Announcement: Configuration Manager Documentation Library Update for October 2012

[Yvette O'Meally]

First published on CloudBlogs on Oct, 31 2012

The Documentation Library for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager has been updated on the web and the latest content has Updated: October 1, 2012 at the top of the topic. There are no significant updates to the Configuration Manager 2007 Documentation Library this month.

These updates include prerelease documentation to support System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, and updates for the release version of System Center 2012 Configuration Manager.

In addition, you can find a new script on the Script Center: How to Disable the Software Updates Post-Deadline Randomization Delay . This script and related information lets you disable the installation randomization delay for required software updates that we clarified in our July documentation update . This change in behavior from Configuration Manager 2007 was introduced into System Center 2012 Configuration Manager to better support VDI, and is not configurable in the console. However, in Configuration Manager SP1, you will be able to control this behavior for required software updates and required applications, by using a new client setting, Disable deadline randomization. Note that although we’ve updated the prerelease TechNet documentation for this new setting, it is not yet available with the beta release of Configuration Manager SP1.

If you have questions or feedback about the documentation, you can contact us by using our usual address of SMSDocs@Microsoft.com .

What's New in the Documentation Library for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, October 2012

The following information lists the topics that contain significant changes since the September 2012 update.

Supported Configurations for Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following information:

• SQL Server 2008 R2 is not supported for a database cluster for Configuration Manager.
• Support statements for embedded operating systems.
• Configuration Manager SP1 installs SQL Server 2012 Express when you install a secondary site.
• To install a Configuration Manager site, the remote registry service must be enabled on the computer that hosts the site database.
• Cloud-based distribution points do not support IPv6, which is a Windows Azure limitation.
• Windows Server 2008 SP2 x86 is now listed as supported for a distribution point.
• Removed BITS server extensions as a requirement for distribution points.

What’s New in Configuration Manager SP1

- Updated with a link to Supported Configurations for Configuration Manager for more information about the newly supported operating systems and versions for Configuration Manager SP1. The Endpoint Protection section is also updated for information about the new Definition Update template that you can use with the Create Automatic Deployment Rule Wizard.

PKI Certificate Requirements for Configuration Manager

- Updated with information about the Configuration Manager SP1 cloud-based distribution point service certificate.

Planning for Discovery in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following:

• Best practice for Active Directory Forest Discovery to run it at a single site only in the hierarchy if you will enable this discovery method to automatically create boundaries.
• Configuration Manager SP1 Heartbeat Discovery data records include the version of the Configuration Manager client.

Planning for Site Systems in Configuration Manager

- Updated to clarify that you cannot install a System Center 2012 Configuration Manager management point on a computer that has a Configuration Manager 2007 client installed.

Planning for Sites and Hierarchies in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the Configuration Manager SP1 prerequisite for site expansion that the computer account of the central administration site must be a member of the Administrator group on the stand-alone primary site during the site expansion.

Planning for Communications in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following clarifications:

• WINS publishing supports an entry for the first HTTPS management point in a site as well as an entry for the first HTTP management point.
• Configuration Manager DNS publishing does not support a disjoint namespace.

Planning for Site Operations in Configuration Manager

- Updated with the information that the Update Application Catalog Tables maintenance task applies to all primary sites in the hierarchy.

Planning for Security in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the information that if you specify the trusted root key for additional security during client installation, you must also specify the site code, by using the Client.msi property SMSSITECODE=<site code>.

Planning for High Availability with Configuration Manager

- Updated to remove the incorrect statement that clients in the boundaries of a secondary site that has a management point can fall back to using a management point in their assigned site if the management point in the secondary site becomes unavailable.

Install and Configure Site System Roles for Configuration Manager

- Updated for information about how to configure cloud-based distribution points.

Technical Reference for Log Files in Configuration Manager

- Updated with several new log files for Configuration Manager and Configuration Manager SP1.

Step-by-Step Example Deployment of the PKI Certificates for Configuration Manager: Windows Serv...

- Updated for a new section, Deploying the Custom Web Server Certificate for Cloud-Based Distribution Points . These instructions provide an example deployment of the Configuration Manager cloud-based service certificate that is required for cloud-based distribution points in Configuration Manager SP1.

Configuration Manager Privacy Statement

- Updated for the latest privacy information for Configuration Manager SP1.

Introduction to Client Deployment in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following:

• Information about which features the Configuration Manager SP1 client for Mac computers support and do not support.
• Information about which features the Configuration Manager SP1 client for Linux and UNIX servers support and do not support.
• Information about installing the client on Windows Embedded devices that use write filters.

How to Install Clients on Windows Computers in Configuration Manager

- Updated for a new procedure to configure automatic client upgrades in Configuration Manager SP1.

How to Install Clients on Mac Computers in Configuration Manager

- Updated to restructure the information, based on customer feedback.

How to Install Clients on Mobile Devices and Enroll Them by Using Configuration Manager

- Updated to clarify that you can use the domainusername format to enroll a mobile device only if you first enter an email address format, wait for authorization to fail, and then enter your domain account credentials. If you try to use the domainusername format on the initial screen, you will see an error message that says this format not supported.

How to Manage Clients in Configuration Manager

- Updated to correct the temporary folder name for the cache, which is % windir %ccmcache. This folder name is also corrected in About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager .

About Client Settings in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following:

• Clarified that the client setting Schedule compliance evaluation is a default value only and can be changed for each deployment.
• Added the new Computer Agent , PowerShell execution policy value of All Signed , which is new in Configuration Manager SP1 and the new default value. There is also useful information about how to identify if unsigned scripts fail to run because of this client setting.
• Added the new Computer Agent , Disable deadline randomization setting, which is new to Configuration Manager SP1. This setting determines whether the client uses an activation delay of up to two hours to install required software updates and required applications when the deadline is reached.

About Client Installation Properties in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add the new CCMSetup property of /forceinstall, which lets you specify that any existing Configuration Manager client will be uninstalled before installing the new client. Information is also added about how to specify multiple values for the /skipprereq client installation property.

Example Scenario for Deploying and Managing Configuration Manager Clients on Windows Embedded D...

- New topic that demonstrates how you might manage embedded devices with write filters in Configuration Manager SP1. It includes installing the client, configuring a maintenance window, client settings, a required application, and Endpoint Protection.

Planning for Content Management in Configuration Manager

- Updated for information about cloud-based distribution points.

How to Create Applications in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add information about the new applications and deployment type lists for Configuration Manager SP1. This information is also added to How to Create Deployment Types in Configuration Manager . This topic also clarifies that you cannot create .appx applications from a Configuration Manager console that runs Windows XP.

How to Create and Deploy Applications for Mac Computers in Configuration Manager

- New topic that provides information about how to create and deploy applications for Mac computers in Configuration Manager SP1.

How to Deploy Applications in Configuration Manager

- Updated with the information that the Deploy automatically according to schedule whether or not a user is logged on option is named Pre-deploy software to the user’s primary device in Configuration Manager SP1. The functionality remains the same.

Introduction to Operating System Deployment in Configuration Manager

- Updated with the tip that you can use the Configuration Manager Upgrade Assessment Tool to help you identify which computers could run Windows 7 or Windows 8.

How to Manage Operating System Images and Installers

- Updated to add a new section for applying software updates to an operating system image, which includes a new Configuration Manager SP1 setting for “continue on error”. This topic also has a new procedure for applying software updates.

How to Manage Boot Images in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add a new section, “Configure Multiple Languages for Boot Image Deployment”.

How to Manage Task Sequences in Configuration Manager

- Updated for Configuration Manager SP1 new options to make the task sequence available.

Operations and Maintenance for Content Management

- Updated to remove the incorrect reference to validating content for distribution groups

How to Deploy Operating Systems by Using PXE in Configuration Manager

- Updated to correct the registry path for the exclusion list.

How to Manage Boot Images in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add the section “Configure Multiple Languages for Boot Image Deployment”.

Task Sequence Steps in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the following:

• The preprovision BitLocker step.
• The TPM and PIN option for key management for the Enable BitLocker step.
• That you can access content from the distribution point in Configuration Manager SP1.
• That you can use CCMSetup.exe command-line options in the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr step in Configuration Manager SP1.

How to Create Queries in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add the WQL query example for devices of a specific type. For example, this lets you create a collection for just Mac computers, or just Linux servers.

Prerequisites for Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager

- Updated for the required permissions to manage user data and profiles configuration items in Configuration Manager SP1.

How to Create User Data and Profiles Configuration Items in Configuration Manager

- Updated for information about how to enable user data and profiles configuration items in Configuration Manager SP1.

How to Create Windows Configuration Items for Compliance Settings in Configuration Manager

- Updated to add guidance about how to browse to registry settings on remote computers.

How to Create Mac Computer Configuration Items in Configuration Manager

- New topic that provides information about how to create and deploy configuration items for Mac computers in Configuration Manager SP1.

-- The Configuration Manager Writing Team

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.