Configuration Manager (CCM) is a Microsoft product that allows for comprehensive device and application management. It provides capabilities such as software deployment, patch management, hardware and software inventory, operating system deployment, endpoint protection, compliance settings, and reporting. CCM integrates with other Microsoft products and services and allows for centralized management of physical, virtual, and mobile devices. It is widely used due to its large install base and tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. While powerful, CCM still requires expertise to implement and use successfully.
2. Quick Facts
About Us Approach Partnerships
• 23rd Year • Vendor • Microsoft Gold
• Grand Rapids & Independent • VMware
Royal Oak • Non-reseller Enterprise
• 30 Staff • Professional • Citrix Silver
Services Only • Cisco Premier
• Novell Gold
8. Novell - Summary
• Almost no new deployments, exclusively
upgrades
• Ability to differentiate between device and
user, managing both configurations distinctly
• Asset Management, Patch Management, and
Endpoint Security in a common console
• Strong Linux and Windows management
• Newest version supports MacOS; “MDM”
through ActiveSync
9. Dell - Summary
• Appliance based – separate devices for OSD,
management, and MDM (spring 2013)
• Appliances are easy to deploy, maintain, and
upgrade (a challenge in this space)
• Meets needs of midsize (200-5k PCs)
organizations, but doesn’t scale for
enterprises
• OSD is strong and intuitive, but other areas
such as reporting are weak
10. Microsoft - Summary
• SCCM is the dominant product in the
market
• New user-centric model
• Maintain corporate compliance and control
while empowering employees
• Unified infrastructure that gives a “single
pane of glass” to manage physical, virtual,
and mobile clients.
11. Microsoft – Strengths and
Weaknesses
• Tight integration with the SC2012 suite
• Large install base makes it easy to find consultants,
contractors, IT personnel and active user communities
• Supports Mac OS X and Linux (discovery, inventory,
app deployment, updates, Antivirus)
• MDM with Intune add-on
• Single pane of glass with Role-Based Access Control
(RBAC)
• While the product has been simplified, SCCM is still
complex; it requires deep expertise to implement and
use successfully
12. SCCM 2012
New Benefits
• Improved settings • Reduce compliance
management with complexity
remediation • Reduce cost through
• Integrated antimalware integrated security
• Delegated administration
SP1 release includes the ability to manage and deploy thin
clients, POS devices, and other Windows Embedded
devices, as well as create and provision Windows To Go
portable workspaces
13. SCCM 2012 Feature Set
• Systems Management/Remote Control
• Inventory
• Software Metering
• Software Updates
• Application Management
• Operating System Deployment
• Endpoint Protection
• Mobile Device Management
14. Systems Management/Remote
Control
• The SCCM Client Agent
• Discovery
– AD integration finds users and workstations
– Software discovery finds all installed applications
– Can be scheduled
• Collections
– Logical units for managing users or computers
– Dynamic or static
• Remote Control Tools
15. Asset Intelligence & Inventory
• Hardware Inventory
• Software Inventory
• Asset Intelligence
– Provides tools to collect inventory data
and to monitor software license usage
16. Software Metering
• Monitors software usage data
– Track where software is deployed
– How many users actually run the program
– Whether users still use the program (lifecycle)
– Which times of day a program is most used
• Increases value of expensive software
• Provides a means to “true up”
– Reconcile licensing requirements for renewals
– Remain compliant
17. Endpoint Protection
• Integrated with the client agent
• Simple process to enable client protection
• Easy to configure policies for different systems
• Automatic uninstall of competing products
• Reporting on definitions, viruses, and more
18. Software Updates
• Integrated with Windows Server Update
Services (WSUS)
– Leverages the client agent
– No need for GPOs in this case
• Create packages of updates for deployment
(just like applications)
• Updates can be configured for automatic
approval
– Endpoint Protection definition updates
20. Application Management
• Create Applications for Deployment
– Several deployment types are supported:
• Windows Installer (.msi files)
• Script Installer (.exe or .bat files)
• Application Virtualization (App-V)
• Windows Mobile Cabinet (.cab files), IOS, Android
– Applications are Published to Distribution Points
• Distribution Points are great for WANs
• Reduces latency on remote networks
• Increases efficiency and speed of deployment
21. Application Management (cont.)
• Application Advertisements
– Applied to collections of systems or users
– Can be scheduled
– Can be set as mandatory
• How does the client know?
– Software center (Start Menu) & Application catalog (self-service website)
– Policy evaluation cycle
22. Compliance & Settings
Management
• Create a baseline and ensure that all user
devices comply with that baseline through either
auto remediation or alerts
• Integrates with SCSM to automatically create
incidents on baseline drift
23. Operating System Deployment
• Creates OS images for deployment
– Standardized for your organization
– Reduces time to deploy or upgrade systems
• Methods for deployment
– PXE-boot
– Bootable media
– Removable media
24. OSD (cont.)
• Task Sequences in OSD
– Custom tailor your deployments
– Add model-specific driver packages
– Join domain, configure networking
– Migrate user profiles using USMT
– Install applications
– Install software updates and patches
25. That’s not all!
• Reporting
– Uses SQL Server Reporting Services
– Tons of useful reports out of the box
– Create custom reports to suit your needs
• MDM through ActiveSync
– Password complexity
– Remote wipe
– Device encryption
– Disable camera
– Disable removable storage
– Disable Bluetooth
– Disable SMS
• MDM with Intune subscription (reduced cost with SC2012)
– Software distribution
26. Thank You
Royal Oak Grand Rapids
306 S. Washington Ave. 15 Ionia SW
Suite 212 Suite 270
Royal Oak, MI 48067 Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(248) 546-1800 (616) 776-1600
www.cdh.com