System Center Configuration Manager

System Center Configuration Manager

Development status	Active
Operating system	Windows NT
Platform	x64
Type	Systems management
License	Trialware
Website	microsoft.com/systemcenter

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM, also known as ConfigMgr),^[1] formerly Systems Management Server (SMS)^[2] is a systems management software product developed by Microsoft for managing large groups of computers running Windows NT, Windows Embedded, OS X, Linux or UNIX, as well as Windows Phone, Symbian, iOS and Android mobile operating systems.^[3] Configuration Manager provides remote control, patch management, software distribution, operating system deployment, network access protection and hardware and software inventory.

History

System Center Configuration Manager has evolved significantly since it was originally released as Systems Management Server in 1994. There have been a number of significant releases:

• Systems Management Server 1.0, released in 1994 along with Windows NT Server 3.5. This initial release was designed to support the management of MS-DOS, Windows for Workgroups, Windows NT, Macintosh and OS/2 desktops on Windows NT Server, NetWare, LAN Manager and Pathworks networks.
• Systems Management Server 1.1, released in 1995 to help customers migrate to Windows 95.
• Systems Management Server 1.2, released in 1996 with new remote control, SNMP, inventory, and network monitoring capabilities.^[4]
• Systems Management Server 2.0, released in 1999 to help with Y2K remediation efforts.^[5]
• Systems Management Server 2003, released in 2003 with improved stability, reliability, and software distribution capabilities.^[6]
• System Center Configuration Manager 2007, released in 2007 with support for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.^[7]
• System Center Configuration Manager 2012, released in 2012 with significant changes to application deployment capabilities.^[8]
• System Center Configuration Manager 1511, released in November 2015 to support Windows 10 and new Windows servicing options.^[9]
• System Center Configuration Manager current branch 1602, released March 11, 2016. New features include conditional access for PC's, Office 365 Update Management, greater management of mobile device and Windows 10.^[10]

SMS went through three major iterations:

• The 1.x versions of the product defined the scope of control of the management server (the site) in terms of the NT domain being managed.
• Since the 2.x versions, that site paradigm has switched to a group of subnets that will be managed together.
• Since SMS, 2003, the site could also be defined as one or more Active Directory sites.

The most frequently used feature is inventory management, which provides both hardware and software inventory across a business enterprise.

The major difference between the 2.x product and SMS 2003 is the introduction of the Advanced Client. The Advanced Client communicates with a more scalable management infrastructure, namely the Management Point. A Management Point (MP) can manage up to 25000 Advanced Clients.

Microsoft introduced the Advanced Client to provide a solution to the problem where a managed laptop might connect to a corporate network from multiple locations and thus should not always download content from the same place within the enterprise (though it should always receive policy from its own site). When an Advanced Client is within another location (SMS Site), it may use a local distribution point to download or run a program which can conserve bandwidth across a WAN.

Microsoft released the current generation of the product, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, in March 2012.^[11]

Requirements

System Center 2012 Configuration Manager client may require Microsoft Policy Platform (to allow a client to evaluate compliance settings).^[12]

See also

• Microsoft Servers
• Microsoft System Center
  • Data Protection Manager
  • Operations Manager
  • Virtual Machine Manager
• Configuration management
• Windows Server Update Services
• SYDI

References

1. "SCCM is not the Official Acronym for Configuration Manager 2007". Microsoft IT ConfigMgr 2007 Blog. Microsoft. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
2. "Migrating from Systems Management Server". microsoft.com. Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010.
3. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg682077.aspx#BKMK_SupConfigClientOS
10. "Now Available: Update 1602 for System Center Configuration Manager". blogs.technet.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
11. Microsoft System Center 2012 | Configuration Manager
12. "Prerequisites for Windows Client Deployment in Configuration Manager". Technet. Microsoft. Retrieved 2015-03-15. Microsoft Policy Platform 1.2.3514.0[: ] Required to allow clients to evaluate compliance settings.

External links

• Official website