NT Authority
\SYSTEM) full control permissions in SQL Server for the Configuration Manager
database. Permissions defined for Configuration Manager objects are stored in the
SQL Server database.
The Configuration Manager console contacts the SMS Provider server using
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). The SMS Provider then queries
the SQL Server database to determine if the user running the Configuration
Manager console has the appropriate object security rights to perform the
requested task.
If the SMS Provider computer is unavailable, the Configuration Manager console
does not function.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-61
Question: In addition to setting object and class rights for users or groups, you
add users to what other group if they are required to use the Configuration
Manager console?
2-62 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to perform a variety of post-setup
configuration tasks.
Demonstration Steps
Question: If you granted a new user Read permissions directly to the Collections
node, what additional task must you complete before the user could view the
collections?
Question: What three actions are available in the ConfigMgr User Wizard?
2-66 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Discovering Resources
Key Points
Once you install your central Configuration Manager 2007 site, you can begin
adding clients and resources by using one of the available discovery methods.
These discovery methods search your network to find resources that you can use
with Configuration Manager 2007. You must use at least one discovery method
before you can use most Configuration Manager functions.
Resources
Within Configuration Manager, a resource is an object that one of the available
Configuration Manager discovery methods discover. A resource can take a variety
of forms, including Active Directory objects (such as users, groups, and computers)
site systems, routers, hubs, printers, and other IP-addressable devices on your
network.
2-68 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
User Group resources Includes discovered user groups, with distinct attributes such
as user group name, domain, creation date, and agent site.
User resources Includes discovered users, with distinct attributes such as user
name, organizational unit, and domain.
Database Records
As Configuration Manager discovers resources, it creates records in the
Configuration Manager database. These records are called data discovery records
(DDRs) and each generated file has a DDR extension. The specific information
contained in each record varies depending on the resource Configuration Manager
discovered, but it can include data such as the NetBIOS name of a computer, IP
address and IP subnet of a computer or device, operating system, MAC address,
and so on.
The Discovery Data Loader loads the discovered data from the DDR file into the
database. Depending on the discovery method used, resource DDRs are
periodically regenerated to keep the discovery data updated and to verify that the
resource is still a valid resource within the Configuration Manager site.
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 provides you with six configurable methods to
search for network resources. Each of these methods provides you with a different
view of your network, and results in a different set of discovered resources.
After a custom Configuration Manager setup, you can configure each discovery
method. The methods are disabled by default (with the exception of Heartbeat
Discovery) and you must enable them prior to use.
The following table provides information about each discovery method:
Active Directory Retrieves details about the computer, such as computer name,
System Discovery IP address, and Active Directory site.
Active Directory User Retrieves information about user accounts created in Active
Discovery Directory.
Configuration Manager 2007 also creates database records for site server and site
system computers that are assigned a site system role. This discovery method is
automatic and not configurable.
Question: Which discovery method do you think would work best in your
environment and why?
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Key Points
You can configure Configuration Manager 2007 to query AD DS for information
about domain resources. The Active Directory discovery methods search for system
resources by polling the closest Active Directory domain controller. There are four
distinct Active Directory discovery methods:
• Active Directory System Discovery
• Active Directory User Discovery
• Active Directory System Group Discovery
• Active Directory Security Group Discovery
Note: Active Directory discovery polling can generate significant network traffic, so
you should schedule discovery to occur at times when network traffic will not
adversely affect business uses of your network.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-73
Guideline Description
Specify the polling By default, polling occurs once every 24 hours. Use the Polling
schedule Schedule tab to set a custom schedule, if desired.
Note: Allow enough time for the polling to complete. If the
polling occurs too frequently, it is possible discovery may never
complete.
Note: All Active Directory discovery methods return the objects as reflected in AD
DS when the discovery method last ran. Although the data is updated when the next
poll takes place, you should not consider this method dynamic.
2-74 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Configuration Manager 2007 must have Read rights to the containers that you
specify for Active Directory System Discovery, Active Directory System Group
Discovery, and Active Directory User Discovery. Configuration Manager uses the
site server computer account to perform Active Directory discovery. When you use
the site server computer account in domains other than the domain in which the
site server is located, the account must have user rights on those domains. The
account must at least be a member of the Domain Users group or local Users
group on the domains.
Additionally, you must have Modify permissions on the site security object or
instance to configure the Active Directory System Discovery method.
If Active Directory System Discovery can obtain both pieces of information, the
computers are discovered, and a DDR is created for each computer.
If nonexistent computers are not removed from AD DS and their records remain in
DNS, Configuration Manager will continue discovering them. Prevent this behavior
by enabling DNS scavenging on your DNS server, and by removing unused objects
from AD DS.
Note: Active Directory System Discovery will not discover disabled systems.
Question: What is required to generate a DDR for a system discovered with Active
Directory System Discovery?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-75
Key Points
Network Discovery allows Configuration Manager 2007 to perform a broad search
of your network by checking the DHCP leases, looking at routers’ ARP caches, or
looking for SNMP-enabled devices in a community. Network Discovery also is
likely to find resources—such as printers—that are incapable of becoming
Configuration Manager clients.
Note: The more subnets and domains that Configuration Manager discovers, the
more network traffic is generated. To mitigate the network impact, schedule several
small discoveries instead of a single large one. Such small discoveries would run
serially, and you would need to change the scope of your Network Discovery each
time.
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record, including:
• NetBIOS name
• IP addresses
• Resource domain
• System roles
• SNMP community name
• MAC addresses
Network Discovery
method Description
Topology Determines the topology of your network only: IP subnets
and routers. The extent of how much of your network is
discovered depends on the number of router hops
selected on the SNMP tab. By default, this option is
selected.
method Description
Topology, client, and Determines the topology of your network, as well as
client operating systems potential client computers and their operating systems
and versions.
Question: When using Network Discovery, what additional service should you
install and configure so that you can retrieve the client’s operating system
information?
2-78 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The Heartbeat Discovery method is the only configurable discovery method that is
enabled automatically when you install Configuration Manager. This is because
Heartbeat Discovery maintains updated DDRs in the Configuration Manager
database.
Heartbeat Discovery helps you maintain your site database. It ensures that resource
records are current, and are not aged out of the Configuration Manager database
accidently. This method is useful for maintaining up-to-date discovery data on
clients that are not normally affected by one of the other discovery methods. By
default, Heartbeat Discovery generates an updated DDR for each client every seven
days.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-79
Note: Heartbeat Discovery is active only on computers that have already been
installed as Configuration Manager clients.
Key Points
Creating and using collections is a fundamental aspect of Configuration Manager.
Within Configuration Manager, collections represent groups of resources that can
consist not only of computers, but also of Windows users and user groups as well
as other discovered resources.
Collections allow you to organize resources into easily manageable units, enabling
you to create an organized structure that logically represents the kinds of tasks that
you want to perform. Collections also serve as targets for performing Configuration
Manager operations on multiple resources at one time (such as software
distribution or software updates).
In the Configuration Manager console, the Collections node contains the
collections that are defined for the current site. The results pane displays the
resources gathered within the selected collection.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to configure and use various discovery
methods.
Demonstration Steps
Question: What is the purpose of the Recursive and Include groups search
options?
Question: Why does the Configuration Manager site system’s DDR show one
additional Agent Name entry when compared to nonsite systems?
2-84 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1, 6451B-NYC-CFG1, and the 6451B-NYC-
CL1 virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-85
Lab Scenario
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. Contoso has begun a new
initiative for system management and auditing. As part of this initiative, Contoso
has plans to upgrade the client operating systems and LOB software throughout
the company. You have decided that Configuration Manager 2007 will meet
Contoso’s requirements for management and audit support, while also providing a
mechanism for upgrading the existing clients.
2-86 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You are a firm believer in the principal of using least-privileged accounts for day-to-
day operations. To accommodate the tasks of managing Configuration Manager
2007, you have decided to create some groups and assign the appropriate
permissions to the Configuration Manager site server.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create and populate groups.
2. Create Active Directory sites.
3. Clone an existing user using the ConfigMgr User Wizard.
4. Create a new user using the ConfigMgr User Wizard.
5. Configure DCOM.
6. Configure permissions on the Microsoft Configuration Manager folder.
7. Add SCCM_Full_Admin to the Administrators group.
Manager folder
1. Grant the SMS Admins group Read permissions to the C:\Microsoft
Configuration Manager folder.
2. Grant the SMS Admins group Read permissions to the SMS-NYC share.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured Active Directory groups for
use with Configuration Manager 2007, and configured security for Configuration
Manager 2007.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-89
Scenario
You have decided to use IP address ranges for the Configuration Manager site
boundaries. You plan to locate the central site at the Contoso, Ltd headquarters in
New York. Additionally, you will deploy an additional site in the Atlanta office after
you have installed, configured, and tested the New York site.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Create a Configuration Manager site boundary
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a Configuration Manager
site boundary.
2-90 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
All of the computer systems in Contoso, Ltd are members of the Contoso domain.
You do not need to include devices such as printers and routers in your
Configuration Manager database. Given this, you have decided to implement
Active Directory System Discovery as your discovery method. Additionally, you use
System groups for organizing the departmental computers in AD DS, so you will
also implement Active Directory System Discovery.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Configure and run Active Directory System Discovery.
2. Configure and run Active Directory System Group Discovery.
3. Verify that discovery completed.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured and run Configuration
Manager 2007 discovery.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-91
Configuration Manager 2007 has several troubleshooting tools that you can use to
help solve issues that might arise. Some troubleshooting tools are built into the
product, while you must install others.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the Configuration Manager 2007 log files.
• View log files with Trace32.
• Describe the ConfigMgr Service Manager.
• Monitor system status.
• Configure status messages.
2-92 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
All the client and site server components in Configuration Manager 2007 record
process information in individual log files. You can use the information in the
client and site server log files to help you troubleshoot issues that might occur in
your Configuration Manager hierarchy.
By default, client and server component logging is enabled in Configuration
Manager 2007.
Most Configuration Manager site server log files are located in the
<InstallationPath>\LOGS folder. By default, most Configuration Manager log files
have a maximum size of 2 MB. Once a log file reaches that size, Configuration
Manager renames the current log file with an lo_ extension, and creates a new log
file.
Because Configuration Manager relies heavily on IIS, you can review the IIS log file
for additional errors that relate to client access to the IIS server. The IIS log file is
located in the %Windir%\System32\logfiles\W3SVC1 folder on the IIS server.
CollEval.log Records when collections are created, changed, and deleted by the
Collection Evaluator.
2-94 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The Trace32.exe utility, or SMS Trace, is an add-on tool that you can find in the
downloadable Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit 4.0. SMS Trace allows you to
view and monitor log files, including:
• Log files in SMS or Client Configuration Manager (CCM) format
• Plain ASCII or Unicode text files, such as Windows Installer logs
SMS Trace also simplifies the process of analyzing log files because of its
highlighting, filtering, and error-lookup features.
Question: How would you find every line in a log file that listed a specific system?
2-96 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Use the ConfigMgr Service Manager to control Configuration Manager services. In
ConfigMgr Service Manager, you can view the status of Configuration Manager
components that are running on any site system. Manage components the same
way you manage services in Windows Server Services. That is, you can start, stop,
pause, resume, or query the components.
Not all components run continuously. In general, components run as soon as there
is something for them to do, which is typically when a configuration file is written
to a component's inbox.
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 status messages report information about
Configuration Manager component behavior and data flow. Configuration
Manager status messages are categorized by severity and type.
Configuration Manager provides a number of tools to help you manage the large
numbers of status messages that might be generated on a typical site, including:
• Queries. Perform searches on all status messages stored in the site database.
• Status filter rules. Initiate actions when a specified status message is generated,
such as reporting to the Windows Event Log.
• Filters. Limit the results shown in the ConfigMgr Status Message Viewer.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-99
The System Status node is the parent container for all the system status messages.
On the System Status node, you can configure Class security rights for status
messages. The System Status node contains the following status messages groups:
• Site Status
• Advertisement Status
• Package Status
• Status Message Queries
Note: The Advertisement Status, Package Status, and Status Message Queries nodes
will be discussed in upcoming modules.
Right-clicking on most status objects enables you to choose one of the Show
Messages options. The ConfigMgr Status Message Viewer displays the messages,
and is the primary tool for viewing status messages stored in a Configuration
Manager site database.
Question: If the System Status node shows a critical status, what is the next step?
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-101
Key Points
All major Configuration Manager 2007 components generate status messages. You
do not have to configure the Configuration Manager status system; its default
settings are reasonable for most environments. However, you can configure three
aspects of the Configuration Manager status system:
• Status reporting
• Status filter rules
• Status summarizers
Status Reporting
You can specify that status messages be reported to the status system, to the event
log, or to both. You can configure where status messages are reported to and
stored, for both the server and the client.
2-102 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
There is one Component Status summarizer, and one Site System Status
summarizer per site, but only one Advertisement Status summarizer and one
Package Status summarizer per site database, and they cover all the sites in that site
database.
The Status Summarizers are located in the Site Settings/Status Summary container.
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and click
Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1, 6451B-NYC-CFG1, and the 6451B-NYC-
CL1 virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the virtual machines. Log on to NYC-DC1 and NYC-
CFG1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-105
Lab Scenario
You are the network administrator for Contoso,Ltd. Contoso has begun a new
initiative for system management and auditing. As part of this initiative, Contoso
has plans to upgrade the client operating systems and LOB software throughout
the company. You have decided that Configuration Manager 2007 will meet
Contoso’s requirements for management and audit support, while also providing a
mechanism for upgrading the existing clients.
2-106 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You have decided that you would like to generate a single log file whenever Active
Directory System Discovery is run. You are concerned that the default log file size
may be too small for your environment, and have decided to increase the size of
the log file.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Configure SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent logging.
2. Check component status.
3. Start SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent.
Scenario
Having increased the size of the log file for Active Directory System Discovery, you
must now review the adsysdis.log file for errors.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Use the Highlight tool to review a log file.
2. Use the Filter tool to review a log file.
Question: How many systems were discovered each time the discovery agent
ran?
3. Record the time that status message was generated, as shown in the info pane.
4. Clear the filters.
Results: After this exercise, you should have used the Trace32 Highlighting and
Filtering tools to assist in analyzing a log file.
2-110 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You have decided that the log files contain many details that you may not need to
review on a daily basis. You want to examine the Active Directory System
Discovery status messages for the information that can be found in them.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Review the SMS_AD_SYSTEM_DISCOVERY_AGENT status messages.
4. Close the Status Message Details window, and the ConfigMgr Status Message
Viewer for <NYC> <Central Site - New York City>.
Results: After this exercise, you should have reviewed the status messages
generated from the error that was previously logged.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-111
Scenario
You have decided that you would like the security team to be notified when Active
Directory System Discovery generates an error caused by a bad computer account
in AD DS, so that the team can take appropriate action. Adding an event log entry
for these status messages will be sufficient since the security team reviews all event
log warnings and errors. Additionally, you would like to designate the number of
issues that the Active Directory System Discover agent logs before the site is placed
in a Warning state.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Configure a status filter rule.
2. Configure a status summary threshold.
3. Run Active Directory System Discovery.
4. Verify that the status filter rule was applied.
5. Verify that the site status has changed.
Question: Is there an Information entry with source SMS Server and Event ID
4610?
2. Expand Site Status, expand NYC - Central Site - New York City, and then
click Component Status.
Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture 2-113
Note: This will clear the Warning status. However, it will take a few minutes to show
the change.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured and tested a status filter rule
and a status summary threshold.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Review Questions
1. When planning a Configuration Manager 2007 deployment, what are some of
the major decision points that you need to address?
2. Why would you extend the Active Directory schema for Configuration
Manager 2007?
Identify the causes for the following common issues related to discovery, and fill in
the troubleshooting tips. For answers, refer to relevant lessons in the module.
Active Directory discovery Verify that the site system has user access to any
methods return incomplete containers or OUs in question.
results Verify that the discovery method is configured to
search the appropriate locations.
Nonexistent systems are being Verify that removed systems are purged from AD DS
discovered with Active and DNS
Directory System Discovery
Module 3
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment
Contents:
Lesson 1: Client Deployment Methods 3-3
Lesson 2: Deploying Clients 3-31
Lab A: Deploying Configuration Manager 2007 Clients 3-45
Lesson 3: Managing Configuration Manager 2007 Clients 3-51
Lesson 4: Using Configuration Manager Reporting with Client Installation 3-64
Lab B: Verifying Client Deployment 3-71
3-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Configuration Manager 2007 supports a variety of methods that you can use to
deploy Configuration Manager client components to network resources. To
successfully deploy the client components, you should understand the files that
are used during the installation process. It is also important to understand the
methods that are available for client deployment and their related prerequisites, so
that you can choose the most appropriate method to meet your organizational
requirements.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the client installation process.
• Identify the Configuration Manager client deployment methods.
• Describe the role that Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) plays in the
client deployment process.
• Identify the site systems used for client deployment.
3-4 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
To manage a network device using Configuration Manager, the device must
become a client by installing the Configuration Manager client components.
Installing the Configuration Manager client involves the following executables that
run during client setup:
• CCMSetup.exe.
• Client.msi.
• CCMSetup.msi.
Note: To manage a device, it must be assigned to a site. Site assignment takes place
after you have installed the client. A client can automatically be assigned to a site if
it is within the boundaries defined for the Configuration Manager site. If you install
clients that are outside of the site boundaries, these clients must be manually
assigned to the site by specifying the site code. More information about site
assignment is provided later in this module.
3-6 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Client.msi
After Configuration Manager installs the required prerequisites on the intended
client, CCMSetup downloads and runs Client.msi. This Windows Installer file
installs the client on the device.
You can modify the Client.msi installation behavior by providing specific
properties on the CCMSetup.exe command line—or if using the client push
installation method—by specifying the properties on the Client tab of the Client
Push Installation Properties dialog box.
Note: The student companion content provides a full list of properties that you can
use with the Client.msi file.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-7
CCMSetup.msi
Configuration Manager uses this Windows Installer file to publish or assign the
Configuration Manager client to computers using AD DS Group Policy. This file is
located in the <installation directory>\bin\i386 folder on the Configuration
Manager site server. You cannot add properties to this file to modify installation
behavior. You can incorporate properties by extending the Active Directory
schema, or by using the ConfigMgr2007Installation.adm Group Policy template,
which is provided on the Configuration Manager 2007 installation media.
Question: Which executable determines the location of the source files and
downloads them to begin the Configuration Manager client installation process?
3-8 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
To efficiently deploy the Configuration Manager client components to potential
resources, you need to decide which deployment method to use. You should
consider the details of each installation method, and decide which is best for your
environment.
The client deployment methods are:
• Client push installation. Pushes Configuration Manager client software to
discovered computers that are within the boundaries configured for the site.
This is useful when you want the Configuration Manager client installed as it is
discovered.
• Software update point installation. Allows you to publish the Configuration
Manager client software as a software update to a software update point. This
is useful if Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is already in use in the
environment.
• Group Policy installation. Uses Group Policy to publish or assign the
Configuration Manager client to computers.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-9
The following table outlines the advantages and disadvantages for the various
client deployment methods.
Client
deployment
method Advantages Disadvantages
Client push • You can use this method to • Can cause high network traffic
installation push to a single computer, a when pushing to large collections.
collection, or to the results • You can use this only on
from a query. computers that Configuration
• You can use it to install the Manager has discovered.
client automatically on • You must specify a Client Push
discovered computers. Installation account, which has
• Uses client-installation administrative rights to the
properties defined on the intended client computer. If you
Client tab of the Client Push do not configure an account,
Installation Properties Configuration Manager will try to
dialog box. use the site system computer
account, which also must have
administrative rights on the target
client.
• You must configure the Windows
firewall on client computers and
all firewalls between the clients
and site server with exceptions to
allow client push installation to
complete.
3-10 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
deployment
method Advantages Disadvantages
Software • Uses your existing software • If the Active Directory schema is
update point updates infrastructure to not extended for Configuration
installation manage the client software. Manager, or the site is not
• Will install the client software published to AD DS, you must use
automatically on new a Group Policy to add client
computers if WSUS is installation properties to your
configured correctly. site’s computers.
• Does not require computers • Can cause high network traffic.
to be discovered before you
can install the client.
• If the Active Directory
schema has been extended,
computers can read
installation properties in AD
DS.
• Will reinstall the client
software if it is removed.
Group Policy • Does not require you to • Can cause high network traffic if
installation discover computers before you are installing a large number
you can install the client. of clients.
• You can use this for new • If the Active Directory schema is
client installations or for not extended for Configuration
upgrades. Manager, or the site is not
• If the Active Directory published to AD DS, you must use
schema has been extended, Group Policy to add client-
computers can read installation properties to
installation properties computers in your site.
published to AD DS.
deployment
method Advantages Disadvantages
Logon script • Does not require computers • Can cause high network traffic if
installation to be discovered before the you are installing a large number
client can be installed. of clients.
• Supports using command- • Requires that the user who is
line properties for CCMSetup. logged on is a local admin for the
computer.
Question: Which client deployment method will you use for your organization?
Why?
3-12 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Deployment Process
Key Points
During the design phase of your Configuration Manager 2007 deployment, one of
the decision points will be whether or not to extend the Active Directory schema.
Extending the Active Directory schema allows you to publish information related
to a number of Configuration Manager features, such as:
• Client installation and site assignment
• Site mode settings
• Port configuration for client-to-server communication
• Global roaming
• Network Access Protection (NAP)
• Secure key exchange between sites
• Verification of a trusted management point
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-13
After the Active Directory schema has been extended, a number of client
installation properties are published to AD DS. Whenever a new Configuration
Manager client is installed, it can query AD DS to determine which installation
properties to use. Client installation properties that are published to AD DS
include:
• The default management point used to download content for the client
installation.
• The Configuration Manager site code.
• The fallback status point.
• The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) port used for client communications
in both mixed mode and native mode, and the Hypertext Transfer Protocol
Secure (HTTPS) port used for client communication in native mode.
• A setting to indicate that the client must communicate in native mode.
• The certificate store name if the default (local computer) is not being used.
• A setting to determine which certificate to use for native mode communication,
if multiple valid certificates exist.
• Installation properties specified in the Client tab of the Client Push
Installation Properties dialog box.
By default, Configuration Manager publishes the site in AD DS. You can modify
this by accessing the Advanced tab on the Site Properties dialog box.
Key Points
Your planning tasks should include which site systems are required for your
specific installation and deployment method. The following site systems may need
to be in place to simplify or assist in reporting and troubleshooting the deployment
process.
Management Point
A management point is the primary point of contact between Configuration
Manager clients and the site, and is required for managing client computers within
the site. By default, the management point can provide clients with installation
prerequisites, client installation files, and configuration details. However, you can
also install a client manually, and provide an alternate source location for client
files.
Management points are also used to send client policies and receive client
information—such as inventory data, software metering information, and status
and state messages—from clients.
One management point can support 25,000 clients per site.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-15
Note: Clients only communicate with the default management point configured for
the site. You can configure multiple site systems to host the management point site
server role using Network Load Balancing (NLB) to provide high availability, and
then designate a default management point for the site. To configure the default
management point, configure the Management Point Component Properties
dialog box found in the Component Configuration node of the Configuration
Manager console.
During primary site server installation, you are given the option to install the initial
management point. If you did not install a default management point during setup,
or if you need to install the management point site system role on a different
server, you can use the New Site Role Wizard to add and configure the site system.
If you need to add a new site system, you can use the New Site System Server
Wizard or the New Site System Server Share Wizard.
Note: If you have a secondary site, you can install a proxy management point.
Configuration Manager uses the proxy management point to retrieve policy at
secondary sites attached to their assigned primary site. The proxy management
point receives inventory data and status messages, and then sends them to the
secondary site server to be forwarded to the parent site. Proxy management points
can help increase bandwidth efficiency between sites.
Note: You need only one server locator point for the Configuration Manager
hierarchy, even if you have multiple sites. In a multi-site hierarchy, install the server
locator point in the central site. If you install a server locator point in the middle of
the hierarchy, it will have no knowledge of sites above it in the hierarchy.
Use one of the following methods to specify the server locator point for clients:
• Manually publish the server locator point in WINS so that clients can
automatically locate it.
• Assign the server locator point to clients during client installation, using the
Client.msi property SMSSLP=<server locator point name> on the CCMSetup
command line.
Note: The fallback status point and client communication always use HTTP, which
uses unauthenticated connections and sends data in clear text, even when the site is
in native mode. Do not install a fallback status point in the site if the security risks of
running a Web site with unauthenticated connections and clear text transfers
outweigh the benefits of identifying client communication problems.
You can assign fallback status points to Configuration Manager clients using the
following methods:
• If a fallback status point is installed on the site and you use client push
installation, the fallback status point is automatically assigned during the client
push installation.
• If a fallback status point is installed on the site, and the site is publishing to
AD DS, running CCMSetup.exe with no command-line properties will result in
searching for the site's fallback status point in AD DS. If the client belongs to
the same Active Directory forest as the site server's forest, the site's fallback
status point is automatically assigned during client installation.
• If you run CCMSetup.exe manually, you can specify the FSP=<server> property
to directly assign a fallback status point to a client.
on a server that has WSUS 3.0 installed. You can use a software update point
to deploy the Configuration Manager client as a standard update to systems
throughout your network.
• PXE service point\state migration point. The Preboot Execution Environment
(PXE) service point and the state migration point are both site system roles
used for Operating System Deployment tasks. The PXE service point supports
PXE-based system deployments. The state migration point manages the user
state migration from one client to another. You can include the Configuration
Manager client in operating system images, or you can installed it during an
Operating System Deployment task sequence.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-19
Key Points
Use the client push installation method to deploy the Configuration Manager client
to systems that have been discovered and have a discovery data record (DDR)
registered in the site database.
You can invoke client push installation using two methods, both of which are
available from within the Configuration Manager console:
• Client push installation site setting.
• Client Push Installation Wizard.
installation site setting, the site server generates a Client Configuration Request
(CCR) for the discovered resource. As long as the discovered resource matches the
configuration criteria set for the client push installation method, Configuration
Manager processes the CCR and starts client installation.
Note: To help ensure that client push installation works on a specific resource, verify
that the system is assigned to the site. You can do this by looking at the Assigned
column in the details pane of the collection. The Assigned column will list Yes or No.
install the client software to the target computer once every hour for up to 168
hours (one week).
Note: You cannot use CCMSetup.exe properties. For a list of properties that you can
use with Client.msi, refer to The Client Installation Process topic earlier in this lesson.
properties, specify the settings in the Client Push Installation Properties dialog
box for the site. However, you do not have to enable client push installation for the
site to use the Client Push Installation Wizard.
Note: To successfully install the Configuration Manager client using the client push
installation method, you must add the File and Printer Sharing and Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI) exceptions to the Windows Firewall on the
target computers. You can do this manually on each individual target computer, or
use Group Policy to configure the exceptions automatically for larger numbers of
systems. You must also configure these firewall exceptions on all firewalls between
the site server and the client.
Question: What is the main difference between the client push installation site
configuration, and the Client Push Installation Wizard?
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-23
Key Points
If you use Configuration Manager 2007 to deploy software updates to client
computers, you can then use the same procedures for deploying the Configuration
Manager client as an additional software update. You can use software update
point installation to install new clients or upgrade existing Configuration Manager
clients to newer versions. This method also has the advantage of allowing you to
install the client on computers when users have standard user rights, or when
there is a firewall in place.
In order to use software update point installation, you need to have a WSUS 3.0
server installed and configured with the software update point site sever role.
Note: For detailed information about deploying the software update point site
server role, refer to Module 8: Deploying and Managing Software Updates.
3-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
enable the client installation method and publish the Configuration Manager client
to the software update point. To enable the software update point client
installation method, complete the following steps:
1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to the Client Installation
Methods node.
2. Right-click Software Update Point Client Installation, and then click
Properties.
3. Select the Enable Software Update Point Client Installation check box.
The software update point client installation method does not allow you to directly
add command-line properties to the installation. However, you can obtain
installation properties from AD DS as long as you have extended the Active
Directory schema to support Configuration Manager.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-25
Note: You can also use AD DS to provision client installation settings to computers.
A Group Policy administrative template called ConfigMgr2007Installation.adm
comes with the Configuration Manager 2007 installation media. You can use this
template when the Active Directory schema was not extended, or if you want to
override client installation properties on specific groups of computers.
Question: What are some of the benefits of using the software update point
installation method?
3-26 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can use Group Policy to deploy the Configuration Manager client to network
systems. To use Group Policy in this capacity, consider the following:
• For Group Policy installation to function, all potential clients must belong to
the Active Directory domain.
• You must use the CCMSetup.msi file that is provided in the <Configuration
Manager installation directory>\bin\I386 folder on the site server. Note that
you cannot add properties to the CCMSetup.msi file to customize the
installation. Other methods must be used, such as using the
ConfigMgr2007Installation.adm Group Policy template, or by publishing
properties to AD DS.
• You should extend the Active Directory schema to support Configuration
Manager and to ensure that the site is publishing to AD DS. This ensures that
all Group Policy-based clients will search AD DS for installation properties
when the Configuration Manager 2007 client is installed.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-27
• Assign. You can assign the CCMSetup.msi file, which means that the
Configuration Manager client installs when you start the computer.
• Publish. If you publish the CCMSetup.msi file, the Configuration Manager
client installation is displayed in the Add or Remove Programs dialog box in
Control Panel. Users can then install the client as needed.
Question: Why would you want to assign the Configuration Manager client to a
computer?
3-28 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 supports several additional installation methods that
you can use to deploy the Configuration Manager client components. The
following sections discuss considerations for each of these additional methods.
Note: For a list of properties that you can use with CCMSetup.exe, refer to The Client
Installation Process topic earlier in this lesson.
The logon script-based installation method is a manual method that uses the
/logon command-line switch. When you specify the /logon installation property
for CCMSetup.exe, client installation does not occur if any version of the client
already exists on the computer. This prevents the client’s reinstallation each time
the logon script runs.
Logon script installation uses the same methods as manual client installation and,
therefore, you can use the same command-line switches for logon script-based
installations. It also means that the same requirements and restrictions—such as
administrative rights—apply.
could allow clients to impersonate each other, and could make it impossible to
verify the data for each client.
4. Use your imaging software to capture the reference system computer’s image.
5. Deploy the image to target computers.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-31
Deploying Clients
To successfully deploy a client, the system has to be discovered, installed, and then
assigned to a site. For this to occur, you need to ensure that your client systems
meet the hardware and software requirements for management within a
Configuration Manger infrastructure. It is also helpful to know how clients
communicate with the site systems to effectively deploy and troubleshoot the
Configuration Manager client component installation. To help increase security,
you can also configure approval settings to ensure that only approved clients
become members of the site.
After completing this module, you will be able to:
• Describe client system requirements for Configuration Manager client
deployment.
• Describe how clients are assigned to sites.
3-32 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
installation.
• Configure client approval settings.
• Install the Configuration Manager client using Group Policy.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-33
Key Points
You should be familiar with the client-based hardware and software requirements
for a successful Configuration Manager client installation. Depending on the
Configuration Manager service pack level or release deployed in your organization,
you may have to meet specific requirements to ensure full functionality.
Note: Exceeding minimum hardware and software requirements helps ensure that
you will be ready when you need to deploy a new service pack or release
throughout the Configuration Manager infrastructure.
3-34 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
The following table lists the minimum hardware requirements for a Configuration
Manager client.
Hardware
component Requirement
Processor 233 megahertz (MHz) minimum; 300 MHz or faster recommended
Free disk space 350 MB minimum; 265 MB minimum for client upgrades
Note: During client installation, the temporary program
download folder automatically increases to 5 gigabytes (GB) as
long as 5 GB or more space is available on the client computer.
Network adapter Client systems must have network connectivity to site systems.
To manage mobile devices, the Mobile Device Client requires 0.78 MB of storage
space to complete installation successfully.
The Configuration Manager 2007 client is not supported on operating systems
prior to Microsoft Windows® 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4). Specifically, the client
should not be installed on the following:
• Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition
• Windows XP Media Center or Home Edition (or Windows XP Professional
with less than Service Pack 2 installed)
• Windows Vista® or Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, or Home Premium
Edition
Note: Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Vista SP2 are only supported for the
Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 client with a hotfix added as described in
Microsoft Knowledge Base article KB970093 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb
/970093).
• Windows CE 3.0
• Windows Mobile Pocket PC 2002 or Windows Mobile Smartphone 2002
Note: To use the Configuration Manager Remote Control and Remote Assistance
features on 64-bit clients, you need to deploy the Configuration Manager SP2 client.
Key Points
A client computer must be assigned to a site before that site can manage the
system. Clients can be assigned to a site during, or after installation. Assigning a
client involves either providing a specific site code, or configuring the client to
assign itself automatically to a site based on site boundaries. If you do not assign
the client to a site during installation, the client installation phase completes, but
Configuration Manager cannot manage the client.
You cannot assign clients to secondary sites. They are always assigned to the
parent primary site, but can reside within the boundaries of the secondary site,
taking advantage of any proxy management point and distribution points at the
secondary site. This is because clients communicate with management points, and
management points must communicate with a site database. Secondary sites do
not have their own site database, but rather use the site database at their parent
primary site.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-37
During client deployment, clients that you configure to use auto-site assignment
compare their own IP address with the boundaries configured in the Configuration
Manager hierarchy. When the client IP address falls within the boundaries of a
Configuration Manager site, the client is assigned to that site.
Note: If there are multiple sites that the client’s IP address is assigned to, you cannot
control which site is used for assignment. This is referred to as an overlapping
boundary situation, and is not supported.
For these checks to occur, the client must be able to locate site information from
AD DS or from a server locator point.
Question: Can you assign a client to a Configuration Manager site using the
domain as a boundary?
3-38 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
For a system to become a fully managed client, it must be able to locate its default
management point and obtain the site mode settings. This is required so that the
client can download its client policy and send back client information to the site
server.
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 allows you to specify clients that require approval
before they can join a site. If your site is configured in mixed mode, client
computers are not authenticated before they join the site. Client approval provides
an extra layer of security to ensure that only authorized clients connect to the site
and receive policy information.
Note: Approval is not required when you configure the site for native mode,
because public key infrastructure (PKI) certificates authenticate clients to the
management point and other site systems.
3-42 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Manually approve • Clients are manually approved after registering with a site.
each computer • Select the Manually approve each computer option on the
Site Mode tab in Site Properties.
• Within a collection, highlight each computer and select
Approve.
Configure client approval from the properties of the site name in the Configuration
Manager console.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-43
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to use Group Policy to deploy the
Configuration Manager client.
Demonstration Steps
Question: In which scenarios would you import the Configuration Manager ADM
templates into AD DS?
Question: When does the Configuration Manager client installation occur when it
is assigned using the Group Policy installation method?
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-45
Clients
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-B, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-B, and the 6451B-
NYC-CL1-B virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
3-46 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Lab Scenario
You are an administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You have received a request to deploy
Configuration Manager 2007 clients within your new Seattle site. Before you
deploy clients, you will enable the system roles that Configuration Manager
requires, and verify that client approval is set to automatically approve computers
in trusted domains. Then you will deploy clients using the client push installation
method.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-47
Scenario
To prepare the site for client installation you must configure a default management
point, server locator point, fallback status point, and a reporting point.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Verify the default management point and approval settings.
2. Deploy a server locator point.
3. Deploy a fallback status point.
4. Deploy a reporting point.
• From the Site Systems node, create a new fallback status point system role for
NYC-CFG1.
• Specify Use the site server’s computer account to install this site
system.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed various site system roles that
relate to client deployment tasks.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-49
Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed the Configuration Manager
client using the client push installation method.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-51
After deploying the Configuration Manger client to network systems, there are
several post-installation tasks that you need to perform. You need to verify that the
intended systems have installed successfully. If some of the potential clients did
not install, you need to determine what has caused the issue. For clients that are
successfully installed, it is important to understand the Configuration Manager
client interface, as well as some of the common settings for configuring the
Computer Client Agent. Finally there may be times that you need to uninstall the
Configuration Manager client in order to remove the client from your management
scope, or for troubleshooting purposes.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Verify a successful client installation.
• Manage client installation or assignment issues.
• Describe client policy retrieval.
3-52 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
There are a number of ways to verify the Configuration Manager client’s
installation from both the server side and the client side. Some of the areas to look
at to confirm that the Configuration Manager client installed successfully include
client log files, Control Panel, and status information in collection and status
reports.
3-54 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Verification
method Description
Client status Collection status displays information about the clients’ status,
within the such as: site code, client (yes/no), approved, assigned, blocked,
collection client type, obsolete, and active.
Configuration On each client, you can confirm the client’s status from the
Manager General tab of the Configuration Manager Properties dialog
properties box.
Client logs There are several log files that you can use to verify client
installation. Examples include:
• CCMSetup.log. Records setup tasks that CCMSetup.exe
performs. Can help troubleshoot client installation problems.
• Client.msi.log. Records setup tasks that Client.msi performs.
Can help troubleshoot client installation problems.
• ClientLocation.log. Records site assignment tasks. Can help
troubleshoot scenarios where the client is not assigned to a
Configuration Manager 2007 site.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-55
Key Points
Configuring a fallback status point to Configuration Manager clients is one of the
easiest ways to identify client installation or assignment issues. This technique also
helps identify clients that are unmanaged, because they have problems
communicating with their management point.
Some common client-installation issues include the following:
Issue Description
Clients fail to install using client Client installation may fail if you have not
push configured firewall exceptions. Exceptions are most
likely needed in the Windows Firewall. Exceptions
include File and Printer Sharing, and WMI.
Client Installation fails using the CCMSetup may fail if it cannot contact AD DS to
Group Policy installation method retrieve installation properties. Ensure that the
boundaries are correctly defined for the client so
that the site matches the client’s network location.
3-56 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Clients fail to install using the Software update point installation may fail if
software update point Group Policy is configured to point to the wrong
installation method location, or wrong name of the software update
point.
Clients fail to assign to a site A common reason for clients installing successfully
but failing to assign to a site is that the site
compatibility check has failed. Ensure that clients
have some method available for checking site
compatibility.
Also double-check that there are configured
boundaries, and that there are no overlapping
boundaries.
Key Points
After Configuration Manager successfully assigns a client to a site and starts
communicating with its default management point, the client downloads its client
policy.
The client policy comes from the site server whenever relevant changes are made in
the Configuration Manager console. The site server sends the policy to the
management point. To retrieve policies, all clients that belong to the site poll the
management point for policy updates at specific intervals (by default, every 60
minutes).
information. Subsequent policy requests only include policy assignments that are
not already downloaded to the client. Some situations may trigger a full policy
download, such as changing the site mode, assigning the client to a new site, and
manually forcing a policy refresh using the Policy Spy tool.
Note: The System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit includes the Policy
Spy tool, which you can use to review and troubleshoot client policy.
Key Points
Administrative tasks include modifying the Computer Client Agent settings and
blocking Configuration Manager clients in the event that they are no longer
trusted.
Tab Description
General Specifies the Network Access account that client computers use
when an advertised program requires access to network resources
or a distribution point when the computer account and logged-on
user do not have access. The Network Access account is also used
with the Operating System Deployment feature to provide
authentication to distribution points within the Windows PE
environment.
You also can specify the polling interval that client computers use
when checking for new policy from the Configuration Manager
site, and the interval used to send state messages to the
management point.
Note: You can configure the policy polling interval and restart settings on a specific
collection. This allows for collection specific settings that may be different than
sitewide settings configured in the Computer Client Agent.
Question: Why would you want to decrease the policy polling schedule time?
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-61
Key Points
After Configuration Manager client installation, authorized users can use several
Control Panel programs to install, update, or repair Configuration Manager
components. The main program that most users access is a program called
Configuration Manager.
Tab Description
General Displays a list of the client properties that are reported in the
discovery data.
Updates This tab is only shown if you installed a software update point in
the site. This tab allows you to configure a recurring schedule for
updates.
Configurations This tab is only displayed if you enabled the Desired Configuration
Management Client Agent. This tab provides a list of the desired
configuration baselines that have been assigned to this computer.
Key Points
To uninstall the Configuration Manager client software from a computer, use
CCMSetup.exe with the /Uninstall switch.
If enabled, the Deleted Aged Inventory History site maintenance task deletes all
client data older than the number of days you specify, thereby removing the
uninstalled computers from the database. The default setting is 90 days.
Note: The uninstall process is silent and displays no results on the screen. To verify that
client uninstallation is successful, examine the log file CCMSetup.log in the folder
%windir%\system32\ccmsetup folder on the client computer.
3-64 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: This lesson provides a high-level look at reports. For full details including
reporting point and reporting services role installations, refer to Module 5: Querying
and Reporting Data.
3-66 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Reports are secured Configuration Manager objects that you create and manage in
the Configuration Manager console. Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 with R2
provides 384 predefined reports in various categories, and you can create
additional reports to fit your needs.
Reports are not propagated up or down the Configuration Manager hierarchy; they
run only against the site database on which you create them. However, because
primary sites contain inventory data from child sites, a report that retrieves data
from a primary site’s database might also include data that was forwarded from a
child site.
You can create custom reports as needed, and use the Report Viewer to view
supplemental reports.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-67
You can use a number of predefined reports to gather important information from
the site database. You can create, manage, and secure reports using the
Configuration Manager console. Administrators and other report users, such as
help-desk specialists and business decision makers, can run reports using the
Report Viewer. End users can run reports without accessing the Configuration
Manager console. A number of predefined reports appear on the Computer
Details page in Report Viewer. If you clear the Display in computer details check
box, modify the SQL statement, or modify a report prompt for a predefined report,
the report might not work as intended.
Custom Reports
When predefined reports do not retrieve the desired data, you can create custom
reports by copying and modifying predefined reports, or by creating new reports. If
you reinstall predefined reports from an import or as part of a product upgrade,
you lose your changes. We recommend that you keep the original report intact,
always make a copy of the predefined report, rename it, and then modify the new
report to better meet your needs. To create a new report, you must specify an SQL
statement that determines which records are returned when you run the report.
Supplemental Reports
To extend the site’s reporting capabilities, you can copy reports created outside of
Configuration Manager to a designated folder on a reporting point. These reports
are primarily Active Server Pages (ASP) pages, but they can be any file that you can
display using Windows Internet Explorer® 5.0 or later. Because supplemental
reports are not secured Configuration Manager objects, any user can view them
unless you secure them with Internet Information Services (IIS) security.
Report Categories
There are many report categories that can help you organize reports. Configure
reports for only one report category. You can create new categories by specifying a
unique category name when creating or modifying reports. Report categories are
case sensitive. When you create a new report and an existing report category is
specified, select the category from the drop-down list. You create a new category
when you enter a name in the Category text box that is not identical to an existing
category.
3-68 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
The Report Viewer is a browser-based application that uses Internet Explorer to
display reports and provide a number of features such as the ability to print, e-mail,
or export report information. Use the Report Viewer to display information that is
stored in the site database.
To view reports using the Report Viewer, the user must have Read security rights
on the reporting objects to be displayed.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will monitor client deployment using status messages,
log files, and reports.
Demonstration Steps
View reports
1. In Configuration Manager console, navigate to the Reports node.
2. View the SMS Site – Client Configuration report.
Note: You may need a fallback status point so that information is available in all
client configuration reports.
Question: Which tool would you use to read log files in real time?
Question: Which monitoring tool would you use to easily find details about client
assignment failures?
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-71
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and click
Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-B, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-B, and the 6451B-
NYC-CL1-B virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the virtual machines. Log on to the computers as
Contoso\Administrator, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
3-72 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
You are an administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You have received a request to deploy a
Configuration Manager client within your new site for your Seattle headquarters.
After deploying the client, you want to ensure success by reviewing the status
message, client log files, and reporting.
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-73
Scenario
In this exercise, you will review the status messages, client log files, and reporting
to verify successful client deployment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Review status messages.
2. Review log files.
3. Review reporting.
5. On NYC-CL1, open
C:\Windows\System32\Ccm\Logs\LocationServices.log.
6. Find the Current AD Site entry.
Question: What is the current AD Site?
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Configuration Manager
client installed successfully.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Review Questions
1. You are about to install the Configuration Manager client on a computer with
two hard drives, and you notice that the directory that has %windir% installed
has enough space for the client but not enough for the temporary program
download folder. How can you install the Configuration Manager client but
maintain the temporary program download folder in another location?
2. You have received 2,000 new bare metal computers. You need to efficiently
install Windows Vista Enterprise, the Configuration Manager client, and the
2007 Microsoft Office system. Which Configuration Manager feature and
client installation method would you use?
3. You have been asked to roll out Configuration Manager client to three test
users. These test users sit next to you. Which client installation method would
you use to install these clients, assuming that no discovery agents have been
enabled?
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-77
5. You want to restrict the size of the temporary program download folder to 1
GB on a new client that you are about to install. Which command line would
you use?
Configuration Manager site B02. What is the most likely reason that the client
is not assigned automatically to B02, given the following client information?
Operating system: Windows Vista Enterprise
IP 10.10.10.231
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Gateway 10.10.10.1
COMPUTER1
Operating system: Windows XP SP2
AD site name: Carling
IP 10.10.10.131
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Gateway 10.10.10.1
COMPUTER2
Operating system: Windows 2000 SP4
AD site name: Careling
IP n/a
Subnet n/a
Gateway n/a
Planning for and Completing Client Deployment 3-79
COMPUTER4
Operating system: Windows 98 SE
AD site name: Carling
IP 10.10.10.113
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Gateway 10.10.10.1
Best Practices
Supplement or modify the following best practices for your own work situations:
• Best practices for all site systems
• Use role separation on site systems. You can install all the site system roles
on a single computer, but it is usually not advisable because this creates a
single failure point. However, there are a few exceptions to the concept of
role separation. Preferably, install a dedicated version of Microsoft SQL
Server® on the same computer as the site server, and use that as the site
database server. This configuration allows Configuration Manager the
greatest control of the database configuration, and simplifies the SQL
Server security configuration.
• Do not remove the Admin$ share on site systems. Configuration Manager
requires the Admin$ share on site systems, and you should not disable or
remove it. The Configuration Manager site server uses the Admin$ share
to connect to and perform service operations on site systems.
3-80 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module 4
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and
Asset Intelligence
Contents:
Lesson 1: Overview of Inventory Collection 4-4
Lesson 2: Collecting Hardware Inventory 4-11
Lesson 3: Collecting Software Inventory 4-19
Lesson 4: Managing and Troubleshooting Inventory 4-26
Lab A: Collecting Inventory 4-41
Lesson 5: Asset Intelligence 4-49
Lab B: Using Asset Intelligence 4-71
Lesson 6: Metering Software Usage 4-81
Lab C: Configuring Software Metering 4-94
4-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Key Points
Inventory refers to the information that describes the hardware and software
characteristics related to a specific Configuration Manager client. Inventory
collection is the process of gathering information about the hardware and software
installed on a client computer.
Hardware inventory data includes system information—such as available disk
space, processor type, and operating system—about each computer. Software
inventory data includes information about the software—such as inventoried file
types and versions—present on client computers. Configuration Manager software
inventory can also copy files that you specify from client computers to the site
server.
Although you can enable hardware and software inventory independently of one
another, each is enabled and configured for the entire site. That is, you cannot
configure either hardware or software inventory at the collection level.
4-6 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can use hardware and software inventory results as a foundation for many
Configuration Manager features. For example:
• You can build queries that include computers based on their hardware
configuration, or on installed software.
• You can build collections by using queries that include computers based on
their hardware configuration, or on installed software.
• You can use those collections to advertise software packages to specific
computers based on the hardware or software found during inventory.
• You can produce reports that display useful hardware configuration, or
installed software details.
• You can use queries and reports based on inventory information to find
computers that do not meet corporate standards.
4-8 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: How will you use hardware and software inventory in your
environment?
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-9
Key Points
Hardware and software inventory collection includes a number of components.
The inventory process is as follows:
1. When you enable the inventory client agents, Configuration Manager updates
the client policy to include the option that you specified. Each client retrieves
the updated policy at their next policy polling interval.
2. After it receives and processes the new policy, the client collects the inventory
information specified in the policy, and creates an inventory report.
3. The client then sends the inventory report to its management point.
4. The management point forwards the inventory information to the site server.
5. The site server updates the site’s database.
6. If the site is a child site, then the site server forwards the inventory information
to its parent site. The parent site server stores the information in its own
database. If the parent site is also a child, then it also forwards the inventory
information to its parent site as well.
4-10 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
When you are configuring how a site collects hardware inventory, you should
consider the tasks that the Hardware Inventory Client Agent will perform. You may
require enhanced inventory data in addition to the data that the agent collects by
default. This lesson describes the process of hardware inventory, and also details
how you can enhance your organization’s inventory collection process by
modifying related configuration settings.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe how the Hardware Inventory Client Agent collects the hardware
inventory, and describe how to enable it.
• Explain how Configuration Manager 2007 uses Managed Object Format
(MOF) files for hardware inventory.
• Explain how to modify the MOF files used for hardware inventory.
• Configure and extend hardware inventory.
4-12 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Hardware inventory gathers information—such as processor type, network card,
amount of memory, and disk information—about each client in the site.
Configuration Manager stores this data in the site database, where you can then
use the information via queries to generate and view reports, or to build hardware-
specific collections.
When enabled, the Hardware Inventory Client Agent collects detailed hardware
inventory information from the client. The agent collects hardware inventory by
querying several data stores on client computers, such as: the Windows registry,
and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) namespace classes.
Note: The Hardware Inventory Client Agent, by default, is enabled and is configured
to run every seven days. You can adjust the schedule as appropriate for your
organization.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-13
Question: What are three items that you can configure within the Hardware
Inventory Client Agent?
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 inventories hardware information about clients based
on the contents of two MOF files that are stored on the primary site server:
Configuration.mof, and Sms_def.mof. These files are located at: <ConfigMgr install
directory>\inboxes\clifiles.src\hinv.
Configuration.mof
The Configuration.mof file defines the data classes that the inventory agent uses,
and also defines and registers the WMI providers used during hardware inventory.
When clients request computer policies as part of their normal policy-polling
interval, the Configuration.mof file is attached to the policy body that clients
download and compile. When you add, modify, or delete data classes from the
Configuration.mof file, clients automatically compile the changes made to
inventory-related data classes the next time they receive an updated computer
policy.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-15
Sms_def.mof
The Sms_def.mof file defines the reporting classes and attributes that are collected
from WMI during inventory. Reporting classes are based on the WMI repository
data classes (and their attributes) that exist on clients by default, or that are added
by customizing the Configuration.mof file. The information in the Sms_def.mof file
is converted into a reporting policy retrieved by clients during their normal
computer policy polling interval.
Note: The Sms_def.mof file is never sent directly to clients. Configuration Manager
2007 clients compile only the policy that the Sms_def.mof file contents generates.
Question: You need to enable a number of approved WMI data classes. Which file
would you modify?
4-16 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can extend hardware inventory by inventorying additional WMI classes,
attributes, registry keys, and other items. You can also reduce the amount of
information reported by clients during hardware inventory, in order to reduce the
network bandwidth and storage space required for inventory.
Edit the MOF files by using Notepad or another text editor.
• Edit the Configuration.mof file to modify the data class information to be
inventoried.
• Edit the Sms_def.mof file to modify the reporting class information to be
inventoried.
Hardware inventory collects classes and properties that have the reporting qualifier
set to TRUE, and ignores those set to FALSE. However, if a class is set to TRUE,
then any class properties with the key attribute are collected, even if the individual
property is set to FALSE.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-17
Inventory
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to enable the Hardware Inventory Client
Agent and configure an inventory schedule. You will also see how to modify the
Sms_def.mof file to customize hardware inventory collection.
Demonstration Steps
Question: Under what circumstances might you choose to run the hardware
inventory using the simple schedule option?
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-19
Software inventory gathers files and information about installed programs from
client computers. This lesson describes how to configure software inventory and
how to collect specific files from Configuration Manager clients.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe how the Software Inventory Client Agent collects the software
inventory, and how to enable the Software Inventory Client Agent.
• Explain how to configure software inventory rules.
• Explain how to configure software inventory file collection.
4-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuring the Software Inventory Client Agent is a site-wide configuration setting
and affects all clients assigned to the site. When enabled, the Software Inventory
Client Agent collects software inventory data directly from files (such as .exe files)
by inventorying file header information. Configuration Manager 2007 also can
inventory file system details, including those of unknown files (which are files that
do not have detailed information in their file headers). Software inventory also
collects copies of files you specify and stores them on the site server. This is useful
for collecting log or configuration files from network clients.
Note: By default, the Software Inventory Client Agent is enabled during installation
of Configuration Manager 2007, and is configured to run every seven days.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-21
Key Points
By default, software inventory is configured with a single rule that reports all .exe
files on all client hard disk drives. This default setting excludes encrypted and
compressed files. You can add other files to software inventory by creating
additional rules. When you create a new software inventory rule, include the
following information:
• File name. You can list a specific file or, by using wildcards, you can specify a
file type. For example, you could specify “*.ps1” to inventory Windows®
PowerShell™ command-line interface scripts.
• Location. You can configure the agent to search for the specified file on all of
the client’s hard disks, or in a specific path. The path can be explicit or based
on a variable, such as %ProgramFiles%.
• Whether to exclude encrypted and compressed files.
• Whether to exclude files in the Windows directory.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-23
details for inventoried files, product details from file header information, or both.
These options apply to all software inventory rules.
Question: Which file types would you want to inventory in your organization?
4-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
By default, software inventory file collection is not enabled. When you specify a file
for collection, the Software Inventory Client Agent searches for it when it runs a file
collection cycle on each of the site’s clients. If the Software Inventory Client Agent
finds a file to collect, it attaches the file to the inventory file, and forwards it to the
site server.
5. Specify the maximum total file size of files collected for this entry.
Note: The file collection cycle is a separate action from the software inventory cycle.
After you enable and configure the Hardware and Software Inventory Client
Agents, clients assigned to the site begin to report inventory results. Several
management tasks enable you to test, use, and manage inventory. These tasks
include initiating off-cycle inventory collection on a client, viewing inventory
results, and troubleshooting the inventory process. This lesson describes these
tasks in more detail, and provides best practices for securing client inventory
reporting.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Explain how to initiate off-cycle inventory collection on a client.
• Explain how to view inventory results.
• Secure the client inventory collection.
• Troubleshoot client inventory collection.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-27
Key Points
By default, hardware and software inventory is configured to run once every seven
days. You can change the inventory schedule by setting the time, day, or frequency
that best suits your requirements. However, you may have situations when you
need hardware and software inventory to run immediately on a single client.
You can cause certain client actions—such as policy retrieval and inventory
collection—to occur immediately, independently of scheduled intervals. You can
initiate these client actions on the Actions tab of Configuration Manager in
Control Panel on the client.
To initiate off-cycle inventory collection and reporting, complete the following
steps:
1. On the client computer, open Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, open Configuration Manager.
4-28 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
4. Under Actions, select the inventory action you want to initiate, and then click
Initiate Action.
Question: What are some circumstances when you might need to initiate
inventory collection on a single client?
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-29
Key Points
After you collect hardware or software inventory information from Configuration
Manager clients, you can view the results using Resource Explorer. When you start
Resource Explorer, a new Microsoft Management Console (MMC) displays the
hardware and software inventory information that was collected from clients. You
can start the Resource Explorer from the Configuration Manager console, or from a
command prompt.
4-30 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to initiate hardware inventory collection
on a client. You will also see how to use the Client Spy utility to monitor inventory
collection, and how to use Resource Explorer to view hardware and software
inventory results.
Demonstration Steps
Note: Nodes will not appear before the first inventory cycle. You can use the F5 key
to refresh the display periodically until the nodes appear.
and expand the Hardware node. Select various nodes within the Hardware
node, and review the information that is displayed in the details pane.
4. Within the Resource Explorer node, expand the Software node. Select
various nodes within the Software node, and review the information that is
displayed in the details pane.
Note: You also can use reports to obtain the hardware and software inventory
information collected from clients. More information about the report feature is
provided later in this course.
Question: You have just made a modification to the inventory schedule for both
hardware and software inventory. If you want to force the change to a specific
client, which action must you initiate from the Configuration Manager Control
Panel application found on the client?
Question: Which tool is used to view hardware and software inventory results?
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-33
Key Points
Although inventory attacks are considered less serious than other types of
malicious attacks on Configuration Manager, you should consider implementing
security measures to protect the inventory process and data. Security
recommendations for client inventory reporting include the following:
• Enable inventory encryption. In native mode, communication between the
client and management point is encrypted by design. In mixed mode, the
client digitally signs—but does not encrypt—the inventory reports and
collected files it sends to the management point. In a mixed mode site, you can
encrypt inventory reports and collected files to management points in order to
prevent attackers from intercepting the data.
• Disable MIF file collection. Although you can extend inventory by collecting
IDMIF and NOIDMIF files, the MIF files collected during hardware inventory
are not validated. Thus, a malicious user could use MIF files to alter data in
your site database by overwriting valid data with invalid data.
4-34 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
the rights of the LocalSystem account, which has the ability to collect copies of
critical system files such as the registry or security account database. When
these files are available at the site server, someone with permission to read the
collected files could analyze their contents and possibly discern important
details about the client in order to be able to compromise its security.
• Use an appropriate deletion interval for inventory data and collected files.
Although the data sent from the client to the management point can be
encrypted, the data stored in the site database is not encrypted, even in native-
mode sites. Thus, you should determine how long inventory information and
collected files should be retained in the database and configure the Delete
Aged Inventory History and Delete Aged Collected Files tasks to delete data in
a timely manner.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-35
Key Points
If you experience problems with inventory collection, you can use a variety of tools
to help you identify the cause. Some of these tools include:
• Client log files. The log files on the client can help you identify inventory
problems that affect that client. The client log files directly related to inventory
are:
• Site server log files. Log files on the server can help you identify inventory
problems that affect more than one client. The site server log files directly
related to inventory are:
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to use log files and status messages to
follow the inventory process from client collection through site database update.
Demonstration Steps
This is the start a full hardware inventory report. Review the next several lines
to see the various namespaces collected during inventory.
6. Find the next occurrence of Temp report.
7. Notice the location of the temporary inventory report. Review the next several
lines and notice the actions performed in reporting inventory.
8. Locate and select the line that begins:
In the info pane, notice that the data was sent to the management point as
signed, but not encrypted.
9. Find the first occurrence of Action=Software.
10. Notice the line that reads:
This is the start of a full software inventory cycle. Review the next several lines.
Notice the line that begins:
This is the start of a file collection cycle. Review the next few lines.
13. Click Tools, and then click Find.
14. Find the first occurrence of ClientLocation.log matched.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-39
Notice the Collected Size and Remaining Allowable Size parameters. These are
related to the configured maximum size of collected files.
16. Find each subsequent occurrence of ClientLocation.log until the following
line displays:
These lines record the process of identifying, collecting, and sending to the
management point the ClientLocation.log file.
17. Close SMS Trace.
This is the start of inventory processing for the client NYC-CL1. Review the
next several lines to see the various tasks performed by the Inventory Data
Loader while processing client inventory data.
6. Press the F3 key until SMS Trace displays the line that begins:
This line indicates that the inventory data from the specified client has been
completely processed into the site database.
7. Close SMS Trace.
4-40 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
5. In the ConfigMgr Status Message Viewer for (NYC) (Central Site - New York
City) window, double-click the oldest message.
6. In the Status Message Details box, review the details and read the message in
the Description box. Notice the amount of detail provided.
7. Click Previous. The next message is displayed in the Status Message Details
box. Review the details and read the message in the Description box.
8. Repeat the previous step until all messages in the ConfigMgr Status Message
Viewer for (NYC) (Central Site - New York City) have displayed.
9. Close the Status Message Details box.
10. Close the ConfigMgr Status Message Viewer for (NYC) (Central Site - New York
City) window.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-41
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-C, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C, and 6451B-NYC-
CL1-C virtual machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-C: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C: Configuration Manager 2007 site server in the
Contoso.com domain
• 6451B-NYC-CL1-C: Windows® 7 client computer in the Contoso.com
domain
4-42 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Lab Scenario
You are a Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You need to
configure the Hardware Inventory Client Agent to collect standard hardware
inventory information. You also need to modify the amount of information
collected during hardware inventory. As part of your duties, you also need to
configure software inventory and file collection.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-43
Scenario
You are a Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You need to
configure the Hardware Inventory Client Agent to collect standard hardware
inventory information.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Enable and configure the Hardware Inventory Client Agent.
2. Initiate a policy update on the client.
3. Initiate a Hardware Inventory Cycle on the client.
4. View hardware inventory using Resource Explorer.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
4-44 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: You must close and reopen the program to update the information displayed.
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the hardware inventory cycle to complete before
moving to the next step.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have verified that NYC-CL1 reported
hardware inventory by viewing the information in Resource Explorer.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-45
Scenario
You are a Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You need to
modify the amount of information collected during hardware inventory.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Modify the Sms_def.mof file on the site server.
2. Verify that the hardware inventory changes were modified successfully.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the hardware inventory cycle to complete
before moving to the next step.
4-46 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
for NYC-CL1.
6. Expand Hardware, and notice that the CD-ROM, Desktop Monitor, and IDE
Controller classes are no longer visible.
7. Expand Hardware History. Notice that CDROM Drive History, Desktop
Monitor History, and IDE Controller History are listed.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have modified hardware inventory
collection, and verified the changes.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-47
Scenario
You are a Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You need to
configure software inventory and file collection.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Enable and configure the Software Inventory Client Agent.
2. Initiate a policy update on the client.
3. Initiate the Software Inventory Cycle and File Collection Cycle on the client.
4. View software inventory using Resource Explorer.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
4-48 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
the client
1. Initiate a Software Inventory Cycle.
2. Initiate a File Collection Cycle.
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the Software Inventory Cycle and File Collection
Cycle to complete before moving to the next step.
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed collected files and software
inventory information.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-49
Asset Intelligence
Key Points
Asset Intelligence enhances the inventory capabilities of Configuration Manager by
extending hardware inventory and adding license management functionality.
Additional hardware inventory WMI classes improve the breadth of information
gathered about hardware and software titles in use.
Some of the components of Asset Intelligence include:
• Asset Intelligence catalog. Asset Intelligence relies upon a set of tables that
contains software identification and categorization information, hardware
requirements for software titles, and processor information. Collectively, these
tables are known as the Asset Intelligence catalog. The Asset Intelligence
catalog tables are stored within the Configuration Manager site database.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-51
Key Points
The Asset Intelligence catalog is a set of database tables that contain information
for over 300,000 software titles and versions, representing nearly 100 families and
almost 2,000 specific categories. These database tables also record hardware
requirements for specific software titles, and cataloged CPU properties
information. The Configuration Manager site database contains the Asset
Intelligence tables.
In Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and later, the Asset Intelligence catalog
includes the following:
• Support for manually importing software license information for software
titles—both Microsoft and non-Microsoft—in use
• A large collection of known CPU properties
• Hardware requirements for the software titles in the catalog
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-53
You can review contents of the Asset Intelligence catalog, and customize certain
elements of the Asset Intelligence node in the Configuration Manager console. The
Asset Intelligence node includes the following Asset Intelligence catalog nodes:
• Customize Catalog. The Customize Catalog node includes most of the catalog
segments that can be updated by administrators. The Customize Catalog node
includes the following:
• Software Categories
• Software Families
• Custom Labels
Note: You can modify and delete only the custom data you add to the Asset
Intelligence catalog. The pre-defined data in the catalog and updated data received
from Microsoft System Center Online Services are read-only.
Note: Processor property information is read-only and cannot be modified. You can
download additional CPU information from Microsoft System Center Online Services
during future catalog updates.
Custom hardware requirements for software titles not stored in the Asset
Intelligence catalog can be added, modified, or deleted. However, existing, non-
custom hardware requirement information stored in the Asset Intelligence catalog
is read-only and cannot be deleted.
Key Points
You can customize your Asset Intelligence catalog by creating, renaming, and
deleting custom catalog information. You can add the following types of
information to the Asset Intelligence catalog:
• Software categories
• Software families
• Custom labels
• Hardware requirements
Important: You can update the Asset Intelligence catalog only at the highest site in
the hierarchy for which you enable Asset Intelligence. Editing or creating new
objects for replicated Asset Intelligence catalog information at child sites is not
supported.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-57
Key Points
Configuration Manager gathers Asset Intelligence information from a variety of
providers. Thus, you must configure different prerequisites depending on which
Asset Intelligence reports you want to use. Asset Intelligence has dependencies
within Configuration Manager in addition to external dependencies.
The prerequisites for Asset Intelligence include the following:
• Client agent prerequisites
• Hardware inventory file modification prerequisites
• Site maintenance task prerequisites
• Windows event log setting prerequisites
4-58 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
The Summarize Client Access License Weekly Usage Data task establishes
summaries of usage over time, and directly supports the Asset Intelligence license
management report, License 11A - Historical Client Access License (CAL)
Utilization.
The purpose of the Delete Aged Client Access License Data maintenance task is to
periodically delete aged CAL data from the site database that is no longer needed.
This task is not necessary for data collection, but you should enable it to prevent
unnecessary data accumulating in the site database.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-59
The following Asset Intelligence reports rely on collected Windows security event
log information:
• Hardware 3A - Primary Computer Users
• Hardware 3B - Computers for a Specific Primary Console User
• Hardware 4A - Shared (Multi-user) Computers
• Hardware 5A - Console Users on a Specific Computer
Question: Which Configuration Manager client agents must you enable if you
want to use all Asset Intelligence reports?
4-60 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuring Asset Intelligence consists of a number of tasks. These tasks include:
• Enabling Asset Intelligence. To enable Asset Intelligence in sites running
Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and later, you can use the Asset Intelligence
Reporting Class Settings dialog box to enable the required hardware
inventory reporting classes that Asset Intelligence reports rely on.
• Enabling success logon event logging. To enable data to be collected for Asset
Intelligence console usage and client access license (CAL) reports, CAL data
collection must be enabled in the Configuration.mof file, and computer
security policy logon settings must be configured to enable auditing of success
logon events.
• Importing software license information. Use the License Import Wizard to
import Microsoft and non-Microsoft licensing information into the Asset
Intelligence catalog.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-61
Note: In Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 sites, you must obtain an authentication
certificate (.pfx) file from Microsoft System Center Online Services before installing
this site role.
Question: Once Asset Intelligence information has been reported, how would you
analyze the collected information?
4-62 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to:
• Enable Asset Intelligence.
• Enable logon event success logging by using an Active Directory® domain
security policy.
• Import software license information into the Asset Intelligence catalog.
• Connect to Microsoft System Center Online Services.
• Install an Asset Intelligence synchronization point.
• Enable the Asset Intelligence synchronization point.
• Add a new Asset Intelligence asset manager.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-63
Note: Asset Intelligence reports that depend on the hardware inventory classes
enabled using this procedure will not display data until clients have performed
hardware inventory using the new hardware inventory reporting policy based.
Note: The shared folder should be properly secured to prevent unauthorized access
to the licensing information file. Also, the computer account of the computer that
the wizard is being run on must have full control permissions to the share containing
the license import file.
5. On the Summary page, review the information you have specified to ensure
that it is correct, and then click Next.
6. After the file has been imported, click Close.
Note: The remaining steps require Internet access. You cannot complete these steps
from the classroom virtual machines.
3. On the Microsoft System Center Online Services home page, click the
Microsoft Volume Licensing Service (MVLS) Web site link.
4. Log in to the Web site and complete the necessary requirements to obtain a
Microsoft System Center Online Services authentication certificate.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-65
Note: If the Configuration Manager console Actions pane is displayed, you can also
start the New Site Role Wizard by clicking New Roles in the Actions pane.
3. In the New Site Role Wizard, on the General page, verify the existing site
server settings, and then click Next.
4. On the System Role Selection, select Asset Intelligence Synchronization
Point, and then click Next.
5. On the Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point Connection Settings page,
specify the path to the Microsoft System Center Online Services authentication
certificate (.pfx) file, and then click Next. This step is not necessary for
Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 and later sites, because the connection
certificate is automatically provisioned during site role installation.
6. On the Proxy Server Settings page, configure any necessary proxy server
settings, and then click Next.
Note: Because Microsoft System Center Online Services accepts network traffic only
over TCP port 443, the port settings cannot be configured on this page of the
wizard.
4-66 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
list, select the Manage Asset Intelligence option in the Rights box, and then
click Next.
7. On the User Rights page, click Next.
8. On the Summary page, click Next.
9. After the wizard has finished applying the new rights, click Close.
4-68 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Maintaining and managing Asset Intelligence involves a number of tasks,
including:
• Viewing Asset Intelligence information that is collected from clients. You can
run Asset Intelligence reports to view the most detailed information collected
by the Asset Intelligence feature. The types of Asset Intelligence reports are
described in the following table.
Type of Asset
Intelligence report Description
Hardware reports Provide information about hardware assets within your
organization, including age and upgrade readiness.
Question: How can you update the Asset Intelligence catalog if your site systems
are connected to a highly secure network that does not have Internet access?
4-70 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to run Asset Intelligence reports.
Demonstration Steps:
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-C, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C, and 6451B-NYC-
CL1-C virtual machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-C: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C: Configuration Manager 2007 site server in the
Contoso.com domain
• 6451B-NYC-CL1-C: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com
domain
4-72 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
virtual machines.
• Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
• Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed using the password Pa$$w0rd.
• Log on to NYC-CL1 as Contoso\Andrea using the password Pa$$w0rd.
Lab Scenario
You are implementing Asset Intelligence in Contoso, Ltd’s Configuration Manager
site. You need to configure all prerequisites, and configure the polling interval for
Client Access License information. You also need to configure Asset Intelligence
data collection, implement an Asset Intelligence synchronization point, and
configure Asset Intelligence catalog synchronization. You need to customize the
Asset Intelligence catalog, import license data, and test Asset Intelligence data
reporting by initiating an inventory cycle on a client. Finally, you need to review
the Asset Intelligence information reported by the client.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-73
Scenario
You are implementing Asset Intelligence in Contoso, Ltd’s Configuration Manager
site. You need to configure all prerequisites for Asset Intelligence. For testing
purposes, you also want to configure a very short polling for Client Access License
information.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Verify that Hardware and Software Inventory Client Agents are enabled.
2. Modify the Configuration.mof file on the site server.
3. Configure the Asset Intelligence site maintenance tasks.
4. Configure Windows event log settings.
Task 1: Verify that Hardware and Software Inventory Client Agents are
enabled
• On NYC-CFG1, verify that the Hardware Inventory Client Agent and
Software Inventory Client Agent are enabled.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have configured the prerequisites for
Asset Intelligence.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-75
Scenario
You are testing Asset Intelligence. You have configured all prerequisites. You need
to configure Asset Intelligence data collection and Asset Intelligence catalog
synchronization.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Enable Asset Intelligence data collection.
2. Configure an Asset Intelligence synchronization point.
3. Configure an Asset Intelligence catalog synchronization schedule.
schedule
1. On NYC-CFG1, right-click the Asset Intelligence node, and select Schedule
Catalog Synchronization.
2. Configure the following schedule:
• Schedule: Custom
• Date: June 1, 2010
• Time: 1:00 PM
• Recurrence: Custom interval
• Recur every: 1 Days
Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled Asset Intelligence, configured
an Asset Intelligence synchronization point, and scheduled synchronization.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-77
Scenario
You are testing Asset Intelligence. You have configured Asset Intelligence data
collection. You need to customize the Asset Intelligence catalog, import license
data, and initiate Asset Intelligence data reporting by initiating an inventory cycle
on a test client.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Customize the Asset Intelligence catalog.
2. Import licensing data.
3. Initiate a policy update on the client.
4. Initiate a Hardware Inventory Cycle on the client.
5. Initiate a Software Inventory Cycle on the client.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
Note: Be sure to wait several minutes before proceeding to the next exercise.
Results: After this exercise, you should have customized the Asset Intelligence
catalog, imported licensing information, and initiated inventory reporting on a
client.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-79
Scenario
You are testing Asset Intelligence. You have configured Asset Intelligence and
initiated Asset Intelligence data reporting. You need to review the data collected.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Review reported Asset Intelligence information in the Configuration Manger
console
2. Run Asset Intelligence reports
Results: After this exercise, you should have reviewed Asset Inventory data both in
the Configuration Manager console, and by using reports.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-81
Software metering provides the ability to monitor and collect software usage data
on clients assigned to a Configuration Manager site. You can use this data to
determine how your organization uses programs. This lesson describes software
metering, and how you can configure software metering rules to begin monitoring
your environment’s software usage.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe software metering.
• Describe the software metering functionality.
• Describe the process for configuring and enabling software metering.
• Describe software metering maintenance tasks.
4-82 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Software metering allows you to monitor program usage on Configuration
Manager client computers. Software metering data can be summarized to produce
useful reports that can help you plan your organization’s software purchases.
Software metering can collect the following detailed information:
Question: Describe various scenarios where software metering can help determine
software usage.
4-84 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Software metering uses two main components to perform data collection tasks: the
Software Metering Client Agent, and software metering rules. When enabled, the
Software Metering Client Agent reports software metering data based on the site’s
software metering rules. You must configure software metering rules before
program usage data collection starts.
1. The Software Metering Client Agent examines each program running on the
client and determines if the program file’s header information matches a
specified software metering rule that the administrator configures. The agent
collects usage data each time a monitored program runs on the client,
regardless of whether the client is connected to the network.
2. The agent uploads the data to the management point on its next Software
Metering Usage Report Cycle. If the client is not connected to the network, the
data remains on the client and is uploaded to the site the next time the client
connects to the network.
3. The management point forwards the data to the site server.
4. The site server adds the data to the site database.
You can use Client Spy to review the software metering rules that the client has
received from the management point in policy.
Question: Which two components do you need to configure for software metering
to function?
Question: How does software metering work for portable computers that are often
not connected to the network?
4-86 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can configure three elements of software metering: the Software Metering
Client Agent, software metering rules, and automatic generation of software
metering rules.
After ensuring that the Software Metering Client Agent is enabled, the next step is
to configure software metering rules. You must create and configure software
metering rules to specify the applications that you want the Software Metering
Client Agent to monitor.
Question: How can you ensure that programs are being monitored even if the file
name has changed?
4-88 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
In this demonstration, you will see how to configure the Software Metering Client
Agent. You will also see how to configure a software metering rule, and how to
configure automatic software metering rule generation.
Demonstration Steps:
Note: Wildcard characters are not permitted in either the File name or Original file
name fields.
• Version. Specify the version of the executable file that you want to meter.
You can use the wildcard character (*) to represent any string of
characters or the wildcard character (?) to represent any single character.
If you want to meter for all versions of an executable file, use the default
value (*).
• Language. Specify the language of the executable file to meter. The default
value is English (United States).
• Site code. Specify the site code to which the software metering rule will
apply.
• Apply the rule to child sites, if applicable.
4. Click the Finish button.
4-90 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: What is the default percentage that must be reached before rules are
auto-created?
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 includes a number of maintenance tasks to help you
manage the usage data collected by software metering. These tasks are responsible
for summarizing software metering data and deleting aged software metering data.
You should know when summarization last occurred in order to understand what
data is contained in the most current set of summary data. You can refer to the
Software metering summarization progress report in Configuration Manager to
determine when summarization last occurred.
• Summarize Software Metering File Usage Data. The Summarize Software
Metering File Usage Data task condenses software metering file usage data
from multiple records into one general record. This record provides
information about the program name, version, language, and number of
distinct users over intervals of 15 minutes and one hour. This process
compresses and optimizes the amount of data stored in the Configuration
Manager 2007 site database.
• Summarize Software Metering Monthly Usage Data. The Summarize Software
Metering Monthly Usage Data task condenses detailed software metering
usage data from multiple records into one general record. This record provides
information about the program name, program version and language, program
running times, number of usages, last usage, user name, and computer name.
Data summarization helps compress the amount of data in the Configuration
Manager 2007 site database. Monthly software usage data is sent to the central
site.
The summarization information includes the number of times each matching
software program ran on a particular computer and by a particular user during
the month. By default, the task is scheduled to run daily, and the
summarization period is one month. Software monthly usage data is replicated
to the parent site.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-93
The following maintenance tasks remove old software metering data and
summarized data from the Configuration Manager 2007 site database:
• Delete Aged Software Metering Data. The Delete Aged Software Metering Data
task deletes all summarized software metering data that is older than the
number of days specified.
By default, the task is scheduled to run every day, and to delete software
metering data that is older than five days. You can configure the number of
days to be any number from 2 through 255.
• Delete Aged Software Metering Summary Data. The Delete Aged Software
Metering Summary Data task deletes summarized software metering summary
data that is older than the number of days specified.
By default, the task is scheduled to run every Sunday, and to delete software
metering summary data that is older than 270 days.
Question: How can summarization help maintain the size of the Configuration
Manager site database?
4-94 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-C, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C, and 6451B-NYC-
CL1-C virtual machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-C: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-C: Configuration Manager 2007 site server in the
Contoso.com domain
• 6451B-NYC-CL1-C: Windows 7 client computer in the Contoso.com
domain
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-95
virtual machines.
• Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed using the password Pa$$w0rd.
• Log on to NYC-CL1 as Contoso\Andrea using the password Pa$$w0rd.
Lab Scenario
You are a Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You are
implementing software metering within Contoso’s Configuration Manager site. You
need to test the feature with common, built-in applications.
4-96 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario:
You need to implement software metering and test it with common, built-in
applications. You have decided to meter Windows Calculator and Notepad to
complete the test.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Enable and configure the Software Metering Client Agent.
2. Create a software metering rule to meter Windows Calculator.
3. Configure software metering rule auto-creation.
4. Initiate a policy update on the client.
5. Create test data on the client.
6. Initiate a usage report on the client.
7. Verify software metering on the client.
8. Initiate metering summarization.
9. View a software metering report.
• Language: – Any –
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the cycle to complete before moving to the next
step.
Note: The RunMeterSumm tool must be run as specified in this task. It must be run
from the directory specified. The database name parameter is case sensitive.
report, and view the results. Use the following information to run the report:
• Rule: CalcRule
• Month: <current month>
• Year: <current year>
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed software metering information
by using a report.
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.
Review Questions
1. How can hardware and software inventory assist in software distribution?
3. How does inventory data pass from a client to the central site server?
• Sms_def.mof
• Configuration.mof
6. You have enabled software metering and have just deployed a new application
throughout your network. By default, how long will it take before an automatic
disabled software metering rule is created?
following circumstances:
• The server site code is different than the current site code. This scenario
assumes that the client is roaming. In this situation, data actually is
collected; however, it is not reported to the site until the client can access
the management point for its assigned site.
• The server does not have the Configuration Manager client installed.
• The Asset Intelligence data collection cycle has not yet inventoried the
server.
4. CAL data collection depends on IP addresses to identify devices. Consider the
following situations related to CAL inventory:
• A computer that has more than one Network Interface Card (NIC) will be
counted as one device CAL for each IP address. This potentially can result
in an increased CAL count.
• A computer that has changed IP addresses can be counted as one device
CAL for each IP address. This potentially can result in an increased CAL
count.
• When a computer has been assigned an IP address that was previously
assigned to another computer, the two computers may be counted as a
single CAL. This potentially can result in a decreased CAL count.
• Multiple computers that access servers using a single IP address because
of Network Address Translation (NAT) will be counted as a single CAL.
This potentially can result in a decreased CAL count.
• In general, any situation that increases or decreases the number of IP
addresses associated with one or more computers will influence the count
of CALs represented in the CAL usage reports.
Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence 4-103
Module 5
Querying and Reporting Data
Contents:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Data and Status Message Queries 5-4
Lesson 2: Managing Queries 5-11
Lab A: Creating Queries 5-20
Lesson 3: Configuring and Deploying a Reporting Point 5-28
Lab B: Creating a Reporting Point 5-39
Lesson 4: Managing Reports 5-44
Lab C: Managing Reports 5-59
Lesson 5: Creating and Using Dashboards 5-67
Lab D: Working with Dashboards 5-74
Lesson 6: SQL Reporting Services in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 5-77
Lab E: Using SQL Reporting Services 5-92
Lesson 7: Client Status Reporting in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 5-98
Lab F: Installing and Using Client Status Reporting 5-114
5-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
You can create and run queries to locate objects in a Microsoft® System Center
Configuration Manager 2007 site database. Queries are most useful for extracting
information related to resource discovery, inventory data, and status messages. In
addition to queries, you can use reports to easily organize and display information
about the computers that System Center Configuration Manager manages.
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and above supports SQL Reporting Services, and
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 introduced the Client Status Reporting tool.
After completing this module, you will be able to:
• Describe data and status message queries.
• Manage queries.
• Configure and deploy a reporting point.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-3
Key Points
You can create and run queries to locate objects in a Configuration Manager 2007
site that match your query criteria. These objects include items such as specific
types of computers or user groups. Queries return most types of Configuration
Manager objects, including sites, collections, packages, and saved queries
themselves. However, queries are most useful for extracting information related to
resource discovery, inventory data, and status messages. In general, the primary
purpose of data queries is to build collections, and the primary purpose of status
message queries is to locate stored status messages.
Question: What can you find using queries in Configuration Manager 2007?
5-6 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
When you create a Configuration Manager query, you are searching the site
database for the set of database objects that match one or more attributes of a
Configuration Manager database object type. An object type is defined by a set of
attributes that represents the properties of that database object, such as a client, a
package, an advertisement, or a user group. All objects of a specific type—such as
clients, packages, or users—are labeled and grouped together. Each object type has
one or more attributes that describe the object. For example, clients have
processor-type attributes, but user groups do not.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-7
Manager queries the System Resource object type. The following object types are
also available for queries.
Software Metering Rules A single attribute class with attributes representing the data
in a Configuration Manager software metering rule.
User Resource A single attribute class representing the discovery data for
User objects. This object type represents users in a
Configuration Manager site hierarchy.
User Group Resource A single attribute class representing the discovery data for
User Group objects.
When you create a query you are only required to specify the object type for your
query. Configuration Manager returns all attributes classes and attributes. If you
want to limit the attributes returned, click the Edit Query Statement button, and
then configure the General tab of the Query Statement Properties dialog box.
You can then specify the attribute classes and attributes for your query. You can
modify the Query Statement Properties dialog box either during the creation of
the query, or afterwards.
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 queries are composed of several different elements
that make up the query criteria. The complexity of the query depends on which
elements are used and how they are applied. There are certain elements that all
queries require.
To create a valid query, you must include the following elements:
• A unique query name that identifies the query
• Object type
• Attributes class
• Attribute
Use the General tab in the Query Properties dialog box and the General tab in
the Query Statement Properties dialog box to add these elements.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-9
Key Points
Configuration Manager may return a large number of objects when you create a
query with only the required elements. To refine your query results, you can use
the optional query elements available on the Criteria tab and the Joins tab in the
Query Statement Properties dialog box to add the following elements:
• Criterion types
• Logical operators
• Group parentheses
• Attribute class join
Question: When creating a query to discover all the Windows® 7 computers with a
CD burner and a specific video card, would you need to create any attribute class
joins?
5-10 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Discuss the following issues.
Managing Queries
Configuration Manager provides many predefined queries that you can use or
modify to help make administrative decisions. You also can create your own
queries. While Data queries and Status Message queries are similar in many
regards, they provide different types of data and retrieve information from different
tables in the Configuration Manager database. This lesson provides an overview of
the administrative tasks available for managing Configuration Manager queries.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create and use data queries.
• Create and use Status Message queries.
• Create queries.
• Run queries.
5-12 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In the Configuration Manager console, manage data queries by expanding System
Center Configuration Manager, expanding Site Database, expanding Computer
Management, and then expanding Queries. You can create new queries or folders,
export or import queries, and select an individual query to modify or delete.
• Using the General, Criteria, and Joins tabs located in the Query Statements
Properties dialog box when you select the Show Query Design view.
• Typing a WMI query language (WQL) query statement into the Query
Statement box, which is located in the Query Statements Properties dialog
box when you select the Show Query Language view.
Key Points
In the Configuration Manager console, you manage status message queries by
expanding System Center Configuration Manager, expanding Site Database,
expanding System Status, and then expanding Status Message Queries. You can
create new status message queries, and you can select an individual status message
query to modify or delete.
You can use status message queries to start Status Message Viewer. After you run a
query, Status Message Viewer displays only the messages that match the query
criteria.
Note: Because a Configuration Manager site database can store tens of thousands
of status messages, we recommend that you restrict the number of messages you
view at one time. This option is available within the Status Viewer Options dialog
box on the General tab.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-15
Important: Site database queries are different from status message queries. Do not
paste text from a standard query into a status message query.
Question: Why are there fewer options for creating status message queries than
data queries?
5-16 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
When you run a data query or status message query, Configuration Manager
searches the site database for objects that match the query criteria. The query’s
results appear in the Configuration Manager console’s results pane.
which Configuration Manager displays the results within the columns. Choose
from ascending, descending, or unsorted. To modify the sort order, highlight a
query attribute, and then click Properties.
• Rearrange the result columns in the details pane after a query runs.
Configuration Manager saves the rearranged order as a user preference across
sessions.
Note: Some invalid queries do not generate errors. Therefore, if a query does not
return data, it might be invalid. Review the query to ensure that, for example, it is
not querying a resource for a value that it does not possess.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to create and run a data query and a
status message query.
Demonstration Steps
Create a query
1. Open the Configuration Manager console to the Queries node.
2. Create a new folder named My Queries.
3. Create a new query with the following information on the General tab:
• Name: All Windows 7 Systems
• Comment: Query to find all discovered Windows 7 Systems
• Import query statement: All Systems
Querying and Reporting Data 5-19
Question: When creating a new data query, why would you want to import an
existing data query?
Question: When creating a status message query, why were there fewer attribute
classes to choose from than when creating the data query?
5-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D and 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual
machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
3. Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
4. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-21
Configuration Manager 2007 comes with over 15 preconfigured data queries, and
over 60 preconfigured status message queries. As network administrator of
Contoso, Ltd, you often need to create custom queries to meet your needs.
5-22 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You have decided to create a query to find any Windows 7 systems that have not
yet installed the Configuration Manager client.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create a query.
2. Run a query and view the results.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and run a query to find all
discovered Windows 7 systems.
5-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You often need to create queries that filter for several different criteria. You may
need to create custom queries to meet your needs.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create and edit a complex query.
2. Run the query and view the results.
Results: After this exercise, you should have run a query to find all discovered
Windows 7 systems that have not yet had the client installed.
5-26 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You have decided to use the status messages to verify that clients are sending full
inventories as scheduled.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create a status message query.
2. Run the status message query.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and run a status message
query.
5-28 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Before you can display Configuration Manager reporting objects in Report Viewer,
you must install and configure a reporting point, and also consider the
configuration settings for other reporting components.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe reporting points.
• Describe the requirements for reporting point deployment.
• Create a reporting point.
• Describe the best practices for securing reporting points.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-29
Key Points
A reporting point is a Configuration Manager site system role that hosts the files
that Configuration Manager uses to display database information in Report Viewer.
Configuration Manager does not enable the reporting point site system role
automatically. You must enable all reporting points as required to provide access
to your site’s reports.
Reporting points communicate only with the local site database. Therefore, you
implement reporting points only in primary sites, not secondary sites. Large
organizations with numerous report users should consider planning for multiple
reporting points. With multiple reporting points, you can provide different
reporting point access URLs to different sets of users for accessing reports.
The SMS Reporting Users group controls access to the Configuration Manager
Reports Web site. Any user who is not an administrator, but who needs to access
reports at that reporting point, must be a member of this group. Members of the
Administrators group automatically have the required permissions to view the
reports and do not need to be added to this group.
5-30 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: Must you install a reporting point on the primary site server?
Querying and Reporting Data 5-31
Key Points
To add the reporting point site role to a site system computer, the following
components must be available:
• The site system computer must have Internet Information Services (IIS)
installed and enabled.
Note: IIS 6.0 Metabase and WMI Compatibility features are required for IIS 7.0 or
above.
• Active Server Page (ASP) pages must be installed and enabled. This is ASP, not
ASP.NET.
Note: When you install ASP.NET on a Windows Server® 2008 operating system
reporting point, you must also manually enable Windows Authentication.
5-32 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: Office Web Components is not supported on 64-bit operating systems. If you
want to use graphs in reports, use 32-bit operating systems for your reporting
points.
Question: Why do you need to install Office Web Components on the reporting
point site server?
Querying and Reporting Data 5-33
Key Points
In the Configuration Manager console, you create a reporting point by expanding
System Center Configuration Manager, expanding Site Systems, and then adding
the reporting point role to an existing or new server with the appropriate
prerequisites installed.
Note: To create and enable a reporting point, you must have Modify permissions for
the Configuration Manager site.
Question: When would you configure a reporting point to use Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTPS)?
5-34 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Malicious users usually try to gather as much information about a company as
possible in an attempt to find vulnerabilities. A malicious user might attempt to
gain access to Configuration Manager reports to find information about the
network environment. For example, if a malicious user can view a report showing
software update compliance, then the malicious user can use specific attacks
against computers that are not updated against those attacks.
Attacks against Configuration Manager reporting are usually lower risk than
attacks against the site server, site database server, software distribution, and
remote tools.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-35
Use the principle of least privilege when assigning permissions to queries and
reports. You can run reports from the Configuration Manager console or through a
report viewer, such as Internet Explorer. Only queries viewed in the Configuration
Manager console are subject to Configuration Manager object security. When you
run Configuration Manager queries, you must have Configuration Manager object
security permissions on the objects included in the query. Additionally, when you
create a query, the Values option on the Query Statement Properties dialog box
Criteria tab returns no data if you do not have Read and Read Resource
permissions to the Collections class.
You can limit a query to particular collections, so that users can query data only for
resources in collections they are authorized to use. Even when the user does not
specify collection limiting when creating a query, Configuration Manager applies
collection limiting if the user is not authorized to view all resources. If someone
requires access to information, verify that they will not be restricted by collection
limiting.
Use the Reporting Users Group to Control Access to the Reporting Point
By default, all members of the Administrators and Reporting Users groups have
access to the Reporting Point Web site. If users need access to reports on the
reporting point, add them to the Reporting Users local groups on each required
reporting point. By default, the Reporting Users group does not have any
members.
The Reporting Users group does not have Configuration Manager object security
rights configured by default. This group needs Read security rights on the Report
SMS class so that members of the group can access reports even though they do
have access to the Reporting Point Web site.
Manage Security for Users Who Connect Directly to the SQL Server
Computer
If you use reporting mechanisms other than the Configuration Manager console
and Configuration Manager reporting, WMI security and Configuration Manager
object security are not in effect. If you choose to use reporting mechanisms that
access SQL Server views directly—such as using an Open Database Connectivity
(ODBC) driver or scripting—you must implement security controls to restrict data
access to authorized users.
5-36 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: Accessing data directly in the tables is not supported. The only supported way
to access the data is by using the SQL Server views.
Note: Configuring HTTPS on the reporting point is completely separate from native
mode configuration. Even in native mode, reporting points default to using HTTP
access.
Question: By default are users allowed to directly query the SQL Server database?
Querying and Reporting Data 5-37
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to install the prerequisites for a
reporting point, and then install a reporting point.
Demonstration Steps
Install IIS
1. Use the Server Manager to add the Web Server (IIS) Role.
2. Add the following role services:
• ASP.NET
• Required Role Services
• ASP
• Windows Authentication
• IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility
• IIS 6 WMI Compatibility
5-38 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: Why did we not install Office Web Components in the demonstration?
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D , 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D, 6451B-NYC-
SVR2-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-SVR2: Server in the Contoso.com domain.
3. Log on to NYC-SVR2 as Contoso\Administrator using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
5-40 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Lab Scenario
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. The Configuration Manager
2007 database contains a lot of information, and not all of it is in an easily readable
format. To allow easy access to the information in the Configuration Manager
database, you have decided to implement a reporting point.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-41
Scenario
You are installing a reporting point on a new server. Before you can do this, you
must install IIS.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
• Install IIS.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed IIS with the components to
support a reporting point.
5-42 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Role
Scenario
Once the prerequisites are installed on a server, you can proceed to add the server
as a site system, and install the reporting point role.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Add a new site system.
Results: After this exercise, you should have added a new site system with the
reporting point role.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-43
Scenario
The Report Viewer can be used within Internet Explorer as well as within the
Configuration Manager console. You will now use Internet Explorer to view a
report from the reporting point role that you just installed.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Open the Report Viewer and view a report
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed a report through Internet
Explorer.
5-44 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Managing Reports
• Run a report.
• Manage reports.
5-46 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can create new reports by specifying the report properties, or by cloning an
existing report and using the properties from the source report to create the new
report.
Reports have three required components:
• Unique name
• Category
• SQL statement
report?
5-48 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
A report prompt is a property that you can configure when you create or modify a
report. You create prompts to limit or target the data that a report retrieves. A
prompted report can contain more than one prompt as long as the prompt names
are unique, and contain only alphanumeric characters that conform to the SQL
rules for identifiers.
When you run a report, the prompt requests a value for a required parameter and,
based on the value, retrieves the report data. For example, the Computer
information for a specific computer report prompts the user for a computer name,
and then retrieves information for that specific computer. Report Viewer then
passes the specified value to a variable that the report’s SQL statement defines.
Provided that the SQL statement is configured properly, the report returns
computer information data for only the specified computer.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-49
You can configure the prompt to display a default value. You also can configure the
prompt to display a list of appropriate values from which you can choose. You do
this by using a SQL statement, which is separate from the report’s primary SQL
statement. For example, you can configure a SQL statement that allows users to
select from a list, rather than typing in a computer name from memory. When the
user clicks Values in the Prompt dialog box, a list displays the items returned from
the SQL statement. To allow the use of the percent (%) symbol wildcard to limit
the values returned, you must use the @_filterwildcard variable in the SQL
statement.
Key Points
Use report links in a source report to provide users with ready access to additional
data, such as more detailed information about source report items. For example,
you might link a report that lists all site codes to another report that lists all recent
error messages for a given site code. The source report passes a specific site code to
the target report based on which source-report line item the user chooses. You can
configure a linked report with only one link, and that link can connect to a single
target resource.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-51
Source reports can use any one of the link types listed in the following table.
Link to computer details Provides a link to the Computer Details page, which is a
specialized page within Report Viewer. A source report
must contain a computer name value in one of its
columns to link to the Computer Details page. You
specify the column with the computer name values when
you configure the link to Computer Details. When the
source report runs, link icons appear to the left of each
data row. When you click the icon on a row, the
Computer Details page opens and displays computer
information about the specific computer.
Link to status message Provides a link to the Status Message Details page, which
details is a specialized page within Report Viewer. You access this
page only from a report that contains status messages.
You can use the Status Message Details page to display
information about a specific status message, based on the
RecordID property for the message. The source report
must contain a column with RecordID values. When you
create the link, you specify the column that contains the
appropriate RecordID. When the source report runs, link
icons appear to the left of each data row. When you click
an icon on a row, the Status Message Details page opens
and displays information about the specific status
message.
5-52 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Supplemental reports in Configuration Manager 2007 are reports that are created
outside of Configuration Manager, and are added to the supplemental folder on a
reporting point. If there are multiple reporting points, the supplemental report
must be copied to the folder on each of the reporting points from which users need
access to the report. Supplemental reports do not appear in the Configuration
Manager console; they appear only in Report Viewer. However, the Supplemental
Reports item does not appear in the Report Viewer tree until you install at least one
supplemental report file on the reporting point.
Supplemental reports can be ASP files, or any other file that you can display by
using Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, such as HTML files, Microsoft Office files, or
text files. You can run supplemental reports directly from Report Viewer, or from a
link configured in a report, using the URL for the supplemental report as the
target.
5-54 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can use the Report Viewer to display Configuration Manager information in a
Web browser. When you create a reporting point site system role, Configuration
Manager installs Report Viewer files on the site system computer. You can then
open reports in Report Viewer from the Configuration Manager console, or from a
Web browser.
When you open Report Viewer in a Web browser, you will see the following
reporting objects:
• Reports. Provides a list of reports organized by category, and sorted
alphabetically.
• Dashboards. Provides a list of dashboards that are sorted alphabetically.
5-56 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
that provide information about individual computers, and that have been
configured to appear on this page.
• Supplemental Reports. Provides a list of supplemental reports. This object only
appears if at least one supplemental report was created on the reporting point.
Users must have Read security rights on the reporting objects for them to display
in Report Viewer.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to create and run a new report.
Demonstration Steps
Create a report that lists computers by NetBIOS name, user ID, and
manufacturer
1. Open and copy the contents of the E:\Labfiles\Reports\List.sql file.
2. Open the Configuration Manager console to the Reports node.
3. Create a new Report with the following info:
• Name: Computers by Manufacturer
• Category: Contoso
4. Click Edit SQL Statement.
5-58 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
all text, paste the copied text from List.sql, and then click OK.
6. Exit the New Report Wizard.
Question: Can you link the report you create in this demonstration to the
Computer Details report?
Querying and Reporting Data 5-59
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D and 6451B-NYC-
SVR2-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-SVR2: Server in the Contoso.com domain.
3. Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
4. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
5-60 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. The nontechnical managers
that access reports have expressed concern that information they need is not
available in any of the current reports. You need to create reports to deliver this
information.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-61
Scenario
Configuration Manager 2007 contains many preconfigured reports. However, you
will often find it beneficial to create custom reports to meet your specific needs. In
the interest of saving time you will use a preconfigured SQL statement.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create a report that lists computers by NetBIOS name, user ID, and
manufacturer.
2. Review the list report.
Task 1: Create a report that lists computers by NetBIOS name, user ID,
and manufacturer
1. On NYC-CFG1, open E:\Labfiles\Reports\List.sql in Notepad, and then copy
the contents. You may need to change the file type to All files.
2. Open the Configuration Manager console to the Reports node.
3. Create a new Report with the following info:
• Name: Computers by Manufacturer
• Category: Contoso
4. Edit the SQL statement to use the text in the List.sql file as your SQL
statement.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a list report.
5-62 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
Once you have created a custom report, you can edit the report to include
additional report functionality. You need to edit the report you created earlier, so
that it is a prompted report.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Edit the list report.
2. Review the filter report.
1. Restore the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page. Refresh the page.
2. Under Contoso, select the Computers by Manufacturer report.
3. Under Report Information, click Values, select Microsoft Corporation, and
then click Display.
4. Review the results, and then close the report window.
5. Minimize the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a filter report.
5-64 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
For a meeting, you need to create a basic report that you can use to create a chart.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create a count report.
2. Review the filter report.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a count report.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-65
Scenario
When viewing a report, it is often desirable to take a closer look at a particular
detail in that report. Reports can be linked to other reports to allow you to take a
closer look at some details. You need to edit the report you created earlier to
include links to another report.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Edit the Contoso reports.
2. Review the linked reports.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed linked reports.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-67
Key Points
A dashboard is a Configuration Manager component that allows you to display
multiple reports in a grid on a single Report Viewer page. You can use dashboards
with the preconfigured Configuration Manager reports and any custom reports
that you create. Dashboards do not support reports that use prompts.
Administrators use dashboards commonly to:
• Retrieve information about a variety of topics.
• Compare results of related reports.
• Group commonly used reports on a single page.
• Group reports that show related types of information about the hardware or
software of managed computers.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-69
Question: Can you use all the available reports for dashboards?
5-70 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Like reports, you manage dashboards in the Configuration Manager console.
However, you view dashboards using Report Viewer. You can view dashboards
from any computer that has access to a reporting point. Dashboards are not subject
to Configuration Manager object security; however, users must have Read security
rights to the reports that are displayed in a dashboard. After running a dashboard,
you can:
• Print the dashboard results.
• Add the dashboard to the list of favorites.
• Open the individual reports in a separate window.
• Open a target for an individual report in a separate window.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-71
title bar. To display the individual report in a separate Report Viewer window, click
the link icon. If a dashboard displays a report that has links, you can also click the
link icons in that report to display the target in a separate Report Viewer window.
You can configure individual reports to refresh automatically at a regular interval.
This feature can be especially helpful for reports that you include in a dashboard.
Question: Can you use the Export Object Wizard to export a dashboard?
5-72 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to create and run a dashboard.
Demonstration Steps
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D and 6451B-NYC-
SVR2-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-SVR2: Server in the Contoso.com domain.
3. Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
4. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-75
As the team lead responsible for Configuration Manager, you want a quick way to
determine the overall status of your Configuration Manager environment. You
want to view the following reports every time you start your Web browser:
• Count of PCs by manufacturer.
• Client deployment status details.
• Count of operating systems and service packs.
• Computers that may share the same SMS Unique ID.
You decide to create a dashboard and add the URL to your Web browser.
5-76 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You need to create a dashboard that contains four reports that will help you
monitor the overall status of your Configuration Manager environment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Create a dashboard.
2. Use the dashboard.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and used a dashboard.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-77
The Configuration Manager 2007 R2 SQL Reporting Services feature provides a set
of tools and resources that help you use the advanced reporting capabilities
provided by Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. You can manage these
services from the Configuration Manager console.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe SQL Reporting Services.
• Describe the prerequisites for SQL Reporting Services.
• Plan for SQL Reporting Services deployment.
• Configure SQL Reporting Services.
• Use SQL Reporting Services.
5-78 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Using the SQL Reporting Services feature within Configuration Manager 2007 R2
provides the following advantages:
• Uses an industry-standard reporting system to query the Configuration
Manager 2007 database.
• Offers higher performance, availability, and scalability over existing reporting
in Configuration Manager 2007.
• Enables users who are not familiar with Configuration Manager 2007
reporting to generate reports according to their needs.
• Enables users to subscribe to reports. For example, a manager could be
automatically e-mailed a report each day, detailing the status of a software
update rollout.
• Simplifies the creation of SQL-based reports in Configuration Manager 2007
R2.
• Enables users to export reports in a variety of popular formats.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-79
Key Points
The SQL Reporting Services feature has both external dependencies and
Configuration Manager 2007 dependencies.
Important: Because of schema changes in SQL Server 2008, you cannot deploy
report models created using this version to the Configuration Manager console. If
you have created report models using SQL Server 2008, you must access them using
your SQL Reporting Services Web site.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-81
A SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services Before you can use SQL Reporting
reporting server or newer must be Services integration in Configuration
installed and configured in the site Manager 2007 R2, you must configure
hierarchy. SQL Server Reporting Services on a SQL
Server installation in your network.
SQL Reporting Services requires IIS 6.0 or For more information about installing IIS,
newer for the Reporting Services Web site. see your Windows Server documentation.
An existing reporting services You must configure a reporting services point site
point site system role must be system role before you can use SQL Reporting
configured. Services.
5-82 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
When configuring the SQL Reporting Services feature, consider the following:
• Location of SQL Reporting Services installation. Configuration Manager 2007
R2 supports locating the SQL Reporting Services reporting server on either the
site server or on a remote computer. However, for performance reasons, you
should locate the server and the Reporting Services point on a remote site
system.
• Unattended report processing. To use report subscriptions, you must
configure one of the following to allow reports to run unattended:
• An execution account. This account must be a Windows® user account. If
you configure this account with a password expiration date, or if you
change its information in Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS), you
must also update this information in SQL Reporting Services. For this
account, you should set read-only permissions to reports.
• Configure the Credentials stored securely in the report server option on
the Report Server Properties dialog box Data Source Authentication tab.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-83
Manager database. Use the Credentials are not required option in the Report
Server Properties dialog box Data Source Authentication tab for testing
purposes only. This setting is not recommended for a production
environment.
Key Points
Before you can create, modify, and display SQL Reporting Services reports in the
Configuration Manager console, you must perform a number of configuration
tasks.
• Configure SQL Server for SQL Reporting Services. Before you can use the SQL
Reporting Services feature in Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you must
configure SQL Reporting Services on a SQL Server installed in your network.
The configuration steps used might vary depending on the SQL Server version.
See your SQL Server documentation for details.
• Create a Reporting Services point for SQL Reporting Services. Before you can
use SQL Reporting Services in Configuration Manager 2007, you must
configure a Reporting Services point. The Reporting Services point is a site
system role that must be configured on a server running SQL Server with the
Reporting Services component installed.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-85
option Use Reporting Services Reports for Admin console report links in
the Report Options dialog box, and if you have more than one Reporting
Services point in your Configuration Manager 2007 R2 site hierarchy, you can
set the default reporting server that will be used when displaying SQL
Reporting Services reports that are run from links in the Configuration
Manager console.
• Configuring properties for the Reporting Services point. Use the General tab
of the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 Report Server Properties dialog box to
view details about the report folder on the selected reporting server. This tab
contains the following settings:
Setting Description
Server Name Displays the name of the report server for which you are
viewing properties.
Report Folder Displays the name of the report folder on the selected report
server.
Status Displays the status of the report folder on the selected report
server.
Size Displays the size of the report folder on the selected report
server.
Key Points
To use SQL Reporting Services in Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you must
complete a number of configuration and management tasks.
• Copy Configuration Manager reports to SQL Reporting Services. In
Configuration Manager 2007 R2, you can copy standard reports to a SQL
Reporting Services reporting server by using the Copy Reports to Reporting
Services Wizard. You can copy existing Configuration Manager reports to SQL
Reporting Services as follows:
• Use the Create Report Wizard in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 SQL
Reporting Services to create a new SQL-based report.
• Use the Create Report Wizard in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 SQL
Reporting Services to create a new model-based report. Model-based
reporting allows you to interactively choose the items you want to include
in your report.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-87
Note: Report folders are automatically created from the Configuration Manager
2007 report category when you use the Copy Reports to Reporting Services Wizard
to copy Configuration Manager 2007 reports into SQL Reporting Services.
Note: You can also configure other types of report subscriptions, such as data-
driven subscriptions from the Web interface included with Microsoft SQL Server
Reporting Services. For more information, see your SQL Server documentation.
• View SQL Reporting Services reports from the Configuration Manager console.
In the Configuration Manager console, expand System Center Configuration
Manager, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand
Reporting, expand Reporting Services, and then expand <reporting services
point name>. Right-click the report you want to view, and then click Run.
Note: By default, the report opens in the Configuration Manager console. If you
want the report to open in a separate window, select Open reports in a new
window in the Report Options dialog box.
Question: After importing the Configuration Manager reports into SQL Reporting
Services, can you continue to create reports in Configuration Manager?
5-88 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to install and use the SQL Reporting
Services feature.
Demonstration Steps
Configuration Setting
point
1. Right-click the server, and then click Copy Reports to Reporting Services.
2. Complete the Copy Reports Wizard for all reports.
Question: What differences did you notice between SQL Reporting Services
reports and Configuration Manager reports?
5-92 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D and 6451B-NYC-
SVR2-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-SVR2: Server in the Contoso.com domain.
3. Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Ed, using the password Pa$$w0rd.
4. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-93
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You want to take advantage of
the database administrators’ knowledge of the SQL language to create queries for
Configuration Manager 2007, and have decided to install a Reporting Services
point.
5-94 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You need to install a Reporting Services point to allow you to use SQL Reporting
Services in your Configuration Manager 2007 environment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Verify SQL Reporting Services.
2. Install the Reporting Services point.
Configuration Setting
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed a Reporting Services point.
5-96 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
Now you need to configure the Reporting Services point and import the existing
reports for use in your environment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Configure the Reporting Services point.
2. Copy the Configuration Manager reports to the Reporting Services point.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the Reporting Services
point, and copied the existing reports from the reporting point to the Reporting
Services point.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-97
Scenario
You have generated a report, and now you want to view it.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Use the SQL Reporting Services to view a report.
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed a report on the Reporting
Services point.
5-98 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 offers many methods for monitoring the status of
client computers on your Configuration Manager 2007 R2 site. These methods are
largely based on the date of the latest discovery, and inventory data received from
the client. Configuration Manager 2007 reports can help you examine the
following data for monitoring purposes:
• Clients that have not responded in a specified number of days
• Computers that were not discovered in a specified number of days
• Computers that were not inventoried in a specified number of days
5-100 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
reasons why an active client might not have reported discovery or inventory data
include the following:
• Data might be queued on a Configuration Manager 2007 site system that is
backlogged.
• Data might be queued on a Configuration Manager 2007 site system that is
offline.
• Network problems might be preventing the discovery or inventory data from
reaching the site database.
• The client computer might be offline (for example, when a user is on
vacation).
Key Points
Client status reporting in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 has both external
dependencies, and Configuration Manager 2007 dependencies.
The client status reporting host The client status reporting host system is the
system must be running Microsoft computer on which the client status reporting
.NET Framework 2.0. feature is installed.
The client status reporting host Client status reporting will run on any
system must be running a supported platform supported by the Configuration
operating system. Manager 2007 R2 client.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-103
To view charts in reports, the Some reports for client status reporting are
Configuration Manager 2007 designed to be viewed as a chart. To use
reporting point site system must have charts in reports, Office Web Components
Office Web Components installed. must be installed on the Configuration
Manager 2007 site reporting point.
Note: Office Web Components is not supported on 64-bit operating systems. If you
want to use graphs in reports, use 32-bit operating systems for your reporting
points.
The site must be running Client status reporting is not compatible with
Configuration Manager 2007 R2. Configuration Manager 2007 releases prior to R2.
There must be a reporting point The reporting point site system role must be
site system. installed before you can display client status
reporting reports.
The site must contain clients. Client status reporting requires at least one
Configuration Manager 2007 client in the site
database.
Key Points
Consider the following when installing the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 client
status reporting feature:
• Deployment scope
• Client status reporting host system
• Network bandwidth
Deployment Scope
You can specify only one SQL Server and one Configuration Manager 2007 site
database for each installed client status reporting instance. Only one client status
reporting instance can be installed on a computer.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-105
The client status reporting host system is the computer on which you install client
status reporting. Consider the following when designating the client status
reporting host computer:
• You can install client status reporting on any Configuration Manager 2007 site
system. However, this is not a requirement. You can also install client status
reporting on any server or workstation with network connectivity to your
Configuration Manager site.
If you have slow network connections between Configuration Manager 2007 sites
in your hierarchy, the available bandwidth might not be sufficient to support using
client ping and collect policy request log files. In this case, consider installing a
client status reporting instance at each primary site in your hierarchy.
Note: Client status reporting does not consolidate reports for multiple instances of
the feature.
Question: Does the Client Status Reporting Service Account require any special
rights?
Querying and Reporting Data 5-107
Key Points
Client status reporting is not automatically installed when you install
Configuration Manager 2007 R2. You can install client status reporting on any
Windows server or workstation that meets the necessary prerequisites. This
computer is designated as the client status reporting host system.
To install and configure client status reporting, complete the following steps:
1. On the designated client status reporting host system, access the
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 installation media, open the Client Status
Reporting folder, and then run ClientStatusReporting.msi.
2. From the Start menu, navigate to Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Client Status Reporting, and then click Configure Client Status Reporting.
Reporting
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to install and use client status
reporting.
Demonstration Steps
1. Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007
R2 Client Status Reporting, and then click Configure Client Status
Reporting.
2. Complete the configuration with the following settings:
Tab Settings
Question: Can you install client status reporting in a Configuration Manager 2007
site that has not been upgraded to R2?
5-110 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Before you can use the reports for client status reporting, you must first import
them into your Configuration Manager 2007 R2 site. To do this, complete the
following steps:
1. Locate the ClientStatusReports.mof file in the folder
%ProgramFiles%\Microsoft ConfigMgr Client Status\Reports on the client
status reporting host system. Save this file to a location that is accessible to
your Configuration Manager 2007 site server.
2. In the Configuration Manager console, expand System Center Configuration
Manager, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand
Reporting, and then expand Reports.
3. Import the ClientStatusReports.mof file.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-111
Note: You might need to refresh the node’s display before you can view the reports.
Question: Can you create custom reports for client status reporting?
5-112 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Reporting Reports
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will review how to install and use the client status
reporting reports.
Demonstration Steps
point
1. In the Configuration Manager console, expand to the Reporting Services
node.
2. Right-click NYC-CFG1, and then click Copy Reports to Reporting Services.
3. Complete the Copy Reports Wizard for the client status reports.
Reporting
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D and 6451B-NYC-
SVR2-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-SVR2: Server in the Contoso.com domain.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-115
Pa$$w0rd.
4. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator, using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Lab Scenario
You are the network administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You have decided to
implement client status reporting to more closely monitor the clients in your
Configuration Manager environment.
5-116 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Reporting
Scenario
Before you can use client status reporting, you must first install it in your
environment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Install client status reporting.
2. Configure client status reporting.
Tab Settings
Results: After this exercise, you should have Installed and configured client status
reporting.
5-118 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Reports
Scenario
Client status reporting is report-based, and you must install the reports manually
before you can use them.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Install client status reporting reports.
2. View a client status report.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and viewed a client reporting
status report.
Querying and Reporting Data 5-119
When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines back to their initial state. To
do this, complete the following steps:
1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V™ Manager.
2. Right-click the virtual machine name in the Virtual Machines list, and then
click Revert.
3. In the Revert Virtual Machine dialog box, click Revert.
4. In the Virtual Machines pane, click 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, and then in the
Actions pane, click Start.
5. To connect to the virtual machine for the next module’s lab, click 6451B-NYC-
DC1-D , and then in the Actions pane, click Connect.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it is fully started
before starting the other virtual machines.
Review Questions
1. You have enabled hardware and software inventory. You can browse inventory
using Resource Explorer, but you discover that you cannot run reports from
the Reports node. What is most likely the cause of the problem?
2. When you are designing your dashboard, why is the list of selectable reports
considerably less than the total number of reports?
4. What are some of the benefits of using SQL Reporting Services for
Configuration Manager reports?
1. The management team wants a daily report on how many computers have
been migrated during the migration process from Windows Vista® to Window
7. Since your team is responsible for the migration, you are looking for a
simple way to provide the migration results.
2. Your security office has notified you that there is a security incident. During
the review of this security incident, it was determined that your antivirus
software was missing from a few workstations. You have been asked to
automate a process to ensure that all workstations within the Configuration
Manager environment have antivirus software installed. Your company uses
Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista, and Configuration Manager
installs all software.
3. Your service desk has purchased several plasma screens to display statistical
information for all service desk technicians. On one of the screens, they would
like to display Configuration Manager advertisement status and client
installation status.
MCT USE ONLY. STUDENT USE PROHIBITED
BETA COURSEWARE EXPIRES 9/27/2010
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-1
Module 6
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System
Center Configuration Manager 2007
Contents:
Lesson 1: Overview of the Software Distribution Process 6-4
Lesson 2: Preparing for Software Distribution 6-13
Lesson 3: Overview of Distribution Points 6-23
Lab A: Preparing for Software Distribution 6-35
Lesson 4: Creating and Populating Collections 6-40
Lesson 5: Configuring Collections 6-53
Lab B: Creating and Configuring a Collection 6-61
Lesson 6: Creating and Configuring Packages and Programs 6-65
Lab C: Creating a Package and Configuring Programs 6-79
Lesson 7: Distributing Packages 6-84
Lesson 8: Advertising Programs 6-90
Lesson 9: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Software Distribution 6-103
Lab D: Deploying Applications by Using Software Distribution 6-119
6-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Key Points
Configuration Manager software distribution helps organizations reduce the total
cost of ownership (TCO) for application deployment in a number of ways.
Software distribution:
• Eliminates the need to distribute to users CDs, DVDs, or other removable
media, along with programs and instructions.
• Allows you to control how and when software is distributed to clients.
• Offers a variety of ways to control how software is distributed.
For example, by automating program distribution, you eliminate user errors
such as entering incorrect values in prompts, running incorrect programs, or
entering incorrect arguments. Users can run programs successfully, and install
software without needing to know how to run these programs, or which setup
options are best for them.
• Provides users the ability to install software without requiring administrative
rights.
6-6 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
the client.
Configuration Manager can cause any executable file to run on the client.
However, it is important to understand that Configuration Manager does not
actually package the executable program or source files. Configuration
Manager is the delivery mechanism that gets the software or the command to
the client, but the command must run on the client independently of
Configuration Manager. If a command cannot run directly on a computer, then
that command will not run if Configuration Manager software distribution is
used to deploy it.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-7
Key Points
Software distribution relies on a variety of objects that you configure in the
Configuration Manager console. The software distribution objects include:
• Packages. Package objects represent the actual files that the targeted client
needs in order to run a program that is advertised by using Configuration
Manager. For example, a package could contain the installation files used to
install an application on the client computer. Alternatively, a package might
not contain any files if it will be used only to run an executable that is already
present on the target client.
• Programs. Programs include the commands that the client runs during
software distribution. For example, a package used to install an application
will include a program that runs the command—such as setup.exe—that installs
the application.
6-8 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
clients. You can create multiple programs for a package. For example, you
could create in a package one program that installs an application silently, and
another program that installs the same application by using the standard
installation wizard.
• Advertisements. Advertisements associate a program, and the package in
which it is defined, with a target collection. That is, advertisements tell the
members of a collection to retrieve a package, and to run a specified program
in that package.
Key Points
You must perform several administrative tasks to prepare for software distribution
within your site.
The following table describes the software-distribution administrative tasks.
Task Description
Configuration Manager • Client polls for policies, which might include software
client runs software advertisements.
distribution • Client runs the advertised program.
Monitor software and • Review status messages.
troubleshoot • Review advertisement reports.
distribution
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-11
Key Points
The Advertised Programs Client Agent facilitates client software distribution by
sending out new advertisements to clients when new programs are available. The
Advertised Programs Client Agent runs on the client computers, and enables
clients to receive and run programs that you advertise.
The following steps describe the client’s participation in software distribution:
1. The Advertised Program Client Agent determines which advertised programs
are appropriate for the client or the user.
2. The client finds an advertisement, indicating that a program is ready to run.
a. The Advertised Programs Client Agent connects to an available
distribution point to transfer or run the program.
b. The client executes the advertised program with any appropriate
command-line switches.
6-12 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: Can you change how often clients check for new advertisements?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-13
You must prepare your Configuration Manager site for successful software
distribution. In this lesson, you will learn how to create one or more distribution
points, configure the software distribution component, and enable and configure
the Advertised Programs Client Agent.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the prerequisites for software distribution.
• Explain the site configuration tasks that support software distribution.
• Describe the configuration options for the software distribution components.
• Describe the Advertised Programs Client Agent.
6-14 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager has no external prerequisites for the software distribution
feature. However, the feature has a number internal dependencies that you need to
configure. These dependencies include:
• Software Distribution component. In the Software distribution Properties,
you can configure settings for copying packages from the site server to
distribution points. Some of these settings affect the package locations on the
site server, the number of packages that can be simultaneously copied to
distribution points, and the retry settings.
• Advertised Programs Client Agent. Software distribution requires that the
Advertised Programs Client Agent be enabled. If the agent was not enabled
during site installation, then you must enable it. Additionally, you can
configure other agent settings, such as how users are notified that new
advertised programs are available for installation.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-15
Storage Considerations
You should consider certain storage issues before configuring software distribution
components. These include:
• File System. If you will be storing compressed versions of your packages, then
you must designate a drive formatted by using the NTFS file system as the
storage location for packages on the site server.
• Disk Space. You must also ensure that the site server and distribution points in
your site—in addition to those in child sites—have sufficient disk space for
storing packages.
Key Points
One of the first steps in preparing for software distribution is to configure site
settings, which includes three required steps:
• Designate one or more servers as distribution points.
• Configure the software distribution component.
• Configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent.
In addition to the required steps, you can perform these optional steps while
preparing the site for software distribution:
• Designate one or more computers as branch distribution points.
• Configure one or more accounts for package access.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-17
Key Points
The Software Distribution component settings affect where packages are stored on
the site server, and how they are transferred to distribution points.
When you create a package that contains source files, Configuration Manager must
copy those files from the source media to the site server before the files can be
copied to distribution points. The Drive on site server setting specifies the drive
on the local site server where package source files are stored. If you want to create
a compressed copy of the package source files, then the drive you specify must be
formatted with the NTFS file system, because the file allocation table (FAT) or
FAT32 file systems will not store the compressed files properly.
Note: The package source folder located on the site server is not the same as the
package source folder located on distribution points.
6-18 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Note: The multicast retry settings on the Distribution Points tab affect the
multicast transmission of image files from distribution points to clients during
operating system deployment. All other settings on this tab affect only the transfer
of packages from the site server to distribution points.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-19
Key Points
You configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent in preparation for software
distribution. The Advertised Programs Client Agent runs on client computers, and
allows clients to receive and run programs that you advertise. When you select the
Enable software distribution to clients check box in the Advertised Programs
Client Agent Properties dialog box in Site Settings, Configuration Manager
enables the Advertised Programs Client Agent on all computers within the site.
Before you perform software distribution, you should examine the configuration of
the Advertised Programs Client Agent, and make adjustments as necessary. You
adjust the configuration using either the General tab or the Notification tab in the
Advertised Programs Client Agent Properties dialog box.
Note: Checking for new advertisements is now part of the client polling interval
configured within the Computer Client Agent.
6-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points:
In this demonstration, you will see how to:
• Configure the Software Distribution component.
• Configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent.
Question: In the Advertised Program Client Agent, what is the default countdown
length?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-23
Configuration Manager distribution points store the package files necessary for
clients to run advertised programs. Distribution points allow clients to download
packages so that they can run advertised programs.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe distribution points.
• Describe standard and branch distribution points.
• Describe protected distribution points.
• Discuss guidelines for configuring distribution points.
6-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can use the software distribution feature to cause clients to run commands or
executables that already reside on the client, in which case no files need to be
distributed to the client computer. However, if you want to deploy new
applications or cause the client to run commands or programs that require new
files, you must place the necessary packages on a server so the client can access
them.
Distributing software over your network can consume large amounts of
bandwidth. Thus, planning the types, configuration, and placement of your
distribution points is important.
You can configure a distribution point as either a standard or branch distribution
point. Branch distribution points are often used in small offices that do not have a
server.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-25
Note: Standard and branch distribution points will be discussed in detail later in this
module.
Bandwidth Control
The transfer of packages from the site server to standard distribution points in the
same site is not subject to any bandwidth control. Thus, you should perform
distribution of large packages to distribution points at a time when such transfers
will not adversely impact other network operations.
The transfer of packages between sites is controlled by configuring the address that
is used to connect to the site. Configuration Manager uses BITS to transfer
packages to branch distribution points, thus conserving network bandwidth. You
can also conserve bandwidth by using BITS to transfer packages from standard
distribution points to clients.
Note: The branch distribution point role is the only site system role that can be
installed on a workstation-class operating system.
Question: How can you limit the network bandwidth consumed when packages
are transferred from distribution points to clients?
6-28 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Protected site systems are designed to allow administrators to better manage
network connections between clients and site systems. If you configure a site
system—such as a distribution point—as protected, then only clients located within
the boundaries you specify will be able to access the distribution point. Any clients
outside those boundaries will be unable to access packages from that distribution
point. This does not prevent clients from accessing distribution points not within
the protected boundaries. However, clients within the boundaries of a protected
distribution point will only access an unprotected distribution point if a protected
distribution point is unavailable, and only if the advertisement is configured to
allow fallback to unprotected distribution points.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-29
Scenario
You are the administrator of a single Configuration Manager site for Contoso, Ltd.
Contoso has the following offices:
• Corporate office in Winnipeg (7,000 staff, 20 information technology (IT)
staff, and 40 servers)
• Sales office in Ottawa (50 staff, two IT administrators, and five servers)
• Branch office in Virden (six staff, and no IT administrators or servers)
Bandwidth between offices is limited. As such, you have been asked to minimize
bandwidth usage.
Question: Which type of distribution point would you use in each location, and
why?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-31
Key Points
Clients downloading software packages have the potential to significantly increase
your network traffic. To distribute this load efficiently, you need to ensure that
enough distribution points have been assigned at the correct locations to
accommodate the traffic that application distributions generate on the local
network or over the wide area network (WAN). You should be aware of the
approximate size of the packages that you are distributing. Excessively large
packages may overload the network. You should plan for this while you are
designing your Configuration Manager installation and configuration.
6-32 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to:
• Configure a new distribution point.
• Add a distribution point to a new distribution point group.
create the site system server, and then select the Distribution point check box
from the Available Roles on the System Role Selection page to designate this
server as a distribution point.
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D and 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual
machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-D: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D: Configuration Manager 2007 R2 primary site server
in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual machine.
• Log on to 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D as Contoso\Ed using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
6-36 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
As the Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd, you need to prepare
the site for software distribution by configuring the software distribution
component, the Advertised Programs Client Agent, and a distribution point.
Estimated time: 10 minutes
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-37
Component
Scenario
You need to configure the software distribution component to store packages on a
specific drive on the site server. Because the Contoso Configuration Manager
hierarchy resembles the Contoso WAN topology, you also need to configure the
Software Distribution component to transfer packages from the nearest site in the
hierarchy.
The main task for this exercise is to configure the Software Distribution
component.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the software distribution
component.
6-38 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Agent
Scenario
You need to enable the Advertised Programs Client Agent on all clients so that new
software can be deployed during an upcoming project.
The main task for this exercise is to configure the Advertised Programs Client
Agent.
Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled the Advertised Programs Client
Agent.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-39
Scenario
You need to configure the distribution point to use BITS in order to minimize the
network bandwidth consumed by communication between clients and the
distribution point.
The main task for this exercise is to configure the distribution point.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a BITS-enabled distribution
point.
6-40 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
After preparing the site for software distribution, you can create software
distribution objects. In Configuration Manager, software distribution is always
targeted to a collection. In this lesson, you will learn how to create and manage
collections.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the collections.
• Explain how to create a collection.
• Explain how to populate collection membership.
• Describe subcollections, and how to create them.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-41
Key Points
A collection is a unit of management, reporting, and security. Collections provide a
means to discern which computers, devices, users, or other resources you will
manage or use for the task at hand.
For example, you could create a collection that includes all workstations without a
specific antivirus application installed. You could then advertise the antivirus
software to the collection. After the antivirus software is installed on a member of
the collection, that client will report the newly installed software during its next
inventory cycle. Once the site database updates, you can update the collection
membership to see that the computers that reported the newly installed software
are no longer members of the collection.
Collection membership can be direct or query-based:
• Direct membership is a way to manually define a collection by specifically
selecting the resources that you want to be members.
6-42 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
This means that you do not specify the individual resources that are to be
members of the collection. Instead, you define the rules by which those
resources are placed in the collection. These rules are defined as queries, and
Configuration Manager periodically reruns these queries to keep the collection
up to date.
Key Points
You can create a new collection by using the New Collection Wizard. When
creating a collection, you can specify the following elements:
• Name. Each collection requires a unique name.
• Membership rules. Membership rules define which resources are in the
collection. Membership rules can be query-based, or define direct membership.
Direct membership rules establish static membership for specific resources.
Query-based rules establish dynamic membership based on criteria you define.
• Update schedule. By default, all custom collections are updated daily at the
time of day that the collection was created. You can customize the collection
update schedule, or even choose not to update the collection on a schedule.
6-44 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Collection membership rules can be either direct, or query-based:
• Direct membership rules allow you to manually specify which resources are to
be collection members. This method offers the most control over membership.
However, because membership is static, you will need to update direct
membership rules if the collection membership should be changed. For
example, if you use direct membership rules to define a collection of user
resources for a project pilot, you will need to change the direct membership
rules as users in the pilot group change.
• Query-based membership rules allow you to create collections in which
membership is dynamic. Instead of specifying the individual resources in the
collection, you define the criteria by which membership is established. Each of
these rules is a query. Configuration Manager periodically runs the query to
update the collection.
You can include both direct and query-based membership rules in the same
collection.
6-46 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Important: You should always update collection membership and verify the
members displayed before advertising a program to a collection that includes
query-based membership rules. Failing to do so could cause serious problems. For
example, if, during the business day, you advertise a program that requires a restart
to a collection that inadvertently includes servers, you could cause unexpected
downtime or even cause loss of data on the servers that are forced to restart.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to create and update collections.
Demonstration Steps
Key Points
You can associate one collection with another by specifying a subcollection.
When working with subcollections, keep in mind:
• You can use the New Collection Wizard to create a subcollection as a new
subcollection, or you can link to an existing collection. If you create a
subcollection as a link to an existing collection, then the link is a reference to
the existing collection; it is not a duplicate collection. You can delete any
reference to the existing collection (subcollection link or original collection
definition) without actually deleting the collection, as long as at least one
reference to the collection remains. However, if you delete all references to the
collection, then the collection itself will be deleted.
• By using linked subcollections, a single collection can be a subcollection of
multiple collections. For example, you might create a collection for computers
in a particular branch office, then create a subcollection link to make the
branch office a subcollection of several different collections used to target
deployment of different software applications.
6-50 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to:
• Create a new subcollection.
• Configure a linked subcollection.
Configuring Collections
Although most client settings affect all clients in the site, Configuration Manager
2007 allows you to manage some settings—such as maintenance windows and
restart settings—by collection. In this lesson, you will learn how to configure
collection-level client settings.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the collection-specific settings.
• Explain how to configure maintenance windows.
• Explain how to manage maintenance windows.
6-54 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
In Configuration Manager 2007, you can configure a number of settings by
collection. These collection-level settings include:
• Maintenance windows. Maintenance windows allow you to specify a time for
mandatory advertisements and task sequences. Unless you specify a
maintenance window, mandatory advertisements occur at the earliest time that
all conditions for the advertisement are satisfied.
• Collection variables. Collection variables allow you to define custom variables
and their values for use in task sequences. For example, you could create a
task sequence that uses a variable to designate which server to access for
downloading a file, then set different values to that variable for different
collections.
• Restart settings. The Computer Client Agent allows you to configure restart
settings for all clients in the site. However, you can override those settings for
members of a collection.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-55
policy polling interval for all clients in the site. However, you can override that
setting for members of a collection.
• Automatic provisioning for out of band management. For computers that
support out of band management, you can configure automatic out of band
management controller provisioning. This enables out of band management
for the members of the collection that support that function.
6-56 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Maintenance windows allow you to configure a specific period of time during
which mandatory advertisements and task sequences can run on the client.
Assigning a specific start time for an advertised program does not ensure that the
program runs at that specific time. However, you can assign maintenance windows
to ensure that assigned programs do not run, and that Configuration Manager-
triggered restarts do not occur at inconvenient or undesirable times.
Best Practices
• If you use maintenance windows to restrict system changes, you should create
collections specifically for this purpose instead of using the default collections
or other custom collections.
• Include in the name of the collection a description of the maintenance window
for easy identification.
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Key Points
• You configure maintenance windows by selecting the collection and clicking
Modify Collection Settings in the Actions pane.
• You can easily identify collections with maintenance windows by viewing the
maintenance window column on the Collection node within the console.
• To determine maintenance windows for a particular computer, review the
Maintenance Windows Available to a Particular Client report.
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Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D and 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual
machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-D: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D: Configuration Manager 2007 R2 primary site server
in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual machine.
• Log on to 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D as Contoso\Ed using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
6-62 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Scenario
You need to create the collection for software distribution, add a maintenance
window, and configure a collection-specific restart countdown.
The main tasks for this exercise are:
1. Create and populate a collection.
2. Add a maintenance window for the collection.
3. Add a collection-specific restart countdown.
3. Browse to the Reports node and then run the All collections report.
4. Click the arrow next to the Deploy Office Viewers collection.
Question: Which computers are listed as collection members?
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a collection-specific restart
countdown for the Deploy Office Viewers collection.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-65
Key Points
Configuration Manager relies on packages and programs for software distribution.
• A package contains the files that a client needs in order to run a program.
• A program is the command that a client runs in order to process the package.
For example, you may want to use Configuration Manager 2007 to deploy a new
software application to computers in your company. The package would contain
the installation files from the application’s source media. The program would be
the command—such as setup.exe /unattended—that installs the application.
A package can contain whatever files that you want to deliver to the target
computers. For example, a package could contain updates to an application that is
already installed on the client. A package could contain data files that should be
copied to the client. You can even create an “empty” package that contains no
source files, if you want to use Configuration Manager to run an executable that
already exists on the client.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-67
settings that affect how the client should run the command. For example, if you are
using Configuration Manager to deliver data files to a specific directory on the
client, then the command could be the .bat or .cmd file that contains xcopy
commands needed to copy the data files to the correct location. Additionally, you
can configure the program to run the command as hidden, so that the user does
not see the copy occur. If the command needs to be run with administrative rights,
or if another program must be run first, then you can configure those options in
the program.
Packages can include multiple programs. For example, if a package contains the
installation files for an application suite, then you could create a separate
installation program for each application in the suite. You could also create a
program that installs the entire suite at once. You could even create a program that
uninstalls the applications.
Key Points
If your package will contain source files, then you need to specify the location of
those source files when you create the package. When you do, Configuration
Manager copies to the site server all of the files and folders in the package source
location that you specified.
You can specify as the package source directory either a universal naming
convention (UNC) path or a path from a local disk on the site server.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-69
You can use the New Package Wizard to create a package. You launch this wizard
from the Packages node under Software Distribution in the Configuration Manager
console.
When you create a new package, some of the settings you can configure include:
• Name. You must specify a unique name for each new package.
• Data source, if applicable. If the package contains source files (as most do),
then you must specify the location of the package source directory. The
package source directory may be specified as either a UNC path, or a local
path on the site server.
• Distribution settings. You can specify the priority and preferred method for
copying the package to other sites. You can also configure how branch
distribution points will acquire the package, and whether the package can be
transferred via multicast during the Windows Preinstallation Environment
(Windows PE) phase of operating system deployment.
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You can use the Create Package from Definition Wizard (to configure a package
and one or more programs automatically), by importing a package definition file
(.sms) or Microsoft Installer (.msi) file. If you use a package definition file to create
a package, then you must specify the location of the package source directory. If
you use an .msi file to create a package, then the location of the .msi file is
automatically configured to be the package source directory.
Question: In addition to specifying the source directory, what other option must
you select if you want to use the Update distribution points on a schedule option
on the Data Source page?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-71
Key Points
Each package has its own home page that displays nodes containing additional
information about the package. A package’s home page displays the following
nodes:
• Access Accounts. You can use the Access Accounts node to configure custom
user permissions for the package.
• Distribution Points. You can use the Distribution Points node to add, manage,
and update the distribution points to which the package is copied.
• Programs. You can use the Programs node to add and manage the package’s
programs.
• Package Status. You can use the Package Status node to review a summary of
the package’s distribution status.
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Key Points
Although packages contain the files that you distribute to clients, you advertise
programs, not packages. Thus, you cannot distribute a package to clients unless it
has at least one program.
Programs consist of a command line—including any parameters—that processes the
package on the client, and additional information—such as requirements and
settings that affect how the command will be run. Each package can contain
multiple programs. For example, in an application package, you might have one
program that performs an attended installation of the application, another program
that performs an unattended installation, and a third program that uninstalls the
application.
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• Program name. Each program requires a name that is unique within the
package.
• Command line. Each program requires a command line. The command line is
the command that the client will run, including any parameters required to
elicit the desired behavior.
• Requirements. Requirements define constraints for the program, such as
maximum allowed run time, and the platforms on which the program can run.
• Environment. Environment settings establish the conditions necessary for the
program, such as whether the program needs to run with administrative rights,
or with the command accessed by using a specific drive letter.
• Advanced settings. Advanced settings establish any dependencies or special
settings for the program. For example, a program may require that another
program be run first, or that the program be run for every user who logs on to
the computer.
• Windows Installer product information. The Windows Installer settings
display Windows Installer identification information, but only if you import an
.msi file in order to enable installation source management for the program.
• MOM Maintenance Mode settings. The Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM)
Maintenance Mode settings allow you to specify settings for interacting with
MOM or Microsoft System Center Operations Manager. For example, you can
configure the program to generate an Operations Manager alert if the program
fails.
To delete a program, right click-the program, select Delete, and use the Delete
Program Wizard to complete the process.
You may want to disable a program in order to keep it from running on computers
where it is advertised. To disable a program, on the <Program> Properties dialog
box, on the Advanced tab, select the Disable this program on computers where
it is advertised check box. To enable a disabled program, clear the Disable this
program on computers where it is advertised check box.
Question: On which page of the New Program Wizard can you enable program
dependencies?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-75
Key Points
Software distribution delivers packages to clients when programs are advertised to
collections. However, Configuration Manager can also deliver packages to
computers by including a program as a step in an Operating System Deployment
task sequence.
Installing a program during a task sequence allows you to install applications:
• Immediately after installing the operating system.
• By using multicast transmission during the Windows PE phase of Operating
System Deployment.
• Synchronously, ensuring that a task finishes before the next task in the
sequence begins.
• Before any user logs on to the computer.
Because packages installed as part of a task sequence are installed before users log
on, the packages you configure as part of a task sequence must run without user
6-76 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Question: What level of user interaction is required for a program that installs a
package during a task sequence?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-77
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to:
• Create a package manually.
• Configure a program manually.
• Create a package and programs from a package definition file.
Question: If the Maximum allowed run time option is set to Unknown, how long
will Configuration Manager allow the program to run?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-79
Programs
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D and 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual
machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-D: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D: Configuration Manager 2007 R2 primary site server
in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D virtual machine.
• Log on to 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D as Contoso\Ed using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
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As the administrator of the Contoso Ltd Configuration Manager site, you are
preparing to distribute a set of applications to Contoso workstations. You need to
create the package and programs necessary for distributing the software.
Estimated time: 10 minutes
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-81
Scenario
You need to create the package and programs necessary for the upcoming software
distribution.
The main tasks for this exercise are:
1. Create the package.
2. Configure the first program.
3. Configure the second program.
Note: The command line must be typed exactly as shown. The /q option configures
the program to run silently.
Note: The command line must be typed exactly as shown. The /q option configures
the program to run silently.
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified creation of both the Office
Viewers package, and the two programs it contains.
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Distributing Packages
Key Points
If your package contains source files, then clients will have to retrieve the package
before they can run any of the package’s programs. Thus, before you advertise a
program to a collection, you need to place the package that contains the program
on at least one distribution point.
Several wizards exist to help you manage the packages on your distribution points:
• New Distribution Points Wizard. The New Distribution Points Wizard allows
you to copy the package to distribution points that do not already contain the
package.
• Manage Distribution Points Wizard. The Manage Distribution Points Wizard
allows you to perform a number of tasks, including copying the package to
new distribution points, removing the package from distribution points, and
refreshing the package on distribution points where the package is already
stored.
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Note: Use caution when using removing packages from distribution points. If
remaining advertisements depend on the removed package, and if the client is
unable to retrieve the package from another distribution point, then the dependent
advertisements will fail.
• Copy Packages Wizard. The Copy Packages Wizard allows you to copy
multiple packages to a single distribution point, which is useful if you have
added a new distribution point to your site.
• Update Distribution Points Wizard. The Update Distribution Points Wizard
allows you to send the latest version of a modified package to all distribution
points on which the package is already stored.
Question: Which wizard allows you to update only one distribution point?
Key Points
In small or remote office deployments, installing a secondary site or standard,
server-based distribution point may be impractical. You can, however, support
such locations by installing one or more branch distribution points on existing
servers or workstations.
Note: The branch distribution point is the only Configuration Manager site system
that can be installed on a workstation-class operating system.
The management tasks for branch distribution points include the following:
• Prestaging packages. You can manually copy a package to a branch
distribution point in order to avoid transferring the package over a limited-
bandwidth network connection.
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Question: After copying the package files to the distribution point, what must you
do in order to complete the process of prestaging a package on a branch
distribution point?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-89
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to manage distribution points.
Advertising Programs
Key Points
An advertisement is an object that notifies members of a collection that a specific
program in a package is available for installation. When you advertise a program,
you specify:
• The package that contains the program.
• The program that is to be run.
• The collection that will run the program.
Note: Advertisements no longer replicate to secondary sites. You can assign clients
only to primary sites.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-93
Key Points
Each advertisement specifies exactly one package, one program, and one collection
(along with its subcollections, if applicable). The advertisement defines when a
program is available for execution. If the advertisement is mandatory, then it also
specifies the run schedule, whether Configuration Manager will wake up the client
before execution, and whether the program can ignore maintenance windows.
Creating Advertisements
You can create advertisements by using a number of different wizards, including:
• New Advertisement Wizard. The New Advertisement Wizard allows you to
create only the advertisement. You must first create the package, program, and
collection in order to use this wizard to create an advertisement.
• Distribute Program Wizard. The Distribute Program Wizard allows you to
place an existing package on one or more distribution points, and create an
advertisement for a specific existing program that targets either a new or
existing collections.
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Important: Before you advertise a program to your clients, you should thoroughly
test the program in a controlled environment.
Configuring Advertisements
Regardless of which wizard you use, when you create an advertisement, you can
specify the following options:
• Name. Each advertisement requires a unique name.
• Package and program. You must select one package and one program from
that package.
• Collection and subcollections. You must select one collection as the target of
the advertisement. Additionally, you must specify whether the advertisement
also applies to the target collection’s subcollections.
• Schedule. You must specify when the advertisement is available. Optionally,
you can specify a mandatory assignment schedule, whether the mandatory
assignment should invoke Wake On LAN, and whether the mandatory
assignment ignores maintenance windows for running the program or
rebooting the client.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-95
entire package to their client cache and then run the program locally, or run
the program from the distribution point. The Run program from distribution
point option instructs the client to use server message block (SMB) to connect
to the distribution point and retrieve the package files as needed to run the
program. You can specify different retrieval methods for clients depending on
whether they are connected to a fast network boundary or a slow or unreliable
network boundary. You can also specify that clients on a slow or unreliable
network boundary do not run the package. You configure the advertisement to
allow clients to use an unprotected distribution point if the package is not
available on a protected distribution point.
• Interaction. If you schedule a mandatory assignment for the advertisement,
you can also specify whether users can run the program independently of
assignments, whether reminders will still appear if they do run independently,
and whether a custom countdown should be used for the advertisement.
Modifying Advertisements
You can modify an existing advertisement by right-clicking the advertisement,
selecting Properties, changing the settings you want to modify, and then clicking
OK.
Question: Why must the advertisement be created only after the other three
distribution objects have been created?
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Key Points
Other tasks associated with managing advertisements include:
• Deleting advertisements. You can delete advertisements that are no longer
needed. Deleting unnecessary advertisements decreases the size of the policy
downloaded by the client
• Disabling and enabling programs. Advertisements cannot be disabled.
However, if you do not want an advertised program you run, you can disable
the program. If you disable a program, it is disabled for all advertisements. You
can re-enable disabled programs in order to allow the advertised program to
run.
• Re-running advertisements. You can cause clients to re-run mandatory
advertisements that have already been run. However, an advertisement can be
re-run only if the mandatory assignment schedule has not expired.
• Viewing status of advertisements. You can determine the status of an
advertisement in order to monitor the software distribution process.
Advertisement status is available within the System Status node.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-97
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to create an advertisement.
Create an advertisement
1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to Software Distribution.
2. Start the New Advertisement Wizard.
3. On the General page, specify the following:
• Advertisement name
• Package
• Program
• Collection
4. On the Schedule page, specify advertisement availability, any mandatory
assignments, and options related to scheduling.
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Key Points
When you use the Configuration Manager console to make a change that affects
clients, client policy is updated, and then sent to the management point.
During the first policy retrieval, the client downloads all the policy assignments
and policy bodies that apply. However, during each subsequent polling interval,
the client only downloads the policies that have changed. To conserve network
bandwidth, policy bodies are cached. However, policy assignments are not cached;
and the client does not apply cached policy bodies if the policy assignment no
longer applies. This process ensures that the client always gets the currently
applicable policy assignments and, thus, an up-to-date overall policy.
Key Points
When the client finds an advertisement and prepares to run the program, the agent
connects to an available distribution point to transfer or run the program. Then the
agent executes the program appropriately.
Advertised programs can be mandatory or optional. Mandatory advertisements can
be configured to run:
• As soon as possible
• After the next logon
• After the next logoff
• At a specific date and time
• On a recurring schedule
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Question: If a program is configured to run only when no user is logged on, and if
that program is advertised to run after the next logon, when will the program run?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-103
You will want to monitor software distribution to ensure that software deploys
correctly. Configuration Manager provides several methods to monitor and
troubleshoot software distribution. In this lesson, you will review software
distribution troubleshooting options and best practices.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Describe the methods used to monitor and troubleshoot software distribution.
• Describe Software Distribution home page features.
• Describe how status messages and status message queries help troubleshoot
advertisement and package issues.
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distribution.
• Describe the software distribution log files that you use to monitor software
distribution.
• Explain how to use the Client Spy utility to monitor software distribution.
• Describe and apply best practices for securing software distribution.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-105
Methods
Key Points
You have many options available to review and troubleshoot Software Distribution,
including:
• Home pages
• Software Distribution home page
• Packages home page
• Advertisements home page
• Software distribution reports
• Status messages
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• Client Spy
Key Points
The Software Distribution home page in the console tree displays summary
information for advertisements to clients. The information displayed includes:
• Top 10 active advertisements. The top 10 active advertisements for the past
seven days are displayed by default, but you can change the setting to display
the top 10 for the last day, or the last 30 days.
• Graphical summary of the selected advertisement. If you select an
advertisement from the list of top 10 active advertisements, then a chart that
displays a graphical summary of that advertisement’s status displays.
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Question: How can you display a graph depicting status for an advertisement?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-109
Key Points
You can use the System Status node to obtain status information and status
messages related to software distribution. The System Status node includes the
Package Status and Advertisement Status home pages. The Status Message
Queries node includes a number of status messages that you can use to
troubleshoot various aspects of software distribution.
Question: Which home page allows you to display status messages related to
transfer of packages to distribution points?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-111
Key Points
Configuration Manager provides several predefined reports that you can use to
review and troubleshoot software distribution issues.
Software distribution report categories are:
• Software Distribution - Advertisement Status
• Software Distribution - Advertisements
• Software Distribution - Collections
• Software Distribution - Packages
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Key Points
You can use several log files to help troubleshoot software distribution issues in
Configuration Manager. Both client log files and server log files can be useful.
Note: If Configuration Manager was installed to a drive other than the one on which
%ProgramFiles% exists, then the default location of the client log files will be the
Program Files\SMS_CCM\Logs folder on the drive where Configuration Manager was
installed.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-113
%Windir%\System32\CCM\Logs folder.
A few of the client log files that are useful when troubleshooting software
distribution are listed in the following table.
CcmExec.log Records activities of the client and the SMS Agent Host
service.
Sender.log Records files that are sent to other child and parent sites.
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Question: Which client log file records the process of running advertised
programs?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-115
Key Points
Client Spy, also referred to as the SMS Advanced Client Troubleshooting Tool,
allows you to troubleshoot a variety of client issues, including software
distribution, inventory and software metering. Client Spy displays software
distribution information by default.
Note: Client Spy is part of the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Toolkit,
which is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center.
Question: Which Client Spy tab allows you to view status information about
programs that have already run?
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-117
Key Points
Software distribution is a powerful feature, and it can be a major point of attack for
your company if you do not secure it properly. When installing packages,
Configuration Manager can use elevated rights in either the user or the system
context, even if the user does not have administrative rights.
To help prevent attacks, follow these best practices.
Secure software at the By default, administrators can fully access the package files
package-access level on distribution points, while users can only read them. Users
with administrative rights on client computers can set the
client to join any site, even if the computer is not within the
site’s boundaries. When the clients have joined the site, they
can receive any software distributions that are available at
that site, as long as the computer or user meets the
qualifications of the relevant collections. For this reason,
software that you want to limit to specific users should be
secured at the package access level, rather than by site
availability or collection criteria.
Remove the distribution By default, the site server is set up as a standard distribution
point role from the site point. However, you should assign this role to other site
server systems and remove it from the site server to reduce the
attack surface. Clients have no valid reason to talk directly
to the site server or any role configured on the site server.
After upgrading, if you SMS 2003 uses a different hash algorithm than
had packages in SMS Configuration Manager. To rehash all of the packages with
2003, update all the new algorithm, you should update all packages after
packages upgrade. Failing to do so might cause clients to discard
valid packages.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-119
Software Distribution
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D, and 6451B-NYC-
CL1-D virtual machines are running.
• 6451B-NYC-DC1-D: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D: Configuration Manager 2007 R2 primary site server
in the Contoso.com domain.
• 6451B-NYC-CL1-D: Windows 7 client in the Contoso.com domain.
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virtual machines.
• Log on to 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D as Contoso\Ed using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
• Log on to 6451B-NYC-CL1-D as Contoso\Andrea using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Scenario
As the administrator of the Contoso, ltd Configuration Manager site, you are
preparing for an upcoming software distribution. The package and programs
required have already been created. A collection has also been created for the
deployment, and your test computer is the only member of the collection. You
need to place the package on a distribution point, create the program
advertisement, test the process on your test computer, and review the results of the
software distribution process.
Estimated time: 40 minutes
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-121
Scenario
You need place the new package on a distribution point so that clients can
download it during the software distribution process.
The main task for this exercise is to deploy the package to a distribution point.
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Office Viewers
package has been distributed to the NYC-CFG1 distribution point.
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Scenario
You need to advertise the program to the collection that contains your test
computer.
The main task for this exercise is to advertise a program to a collection.
Summarization.
9. Refresh the Home Page to view the status of the Deploy Office 2007 Viewers
advertisement.
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Deploy Office 2007
Viewers advertisement has been created.
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Scenario
You need to advertise the program to the collection that contains your test
computer.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Initiate a policy update on the client.
2. Review log files.
3. Modify an advertisement.
4. Install a software package.
Note: You may need to wait up to five minutes or more for the information in the
following steps to be logged within the Execmgr.log file.
2. Find the mandatory execution entry in the log, and note the Advertisement
ID. Notice the following line states Create mandatory request for advert
Advertisement ID….
3. Find the line that contains the text WaitingDependency to WaitingContent,
and then notice the state change.
4. Find the line that begins with Content is available for program, and then
notice that the next log entry indicates the program cannot run because of a
service Windows restriction. This indicates that the program is waiting for
the next maintenance window.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-125
Note: The program will run silently. Wait at least two minutes before proceeding to
the next step.
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Results: After this exercise, you should have confirmed successful distribution of
both viewer applications to the test computer.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-127
Scenario
You need to review the results of your test deployment.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Review results.
2. Create an appropriate target collection and deploy Office Excel® Viewer
(challenge task—time permitting).
7. Refresh the Advertisement Status node, and notice the Received, Program
Started, Program Errors, and Program Success information displayed for
Deploy Office 2007 Viewers.
Question: What Program Started value displays for Deploy Office 2007
Viewers? What Program Success value displays? How do these values compare
to the Received value displayed? If a discrepancy exists, why?
11. Open the status message with Message ID 3900, and then notice that the
Advertisement ID is listed.
12. Open the status message with Message ID 10002, and then notice that the
client passed platform requirements.
13. Open the status message with Message ID 10035, and then notice that the
program has not started.
14. Open the two status messages with Message ID 10005, and then notice that
the programs both started.
Question: What are the Command lines?
15. Open the two status messages with Message ID 10008, and notice that the
programs completed successfully.
Results: After this exercise, you should have reviewed the results of software
distribution.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-129
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.
Review questions
1. What are some of the ways that software distribution can help reduce TCO?
7. Where would you find the server side log file for software distribution?
ConfigMgr Manual
No travel expenses High travel expenses
Lower cost per computer to deploy Higher cost per computer to deploy and
and install. install.
6-132 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
As the Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd, you learn that
recently there was an internal audit of software licenses. The audit found that a
very costly application was installed on more computers than it should have
been. Contoso had to purchase additional licenses to move back into
compliance. Your manager wants you to find a way to restrict a costly new
licensed application called Zyx.exe, to a few selected computers.
Solution
To meet these goals, create a package, a program, and a collection called ZYX.
Manually add to the ZYX collection only those computers that should have
this application. Then create an advertisement for the collection. At the same
time, add a software metering rule for this new application, and create a report,
so that your manager can monitor this application.
3. Scenario
As the Configuration Manager administrator for Contoso, Ltd, you are
responsible for ensuring that all computers have security updates applied.
Working with the security team, you have scheduled the Software Updates
Agent to scan and apply security fixes at 9:00 P.M. on Thursday evenings. A
few months later, the server manager informs you that his backups are failing
every Thursday night around 9 P.M. You both quickly realize that the backups
are failing because of the software updates. You need to find a solution fast.
Solution
The server manager and you agree to add maintenance windows to all servers.
Following best practices, you clone the All Windows Server Systems collection,
giving the new collection a name of “Sunday 4am-10am Servers only.” You
then enable the maintenance window from 4 A.M. to 10 A.M. Once this is in
place, the servers will not reboot during the backup.
Best Practices
1. Do not manually place any files directly on the SMSPKGx$ share. This share
should be used only by Configuration Manager. If you want to share files on a
server that is performing the distribution point role, you should use a separate
share.
2. For the Source directory path, do not specify path/filenames for package
source files that exceed 254 characters. Paths of this length cannot be
replicated.
Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 6-133
• Failed
• Summary Date
6-134 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module 7
Deploying Virtual Applications Using
Microsoft® System Center Configuration
Manager 2007
Contents:
Lesson 1: Configuring the Infrastructure to Support
Application Virtualization 7-3
Lesson 2: Deploying and Managing Application Virtualization Packages 7-18
Lesson 3: Using Virtual Application Programs 7-29
Lab: Deploying Virtual Applications to Configuration Manager Clients 7-35
7-2 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Module Overview
Key Points
The term application virtualization refers to running a program on a client
computer without a previously installed application. The traditional process of
installing an application’s files onto the local hard drive and adding entries to the
local registry is now isolated into its own virtual environment on the client.
Each virtual application’s isolated environment does not interact with operating
system settings or other application configuration settings on the client computer.
However, the virtual application can still access user data and system services
(such as print capabilities) as needed.
Depending on how you configure the virtual application package, separate virtual
applications may have limited interaction, or you may package multiple
applications into a combined virtual environment for full interaction (such as
might be the case for suite-based applications such as Microsoft Office).
7-6 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
One of the main benefits of using Configuration Manager to deploy virtual
applications is that it uses the same processes and infrastructure as standard
application deployments. However, before using Configuration Manager, you need
to enable specific settings and consider a few prerequisites.
To deploy a virtual application to Configuration Manager clients, do the following:
1. Obtain an App-V sequenced application. Configuration Manager 2007 R2
supports the deployment of virtual applications that were sequenced using the
App-V sequencer. This step in the process is crucial. As with standard
application packages, if an application is not properly sequenced, applications
may fail and cause end-user dissatisfaction.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-9
Note: For more information about App-V sequencing, refer to the Microsoft
Application Virtualization 4.5 Sequencing Guide at http://download.microsoft.com
/download/f/7/8/f784a197-73be-48ff-83da-4102c05a6d44
/App-45_Sequencing_Guide_Final.docx, and Advanced Sequencing with Microsoft
App-V found at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd459150.aspx.
2. Deploy the App-V client to Configuration Manager clients. You need an App-V
4.5 or newer client to run the virtual applications on the client computer. You
can deploy the App-V client using standard software distribution processes.
The App-V client also requires the following installations on the client
computer prior to deployment:
• Microsoft Visual C++® 2005 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86). If you
install the App-V client manually, you are prompted to install the Visual
C++ component. Otherwise you can download it from the following
location: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=116683.
• Microsoft Application Error Reporting. If your client does not have
Microsoft Application Error Reporting installed, you are prompted to
install this component during manual client installation. You can also
install the program from the Support folder within the self-extracting App-
V archive file.
Note: To support 64-bit operating systems, deploy the App-V version 4.6 (or newer)
client. All previous versions of the client only support 32-bit operating systems.
Question: Which two critical prerequisites need to be in place so that you can
successfully deploy virtual applications using Configuration Manager 2007?
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-11
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 allows you to stream virtual applications using
HTTP or HTTPS from a standard distribution point. You can also use a branch
distribution point to stream virtual applications using Server Message Block (SMB)
protocol.
Streaming delivery works best when clients have a high bandwidth connection to
distribution point servers. The end-to-end streaming delivery process is as follows:
1. Sequence an application, and save it to a source network share.
2. Create a virtual application package by running the New Virtual Application
Package Wizard. The New Virtual Application Package Wizard copies the
sequenced application package from the source network share to the site
server.
3. Select the distribution point servers and replicate the virtual applications to the
distribution points. Note that streaming does require additional storage space
on the distribution point. Application streaming requires two copies of the SFT
file to be stored on the distribution point, one to support the streaming feature
and the second to support application updates.
4. Create an advertisement targeting the new virtual application package to a
collection of client computers or users.
5. The Configuration Manager client evaluates the advertisement, and registers
the new application package with the App-V client. The App-V client creates
program shortcuts and file type associations for each program included in the
package. Streaming does not take place until the user clicks on one of the
program shortcuts.
6. The user clicks on one of the program shortcuts associated with the virtual
application package.
7. The App-V client streams the blocks of the virtual application package that are
required to launch the program into the App-V client cache directly from a
distribution point. The Configuration Manager client’s current location and the
policies contained in the advertisement for the virtual application package
determine which distribution point server App-V uses for streaming. After
streaming the initial block into the App-V client cache, the application
launches and displays for the user. Any additional blocks are streamed in the
background until the package is fully cached on the client computer. This
ensures that all application features are available when the client system is
offline.
Question: Since an application does not stream until a user launches the
application, what implications may this have on mobile clients?
7-14 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
Configuration Manager supports what is called virtual application local delivery
(or, download and execute delivery). When an administrator targets a client to
receive a virtual application, the Configuration Manager client receives the
advertisement, and then downloads the entire virtual application package to the
local Configuration Manager client cache. The Configuration Manager client also
registers the application with the App-V client, which then creates the program
shortcuts and file-type associations.
When a user clicks on a program shortcut, the Configuration Manager client calls
the App-V client to launch the application. The App-V client streams the
application from the local Configuration Manager cache into the App-V client
cache, and then starts the application.
The main advantage of this scenario is that the client computer maintains the full
application in the Configuration Manager client cache from the moment the
application package was advertised to the client. This ensures that clients that are
not connected to the network can still run virtual applications.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-15
If your target computers are only going to download and execute the virtual
application package, you do not have to configure streaming. However, you still
need to perform the following tasks:
1. From the Site Systems node, open the properties of the distribution point.
2. On the General tab, select the Allow clients to transfer content from this
distribution point using BITS, HTTP, and HTTPS check box.
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to configure distribution points to support
virtual application deployment. You will also see how to configure the Advertised
Programs Client Agent to allow virtual application package advertisements.
Demonstration Steps
Question: Which distribution point setting is required for both the streaming and
local delivery scenarios?
Question: You need to configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent to allow
virtual application package advertisement, but the selection is not available. What
might be wrong?
7-18 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Key Points
You can use the New Virtual Application Package Wizard to import virtual
applications that were created using the App-V sequencer. Consider the following
points when running the wizard:
• On the Package Source page of the New Virtual Application Package Wizard,
specify the Virtual Application Package Manifest XML file. The App-V
sequencer creates this file, which provides import instructions to
Configuration Manager 2007. If your sequenced application does not contain
this file, the application may have been sequenced with an App-V sequencer
previous to version 4.5.
• On the General page of the New Virtual Application Package Wizard, provide
general information about the package. You can use the Remove this package
from clients when it is no longer advertised option to automatically remove
a virtual application when the target computer is no longer within the scope of
management of the collection.
7-20 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
specify the location from which distribution points will copy the virtual
application packages. Once you have specified the destination directory, you
cannot change it.
After creating the virtual application package, you need to distribute the package to
distribution points. The process for distributing packages to distribution points is
exactly the same as with any software distribution package.
Question: You have just created a new virtual application package and imported
an existing Virtual Application Package Manifest XML file. What do you do next to
ensure clients can receive the virtual application?
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-21
Key Points
The final step in deploying a virtual application package is to advertise the package
to a collection of clients. To advertise a virtual application package you can either
use the New Advertisement Wizard or the Distribute Package Wizard.
how the client will run the virtual application. If you have enabled virtual
application streaming support on the distribution points, you can choose the
Stream Virtual applications from distribution point option. This option
assumes a fast network boundary, and you should only use it for intranet-
based clients.
• The Download content from distribution point and run locally option is the
default setting, and it ensures that the Configuration Manager client
downloads the entire package when it receives the advertisement. This setting
works best for mobile clients that are not connected to the network, and will
ensure that the entire package is available to the user.
Key Points
When you install the Configuration Manager 2007 R2 update, the update installs
several virtual application package tools on the site server that you can use to help
perform tasks related to importing, upgrading, and configuring virtual application
packages.
Note: After Configuration Manager 2007 R2 installation, you can access the virtual
application package tools at <ConfigurationManagerInstallationPath>\Tools
\VirtualApp. For detailed information about each tool, open the
SMSv4AppVToolsReadme.htm file.
7-24 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Tool Description
Key Points
Consider the following best practices when managing virtual application packages:
• Increase the default Configuration Manager 2007 client cache size. By default,
the Configuration Manager client cache size is set to 5 gigabytes (GB).
Consider increasing this size depending on the number of virtual applications
that you intend to deploy to clients. Additionally, if you deploy software
updates using Configuration Manager, the client cache must maintain an
adequate size so that it can support critical update deployments. Plan on
maintaining at least twice the amount of client cache space required for
application virtualization.
• Secure access to virtual application packages. Consider controlling who has
access to streamed virtual application packages. You can do this by modifying
the package access account settings.
7-26 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Application Packages
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to create and advertise a virtual application
package.
Demonstration Steps
Question: You have a large number of mobile users using virtual applications.
Which advertisement setting ensures that virtual applications will run when the
users are disconnected from the network?
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-29
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and App-V 4.5 both provide enhancements that
integrate communication paths for the client-side components. This integration
minimizes the client-side configuration requirements, and ensures that an
appropriate distribution point is selected whenever a virtual application is
launched on a client workstation.
Integration between the two clients is provided based upon the following:
• The App-V 4.5 client includes a command-line interface called SFTMIME that
controls virtual applications on a client workstation.
• The App-V 4.5 client includes an OverrideURL registry value that the
Configuration Manager client uses to provide distribution point location
information.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-31
Key Points
In this demonstration, you will see how to launch a virtual application package.
Demonstration Steps
Key Points
Configuration Manager 2007 R2 provides a number of reports and log files that
you can use to monitor and troubleshoot virtual application deployment.
The following table describes the reports and log files used for virtual application
monitoring:
files Description
• Count of all instances of virtual application packages.
• Count of all instances of virtual applications.
• Streaming store distribution status of a specific virtual
application package.
• Virtual application launch failures for a specific application.
• Virtual application launch failures for a specific computer.
• Virtual application launch failures over a number of days.
Client logs The Configuration Manager R2 client includes the following log
files used to record virtual application status information:
• VirtualApp.log. Tracks virtual application registration and
publishing.
• VAppLauncher.log. Tracks virtual application launches by the
user.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-35
Lab Setup
For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you
begin the lab, you must:
1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then
click Hyper-V Manager.
2. Ensure that the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, 6451B-NYC-CFG1-D, and the 6451B-
NYC-CL1-D virtual machines are running.
• NYC-DC1: Domain controller in the Contoso.com domain.
• NYC-CFG1: Configuration Manager 2007 server in the Contoso.com
domain.
• NYC-CL1: Windows® 7 client computer in the Contoso.com domain.
3. If required, connect to the virtual machines. Log on to the computers as
Contoso/Administrator using the password Pa$$w0rd.
7-36 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
You are an administrator for Contoso, Ltd. You were asked to prepare the
Configuration Manager environment to support the deployment of virtual
applications. You have already installed Configuration Manager Service Pack 2 and
the R2 update, and you were provided with sample virtual applications that were
sequenced by the application packaging department. First, you need to configure
the site to support virtual applications. You also need to deploy the App-V client to
users that will be running virtual applications. Finally, you will deploy the virtual
applications to target users and launch a virtual application.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-37
Virtualization
Scenario
Before deploying the App-V client, you must configure distribution points and the
Advertised Programs Client Agent.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Configure distribution points to support virtual applications.
2. Configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent.
3. Deploy the App-V client.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the infrastructure
requirements to support App-V deployment.
Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 7-39
Scenario
Now that you have prepared the infrastructure, you can deploy the virtual
application package to Configuration Manager clients.
The main task for this exercise is as follows:
• Import a virtual application package.
Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed a virtual application to
Configuration Manager clients.
7-40 Planning, Deploying, and Managing Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2
Program
Scenario
Now that deployment is complete, you can launch a virtual application and then
view related reports.
The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:
1. Launch a virtual application.
2. Review Virtual Applications reports.
Note: It may take a few minutes for the advertisement to appear. If it does not
appear, run the Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle again.
2. When the notification appears, click the notification, and then click Run.
3. On the desktop, double-click Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003.
Note: If some reports do not show results, switch to NYC-CL1 and run a Hardware
Inventory and Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle.
Results: After this exercise, you should have launched a virtual application on a
client and viewed related reports.
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.
Review Questions
1. You decide to incorporate App-V into your Configuration Manager
environment. What are the main prerequisites for App-V integration with
Configuration Manager 2007?
disk space, you remove all virtual applications from the client. You notice that
disk space availability has not changed. What should you do?
App-V 4.5 • Running virtual Available with the Microsoft Desktop Optimization
client applications on the Pack that is available to organizations subscribed to
client Software Assurance.
Module 2: Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture L2-1
Architecture
Lab A: Deploying a Configuration
Manager Site Server
Exercise 1: Installing Configuration Manager Prerequisites
Task 1: Check for existing prerequisites
1. Log on to NYC-CFG1 as Contoso\Administrator using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
2. Click Start, and then click Computer.
3. Double-click Allfiles (E:), double-click Labfiles, and then double-click
ConfigMgrSP2.
4. Double-click Splash.hta.
5. Click Run the prerequisite checker.
6. On the Installation Prerequisite Check Options page, fill in the following
and then click OK:
• SQL Server and instance, if applicable: NYC-CFG1
• SDK Server: NYC-CFG1
• Management point computer FQDN on the intranet: NYC-
CFG1.contoso.com
7. Record the missing prerequisites.
8. On the Installation Prerequisite Check page, click Cancel.
9. Close the ConfigMgrSP2 window.
L2-2 Lab A: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed the prerequisite components
for a Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 single-site deployment.
L2-4 Lab A: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server
Configuration Manager
Task 1: Extend the Active Directory schema with ExtADSch
1. Log on to NYC-DC1 as Contoso\Administrator using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
2. Click Start, in the Search programs and files box, type \\NYC-
CFG1\Labfiles\ConfigMgrSP2\SMSSETUP\BIN\I386, and then press
ENTER.
3. In the Explorer window, right-click extadsch.exe, and then click Run as
administrator.
4. In the navigation pane, click Local Disk (C:).
5. Double-click ExtADSch.log.
6. Review the log file for any errors. If there are errors, notify your instructor.
7. Close Notepad and the Windows Explorer window.
Security Settings for System dialog box, click OK, and then in the System
Properties dialog box, click OK.
11. Leave Active Directory Users and Computers open.
Results: After this exercise, you should have extended the Active Directory schema
and set permissions for the Configuration Manager server to publish information in
Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS).
L2-6 Lab A: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server
Next.
11. Review the Settings Summary page, and then click Next.
12. Review the Installation Prerequisite Check page, and then click Begin
Install.
Results: After this exercise, you should have begun the installation of Configuration
Manager 2007 and the Configuration Manager console on a separate machine. The
installation will run for about 30 minutes while the instructor continues with the
course. You will continue deploying a Configuration Manager site server in the next
lab.
Module 2: Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture L2-9
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Configuration Manager
installation has completed successfully.
Module 2: Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture L2-11
Management Container
Task: Verify the creation of the Configuration Manager objects in
AD DS
1. Connect to NYC-DC1, and in the Active Directory Users and Computers
window, click System.
2. Click the F5 key to refresh the screen.
3. In the results pane, double-click System Management. If the System
Management container does not exist, contact your instructor.
4. Verify that the SMS-MP-NYC-NYC-CFG1 object exists.
5. Verify that the SMS-Site-NYC object exists.
6. Leave Active Directory Users and Computers open.
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the System Management
container was successfully created in AD DS, and that the Configuration Manager
objects were created in AD DS.
L2-12 Lab B: Deploying a Configuration Manager Site Server, Continued
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and verified Configuration
Manager 2007 R2.
L2-14 Lab C: Managing Users and Configuring Boundaries and Discovery Methods
1. Connect to NYC-CFG1.
2. Click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft System Center, click
Configuration Manager 2007, and then click ConfigMgr Console.
3. Expand Site Database, expand Security Rights, right-click Users, and then
click Manage ConfigMgr Users.
4. In the ConfigMgr User Wizard, click Next.
5. On the User Name page, ensure Add a new User is selected, and then click
Browse...
6. Type SCCM_Full_Admin, click OK, and then click Next.
7. On the User Rights page, select Copy rights from an existing ConfigMgr
user or User group, and then click Next.
8. Ensure that the Source user is Contoso\Administrator, and then click Next.
9. On the User Rights page, ensure The listed rights are sufficient is selected,
and then click Next.
10. On the Summary page, click Next.
11. On the Wizard Completed page, click Close.
Manager folder
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, and then click Computer.
2. Double-click Local Disk (C:).
3. Right-click Microsoft Configuration Manager, and then click Properties.
4. Click the Security tab, click Edit..., and then click Add...
5. Click Locations, specify NYC-CFG1, and then click OK.
6. In the Enter the object names to select (examples): field, type SMS Admins,
and then click OK.
7. On the Permissions for Microsoft Configuration Manager dialog box, click
OK.
8. Click the Sharing tab, click Advanced Sharing..., click Permissions, and then
click Add...
9. Click Locations, specify NYC-CFG1, and then click OK.
10. In the Enter the object names to select (examples): field, type SMS Admins,
and then click OK.
11. On the Permissions for SMS_NYC dialog box, click OK.
12. In the Advanced Sharing dialog box, click OK.
13. In the Microsoft Configuration Manager Properties dialog box, click Close.
14. Close all open windows.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured Active Directory groups for
use with Configuration Manager 2007, and configured security for Configuration
Manager 2007.
Module 2: Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture L2-19
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a Configuration Manager
site boundary.
L2-20 Lab C: Managing Users and Configuring Boundaries and Discovery Methods
6. Click Close.
7. Leave the Configuration Manager console open.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured and run Configuration
Manager 2007 discovery.
L2-22 Lab D: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Configuration Manager 2007
Troubleshooting Configuration
Manager 2007
Exercise 1: Using the ConfigMgr Service Manager
Task 1: Configure SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent Logging
1. On NYC-CL1, in the Configuration Manager console, expand the Tools
node.
2. Right-click ConfigMgr Service Manager, and then select Start ConfigMgr
Service Manager.
3. In ConfigMgr Service Manager, expand NYC, expand Components, expand
SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent, and then select NYC-CFG1.
4. In the results pane, right-click SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent.
Question: What options are available?
Query and Logging,
5. Right-click SMS_AD_System_Discovery_Agent, and then select Logging.
6. In the Log size text box, type 4, and then click OK.
7. Collapse Components.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have reconfigured the
SMS_AD_SYSTEM_DISCOVERY_AGENT log file and used the ConfigMgr Service
Manager to manage Configuration Manager components.
L2-24 Lab D: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Configuration Manager 2007
Question: How many systems were discovered each time the discovery agent
ran?
Four
16. Click Tools, and then click Highlight.
17. Type ERROR, and then click OK.
18. Scroll through the log file.
Question: How many errors are there?
Two—once for each time you ran discovery and discovery found Bad-
Computer.
Question: What caused the error?
Bad-Computer caused the error.
Results: After this exercise, you should have used the Trace32 Highlighting and
Filtering tools to assist in analyzing a log file.
L2-26 Lab D: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Configuration Manager 2007
Results: After this exercise, you should have reviewed the status messages
generated from the error that was previously logged.
Module 2: Planning and Deploying a Single-Site Architecture L2-27
Note: This action clears the warning status. However, it will take a few minutes to
show the change.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured and tested a status filter rule
and a status summary threshold.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
• Ensure that Specify a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for this site
system on the intranet is selected.
• In the Intranet FQDN field, ensure that NYC-CFG1.Contoso.com is
entered.
• Ensure that Use the site server’s computer account to install this site
system is selected.
4. On the System Role Selection page, select the Fallback status point check
box, and then click Next.
5. On the Fallback Status Point page, accept the defaults, and then click Next.
6. On the Summary page, click Next.
7. Click Close.
8. In the Actions pane, click Refresh to update the Configuration Manager
console.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed various site system roles that
relate to client deployment tasks.
Module 3: Planning and Deploying Configuration Manager 2007 Clients L3-5
Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed the Configuration Manager
client using the client push installation method.
L3-6 Lab B: Verifying Client Deployment
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Configuration
Manager client has installed successfully.
L3-8 Lab B: Verifying Client Deployment
When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines back to their initial state. To
do this, complete the following steps:
1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V Manager.
2. Right-click the virtual machine name in the Virtual Machines list, and then
click Revert.
3. In the Revert Virtual Machine dialog box, click Revert.
4. In the Virtual Machines pane, click 6451B-NYC-DC1-C, and then in the
Actions pane, click Start.
5. To connect to the virtual machine for the next module’s lab, click 6451B-NYC-
DC1-C, and then in the Actions pane, click Connect.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it starts fully
before starting the other virtual machines.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step. Note that you will have to close the Configuration Manager Properties
dialog box and then reopen it to view the status change.
6. Click Configuration Manager, and then click the Components tab. Verify that
ConfigMgr Inventory Agent appears in the Component column, and that the
Status is Enabled.
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the hardware inventory cycle to complete
before moving to the next step.
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-3
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have verified that NYC-CL1 reported
hardware inventory by viewing the information in Resource Explorer.
L4-4 Lab A: Collecting Inventory
[SMS_Report (FALSE),
SMS_Group_Name (“CD-ROM”),
SMS_Class_ID (“MICROSOFT|CDROM|1.0”)]
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the Desktop Monitor and IDE Controller attributes.
The changes should look like the following examples:
[SMS_Report (FALSE),
SMS_Group_Name (“Desktop Monitor”),
SMS_Class_ID (“MICROSOFT|DESKTOP_MONITOR|1.0”)]
[SMS_Report (FALSE),
SMS_Group_Name (“IDE Controller”),
SMS_Class_ID (“MICROSOFT|IDE_CONTROLLER|1.0”)]
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-5
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
10. On the Actions tab, click Hardware Inventory Cycle, and then click Initiate
Action. In the Hardware Inventory Cycle dialog box, click OK.
11. Click OK to close the Configuration Manager Properties box.
L4-6 Lab A: Collecting Inventory
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the hardware inventory cycle to complete
before moving to the next step.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have modified hardware inventory
collection, and verified the changes.
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-7
15. In the Name box, type ClientLocation.log. This file will provide information
related to the client’s default management point.
16. In the Maximum size (KB) box, type 1024.
17. Click OK to close the Collected File Properties box.
18. Click OK to close the Software Inventory Client Agent Properties page.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
Note: Wait at least five minutes for the software inventory cycle and file collection
cycle to complete before moving to the next step.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have viewed collected files and software
inventory information.
L4-10 Lab B: Using Asset Intelligence
use the selected program to open this kind of file, and then click OK.
Maximize the Notepad window.
5. Search for the CCM_CALTrackConfig section:
a. On the Edit menu, click Find.
b. In the Find what box, type CCM_CALTrackConfig, and then click Find
Next.
c. Once you have found the second occurrence, click Cancel to close the
Find dialog box.
6. In the CCM_CALTrackConfig section, make the following changes:
• CALCollectionType = 3
• CALCollectionFrequencyDays = 0
• CALCollectionFrequencyMinutes = 5
The changes should look like the following example:
{
CALCollectionType = 3; //0-Disabled, 1-User CAL, 2-Device CAL,
3-All
CALCollectionFrequencyDays = 0;
CALCollectionFrequencyMinutes = 5;
CALCollectionTimeWindow = 90;
CALCollectionSupportedWindowsVersions = "5.0,5.2,6.0";
11. In the Administrator: command prompt, type gpupdate /force, and then
press ENTER.
12. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have configured the prerequisites for
Asset Intelligence.
L4-14 Lab B: Using Asset Intelligence
schedule
1. On NYC-CFG1, in the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database
(NYC - NYC-CFG1, Central Site - New York City).
2. Expand Computer Management, right-click Asset Intelligence, and then click
Schedule Catalog Synchronization.
3. In the Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point Schedule dialog box, select
Enable synchronization on a schedule.
4. Under Synchronization schedule, select Custom schedule, and click
Customize.
5. In the Custom Schedule dialog box, under Time, in the Start boxes, configure
a start date of June 1, 2010 and a start time of 1:00 PM.
6. Under Recurrence pattern, select Custom interval.
7. Under Recur every, set the interval to 1 Days.
8. Click OK to close the Custom Schedule dialog box.
9. Click OK to close the Asset Intelligence Synchronization Point Schedule
dialog box.
Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled Asset Intelligence, configured
an Asset Intelligence synchronization point, and scheduled synchronization.
L4-16 Lab B: Using Asset Intelligence
12. In the Configuration Manager console, in the Customize Catalog node, select
Custom Labels.
13. Right-click Custom Labels and click New Label.
14. In the New Label Wizard, on the General page, in the Label name box, type
Unsupported. In the Description box, type Software not supported by
Contoso IT, and then click Next.
15. On the Summary page, click Next.
16. On the Wizard Completed page, click Close.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step.
Note: Wait several minutes for the Software Inventory Cycle to complete before
moving to the next step.
Results: After this exercise, you should have customized the Asset Intelligence
catalog, imported licensing information, and initiated inventory reporting on a
client.
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-19
Results: After this exercise, you will have reviewed Asset Inventory data both in the
Configuration Manager Console, and by using reports.
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-21
Metering
Lab Setup
Exercise: Configuring Software Metering
Task 1: Enable and configure the Software Metering Client Agent
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft System
Center, point to Configuration Manager 2007, and then click ConfigMgr
Console. At the User Account Control prompt, click Yes.
2. In the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database (NYC - NYC-
CFG1 Central Site - New York City).
3. Expand Site Management, expand NYC - Central Site - New York City,
expand Site Settings, and then click Client Agents.
4. In the results pane, double-click Software Metering Client Agent.
5. On the General tab, select the Enable software metering on clients check
box.
6. On the Schedule tab, click Schedule.
7. Under Recurrence pattern, select Custom interval. Under Recur every, set
the interval to 3 Days, and then click OK.
8. In the Software Metering Client Agent Properties dialog box, click OK.
character *.
7. In the Language: box, select – Any --.
8. Click Next, and then click Finish.
then click Initiate Action. In the Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation
Cycle dialog box, click OK.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the policy update to complete before moving to
the next step. Note that you will have to close the Configuration Manager Properties
dialog box and then reopen it to view the status change.
Initiate Action. In the Software Metering Usage Report Cycle dialog box,
click OK.
Note: Wait at least two minutes for the cycle to complete before moving to the next
step.
6. Under Actions, select Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle, and
then click Initiate Action. In the Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation
Cycle dialog box, click OK.
7. Click OK to close the Configuration Manager Properties dialog box.
8. Close the System and Security window.
The Process ID xxx corresponds to the decimal value that this application has
in task manager. The RuleID NYC00yyy is the rule number automatically
assigned when you created each software metering rule.
The Found match and Tracked usage lines indicate that the client is metering
the configured software.
Module 4: Inventory Collection, Software Metering, and Asset Intelligence L4-25
Note: The RunMeterSumm tool must be run from the specified path. The command
is case-sensitive; the database parameter, SMS_NYC, must be typed in upper case.
5. Review the output of the RUNMETERSUMM command. Verify that the rows
added to File Usage Summary are greater than 0.
6. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER.
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed software metering information
by using a report.
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and run a query to find all the
discovered Windows® 7 systems.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-3
Results: After this exercise, you should have run a query to find all discovered
Windows 7 systems that have not yet had the client installed.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-5
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and run a status message
query.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-7
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed Internet Information Services
(IIS) with the components to support a reporting point.
L5-8 Lab B: Creating a Reporting Point
Role
Task: Add a new site system
1. Connect to the NYC-CFG1 computer.
2. In the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database, expand Site
Management, expand NYC - Central Site - New York City, and then expand
Site Settings.
3. Click Site Systems.
4. Right-click Site Systems, click New, and then click Server.
5. On the General page, in the Name field, type NYC-SVR2.
6. In the Intranet FQDN field, type NYC-SVR2.Contoso.com.
7. Select Use another account for installing this site system, and then click Set.
8. In the Windows User Account dialog box, in the User name field, type
Contoso\Administrator.
9. In the Windows User Account dialog box, in the Password field, type
Pa$$w0rd.
10. In the Confirm Password field, type Pa$$w0rd, click OK, and then click
Next.
11. On the System Role Selection page, check Reporting point, and then click
Next.
12. Review the Reporting Point page, and then click Next.
13. On the Summary page, click Next.
14. On the Wizard Completed page, click Close.
Results: After this exercise, you should have added a new site system with the
reporting point role.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-9
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed a report through Internet
Explorer.
L5-10 Lab C: Managing Reports
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a list report.
L5-12 Lab C: Managing Reports
1. Restore the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page. Refresh the page.
2. Click Contoso, and then select Computers by Manufacturer.
3. Under Report Information, click Values, select Microsoft Corporation, and
then click Display.
4. Review the results.
5. Close the report window.
6. Minimize the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a filter report.
L5-14 Lab C: Managing Reports
6. Minimize the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed a count report.
L5-16 Lab C: Managing Reports
9. Minimize the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and viewed linked reports.
L5-18 Lab D: Working with Dashboards
6. Close the Internet Explorer window that is open to the View ConfigMgr
Reports page.
Results: After this exercise, you should have created and used a dashboard.
L5-20 Lab E: Using SQL Reporting Services
Services
Exercise 1: Installing the Reporting Services Point Role
Task 1: Verify SQL Reporting Services
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, click All Programs, click Microsoft SQL Server
2008, and then click Configuration Tools.
2. Click Reporting Services Configuration Manager, and then click Yes at the
prompt.
3. Verify that Reporting Services Configuration Connection is connecting to:
• Server Name: NYC-CFG1
• Report Server Instance: MSSQLSERVER
4. Click Connect.
5. Click Service Account.
6. Verify that Use built-in account is selected, and that Local System is selected
in the drop-down list.
7. Click Web Service URL and verify the following settings:
• Virtual Directory: ReportServer
• IP Address: All Assigned
• TCP Port: 80
• SSL Certificate: (Not Selected)
8. Click Database and verify the following settings:
• SQL server: NYC-CFG1
• Database name: ReportServer
• Report Server Mode: Native
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-21
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed a Reporting Services point.
L5-22 Lab E: Using SQL Reporting Services
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the Reporting Services
point, and copied the existing reports from the reporting point to the Reporting
Services point.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data L5-23
Results: After this exercise, you should have viewed a report on the Reporting
Services point.
L5-24 Lab F: Installing and Using Client Status Reporting
Status Reporting
Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring Client Status
Reporting
Task 1: Install client status reporting
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, and then click Computer.
2. Double-click Allfiles (E:), double-click Labfiles, double-click ConfigMgrR2,
and then double-click Client Status Reporting.
3. Double-click ClientStatusReporting.msi.
4. On the Microsoft Configuration Manager 2007 R2 Client Status Reporting
page, click Next.
5. On the License Agreement page, select I accept the license agreement, and
then click Next.
6. On the Destination Folder page, click Browse.
7. In the Folder name field, type C:\Microsoft ConfigMgr Client Status\, and
then click OK.
8. On the Destination Folder page, click Next.
9. On the Installation page, click Next.
10. On the Setup Complete page, click Finish.
Results: After this exercise, you should have Installed and configured Client Status
Reporting.
L5-26 Lab F: Installing and Using Client Status Reporting
Reports
Task 1: Install client status reporting reports
1. Open the Configuration Manager console, expand Computer Management,
expand Reporting, and then click Reports.
2. Right-click the Reports folder, and then select Import Objects.
3. On the Welcome to the Import Object Wizard page, click Next.
4. On the MOF File Name page, click Browse.
5. Select C:\Microsoft ConfigMgr Client
Status\Reports\ClientStatusReports.mof, and then click Open.
6. On the MOF File Name page, click Next.
7. On the Objects page, click Next.
8. On the Comment page, click Next.
9. On the Complete page, click Finish.
10. Right-click Reports, and then click Refresh.
Display.
Question: When was the last DDR received?
Answers will vary.
Question: When was the last hardware scan?
Answers will vary.
Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and viewed a client reporting
status report.
Important: Start the NYC-DC1 virtual machine first, and ensure that it is fully started
before starting the other virtual machines.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the software distribution
component.
L6-2 Lab A: Preparing for Software Distribution
Agent
Task: Configure the Advertised Programs Client Agent
1. In the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database (NYC - NYC-
CFG1, Central Site - New York City), expand Site Management, expand
NYC - Central Site - New York City, expand Site Settings, and then click
Client Agents.
2. In the details pane, right-click Advertised Programs Client Agent, and then
click Properties.
3. Select Enable software distribution to clients.
4. Click the Notification tab, review options, and then click OK.
Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled the Advertised Programs Client
Agent.
Module 6: Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L6-3
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a BITS-enabled distribution
point.
L6-4 Lab B: Creating and Configuring a Collection
Collection
Exercise: Creating a Collection for Software Distribution
Task 1: Create and populate a collection
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft System
Center, point to Configuration Manager 2007, and then click ConfigMgr
Console.
2. In the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database (NYC - NYC-
CFG1, Central Site - New York City), expand Computer Management, and
then click Collections.
3. Right-click Collections, and then click New Collection.
4. In the New Collection Wizard, in the Name box, type Deploy Office Viewers,
and then click Next.
5. On the Membership Rules page, click the direct membership rule (computer
icon) button.
6. In the Create Direct Membership Rule Wizard, click Next.
7. On the Search for Resources page, configure the following information, and
then click Next:
• Resource class: System Resource.
• Attribute name: Name.
• Value: %.
pane to refresh.
10. In the details pane, select Deploy Office Viewers, and scroll right until you can
see the Maintenance Windows column. Verify that Yes appears in the
Maintenance Windows column for the Deploy Office Viewers collection.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured a collection-specific restart
countdown for the Deploy Office Viewers collection.
Module 6: Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L6-7
Configuring Programs
Exercise: Creating a Package and Configuring Programs
Task 1: Create the package
1. On NYC-CFG1, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft System
Center, point to Configuration Manager 2007, and then click ConfigMgr
Console.
2. In the Configuration Manager console, expand Site Database (NYC - NYC-
CFG1, Central Site - New York City), expand Computer Management, and
then expand Software Distribution.
3. Right-click Packages, point to New, and then click Package.
4. In the New Package Wizard, on the General page, configure the following
information, and then click Next:
• Name: Office Viewers.
• Version: 2007.
• Manufacturer: Microsoft.
• Language: English.
• Comment: Package by your name on today’s date.
5. On the Data Source page, select This package contains source files, and then
click Set.
6. In the Source directory box, type \\NYC-CFG1\Labfiles\Software\Office
Viewers, click OK, and then click Next.
7. On the Data Access page, configure the following information, and then click
Finish:
• Verify that Access the distribution folder through common ConfigMgr
package share is selected.
• Select Disconnect users from distribution points.
8. On the Summary page, click Next.
9. Click Close to close the New Package Wizard.
L6-8 Lab C: Creating a Package and Configuring Programs
Note: The command line must be typed exactly as shown, including the quotes.
Note: The command line must be typed exactly as shown, including the quotes.
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified creation of both the Office
Viewers package, and the two programs it contains.
L6-12 Lab D: Deploying Applications by Using Software Distribution
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Office Viewers
package has been distributed to the NYC-CFG1 distribution point.
L6-14 Lab D: Deploying Applications by Using Software Distribution
Results: After this exercise, you should have verified that the Deploy Office 2007
Viewers advertisement has been created.
L6-16 Lab D: Deploying Applications by Using Software Distribution
Note: You may need to wait five minutes or more for the information in the
following steps to be logged within the execmgr.log file.
4. In the Find dialog box, in the Find what box, type mandatory execution, and
then click Find. Click Cancel to close the Find dialog box. Review the log
entry. Notice that the next log entry states Creating mandatory request for
advert Advertisement ID....
5. Click Tools, and then click Find. In the Find dialog box, in the Find what
box, type WaitingDependency to WaitingContent, and then click Find. Click
Cancel. Review the log entry.
6. Click Tools, and then click Find. In the Find dialog box, in the Find what
box, type Content is available for program Visio Viewer, and then click
Find. Click Cancel. Review the log entry. Notice that the next log entry states
The package cannot run because of a service Window restriction. This
indicates that the program is waiting for the next maintenance window.
Module 6: Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L6-17
Note: The program will run silently. Wait at least two minutes before proceeding to
the next step.
Results: After this exercise, you should have confirmed successful distribution of
both viewer applications to the test computer.
Module 6: Distributing Software Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L6-19
Note: You may need to refresh several times before updated information displays.
4. Verify that Deploy Office 2007 Viewers is highlighted. Scroll right in the box
in which the advertisements display. Notice that 100 percent of the targeted
clients successfully ran the advertised program.
Question: What colors display for Deploy Office 2007 Viewers under Status
for Selected Advertisement?
Green should be the only color displayed, indicating that 100 percent of the
targeted systems successfully ran the program.
5. Click the Deploy Office 2007 Viewers link. If the Report Options dialog box
appears, select Open reports in a new window, and then click OK.
6. Review the Status of a specific advertisement report for Deploy Office 2007
Viewers, and notice that 100 percent of resources have accepted the
advertisement and have processed the advertisement successfully. Close the
ConfigMgr Report – Windows Internet Explorer window.
7. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to and expand System Status,
and then click Advertisement Status.
8. In the Actions pane, click Refresh.
L6-20 Lab D: Deploying Applications by Using Software Distribution
message, and then review Status Message details. Notice the program has
started.
Question: What are the Command lines?
The older command line is C:\Windows\system32\CCM\Cache\
NYC00003.1.System\PPTViewer\PowerPointViewer.exe" /q. The more recent
command line is C:\Windows\system32\CCM\Cache\NYC00003.1.System\
VisioViewer\visioviewer.exe" /q
Question: What is the Working directory?
The working directory for both programs is
C:\Windows\system32\CCM\Cache\NYC00003.1.System\
Results: After this exercise, you should have reviewed the results of software
distribution.
When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines back to their initial state. To
do this, complete the following steps:
1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V Manager.
2. Right-click the virtual machine name in the Virtual Machines list, and then
click Revert.
3. In the Revert Virtual Machine dialog box, click Revert.
4. In the Virtual Machines pane, click 6451B-NYC-DC1-D, and then in the
Actions pane, click Start.
5. To connect to the virtual machine for the next module’s lab, click 6451B-NYC-
DC1-D, and then in the Actions pane, click Connect.
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.
General tab, ensure that Enable software distribution to clients and Allow
user targeted advertisement requests check box is selected.
4. On the General tab, select the Allow virtual application package
advertisement check box.
5. Click OK.
Note: It may take a few minutes for the advertisement to appear. If it does not
appear, initiate the Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle again. You can
monitor the advertisement by selecting Advertisement Status in the Configuration
Manager console.
L7-4 Lab: Deploying Virtual Applications to Configuration Manager Clients
of the client computer. Click the notification, and then click Run. (If you do
not manually run the program, it will automatically run in 5 minutes). The
computer restarts once the program installation has finished.
28. After NYC-CL1 restarts, log on as Contoso\Administrator using the password
Pa$$w0rd.
Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the infrastructure
requirements to support App-V deployment.
Module 7: Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L7-5
Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed a virtual application to
Configuration Manager clients.
Module 7: Deploying Virtual Applications Using Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 L7-7
Program
Task 1: Launch a virtual application
1. On NYC-CL1, click Start, click Control Panel, and then click System and
Security.
2. Double-click Configuration Manager.
3. In the Configuration Manager Properties dialog box, click Actions.
4. Select Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle, click Initiate Action,
click OK at the prompt, and then click OK to close the Configuration
Manager Properties dialog box
5. Close the Control Panel. It may take a few minutes for the advertisement to
run.
6. When the advertisement appears in the notification area, click the notification,
and then click Run.
7. On the desktop, double-click Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003.
8. Close all open windows.
Results: After this exercise, you should have launched a virtual application on a
client and viewed related reports.
Important: Start the 6451B-NYC-DC1-D virtual machine first, and ensure that it is
fully started before starting the other virtual machines.