Course Description
This 5-day instructor-led course describes how to configure and manage client devices and servers using Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager and its associated site systems. The course focuses on day-to-day management tasks, including managing software deployments, updates, client health, hardware and software inventory, compliance, endpoint protection, application management, mobile device management, querying and reporting.
The latest version of System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager provides numerous improvements and new mobile device management (MDM) IT capabilities for managing mobile platforms including Google Android OS, Apple iOS on iPhones and iPads, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Phone 8. Improvements in bring your own device (BYOD) for Windows 7 and Windows 8 clients are also covered in this course.
Module 1: Overview of System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager is a user-centric product and belongs to the Microsoft System Center 2012 suite of products. A user-centric product is one that focuses on the management of users and the devices they have rather than the devices and the people that might use them. You can use System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager for functions such as asset management, application management, compliance management, software updates management, mobile device management, operating system deployment, and monitoring and reporting. In this module, you will learn about the basic features of System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, the various types of sites, and the site system roles that you can deploy. Several features of the previous versions of Configuration Manager have been redesigned in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager. This module will cover the enhancements and modifications made to the Configuration Manager console. You will explore the interface of the Configuration Manager console and learn how to navigate through it to find the required features. Finally, you will review the tools available for monitoring and troubleshooting Configuration Manager.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
Lesson 2: Overview of the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Architecture
Lesson 3: Managing Configuration Manager by Using the Configuration Manager Administration Tools
Lesson 4: Using Tools for Monitoring and Troubleshooting a Configuration Manager Site
Lab : Performing Administration Tasks by Using the Configuration Manager Tools
Exercise 1: (Level 200) Exploring the Configuration Manager Console
Exercise 2: (Level 200) Searching in the Configuration Manager Console
Exercise 3: (Level 200) Using Windows PowerShell with Configuration Manager
Lab : Monitoring and Troubleshooting a Configuration Manager Site
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Managing Components by Using Configuration Manager Service Manager
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Monitoring Site and Component Status
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Reviewing Log Files by Using Configuration Manager Trace Log Tool
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the purpose and functionality of System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Describe the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager architecture.
Identify and locate the management features available in the Configuration Manager console.
Identify and use the tools available to monitor and troubleshoot a Configuration Manager site.
Module 2: Discovering and Organizing Resources
You can manage computer and user resources within a System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager environment only when Configuration Manager has discovered these resources and assigned them to a site. In this module, you will learn about boundaries and boundary groups that help create logical network locations containing discovered computers based upon IP addresses or Active Directory sites. You can use these boundary configurations for client site assignment and for helping clients find content efficiently from associated site systems. You will also learn about the discovery processes that you can use to identify computers, users, and the network infrastructure within your network environment. You will then learn about collections that support logical groupings of resources. You use these groupings for management tasks such as targeting software updates, managing applications, or deploying compliance settings to resources.
In addition, you will learn to implement role based administration by using security roles, security scopes, and collections. Role based administration determines both the tasks that an administrative user can perform, and the objects and resources on the user can perform those tasks.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Configuring Boundaries and Boundary Groups
Lesson 2: Configuring Resource Discovery
Lesson 3: Configuring User and Device Collections
Lesson 4: Configuring Role-Based Administration
Lab : Configuring Boundaries and Resource Discovery
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Boundaries and Boundary Groups
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configuring Active Directory Discovery Methods
Lab : Configuring User and Device Collections
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Creating Device Collections
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating a User Collection
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Configuring a Maintenance Window
Lab : Configuring Role-Based Administration
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring a New Scope for Toronto Administrators
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configuring a New Administrative User
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Configure boundaries and boundary groups.
Configure resource discovery.
Configure user and device collections.
Configure role-based administration.
Module 3: Managing the Configuration Manager Client
You can install the System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager client software on devices such as workstations, laptops, servers, and mobile devices. This enables you to manage these devices and perform operations such as reporting hardware and software inventory information, installing software, and configuring settings required for compliance. Configuration Manager 2012 provides several options for installing the client software. This module covers the supported operating systems and devices as well as the software requirements and the different methods for installing the client software. After installing the client software, you can configure the client settings to perform routine management tasks. This module describes some of the default and custom client settings that you can configure. The module also describes how to monitor the operations and client health of the Configuration Manager client software by using alerts and the client health evaluator.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of the Configuration Manager Client
Lesson 2: Deploying Configuration Manager Clients
Lesson 3: Managing Client Settings in Configuration Manager
Lesson 4: Configuring and Monitoring Client Status
Lab : Deploying the Configuration Manager Client
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Preparing the Site for Client Installation
Exercise 2: (Level 300): Deploying the Configuration Manager Client by Using Client Push Installation
Exercise 3: (Level 300): Deploying the Configuration Manager Client by Using Group Policy (Optional)
Lab : Managing Client Settings
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Client Settings
Lab : Configuring and Monitoring Client Status
Exercise 1: (Level 200) Configuring and Monitoring Client Communication and Health Status
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the requirements and considerations for installing the Configuration Manager client.
Deploy the Configuration Manager client.
Manage client settings.
Configure and monitor client health.
Module 4: Managing Inventory and Software Metering
The first feature that you likely will use in your System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager implementation is inventory collection. Collecting hardware and software details provides a foundation that you can use with many other advanced features, such as application deployment. For example, you can use inventory details such as memory, operating system, IP address, or installed applications to identify clients that might need an upgrade, or as a basis for creating custom collections. To enhance standard inventory collection, you can implement the Asset Intelligence feature to provide additional data for reports and information about the software titles installed on specific clients.
Software metering provides a way to monitor and collect software usage data from your System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager clients. When you combine this data with software inventory and Asset Intelligence, can help you determine a number of software-usage scenarios to assist with planning software deployment and licensing.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Inventory Collection
Lesson 2: Configuring Hardware Inventory
Lesson 3: Configuring Software Inventory
Lesson 4: Managing Inventory Collection
Lesson 5: Configuring Asset Intelligence
Lesson 6: Configuring Software Metering
Lab : Configuring and Managing Inventory Collection
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Hardware Inventory
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configuring Software Inventory
Lab : Configuring and Managing Asset Intelligence
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Preparing the Site for Asset Intelligence
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configuring Asset Intelligence
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Customizing Asset Intelligence
Exercise 4: (Level 300) Viewing Asset Intelligence Reports
Lab : Configuring Software Metering
Exercise: (Level 300) Configuring Software Metering
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe inventory collection in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Configure and collect hardware inventory.
Configure and collect software inventory.
Manage inventory collection.
Configure asset intelligence.
Configure software metering.
Module 5: Querying and Reporting Data
System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager stores a large amount of data about the devices in your environment. You may not always want to perform all of management tasks on all of the devices simultaneously. Therefore, to help you locate devices in your environment that meet specific criteria, you can create queries. You then can use these queries to create collections or to find clients and install the Configuration Manager client on them. This module describes queries and the methods to create and run them. Additionally, you may want to run reports about your environment. To be able to run Configuration Manager reports, you have to install a reporting services point, which this module details.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to Queries
Lesson 2: Managing Queries
Lesson 3: Configuring SQL Server Reporting Services
Lab : Creating and Running Queries
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Creating Data Queries
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating Subselect Queries
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Creating Status Message Queries
Lab : Configuring Reporting
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring a Reporting Services Point
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe data and status message queries.
Configure and manage data and status message queries.
Configure and manage Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services in Configuration Manager.
Module 6: Managing Software Distribution and Deployment by Using Packages and Programs
Traditionally, Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 product lines utilized packages and programs for deploying software. System Center 2012 Configuration Manager introduced the concept of applications, which provides a new software deployment model that is more flexible than the traditional packages and programs. However, this did not eliminate the need to use packages and programs.
You will typically deploy software to Windows and Apple OS X computers using applications. However, you can still use packages and programs in many situations for Windows-based computers. For example; you can deliver content to Windows-based clients to support running scripts. Additionally, packages and programs are used to deploy content to Linux and UNIX-based computers.
This module is the first of many that focus on software deployment. This module describes how to manage software by using packages and programs, while subsequent modules cover the application-management model.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Configuring Software Distribution
Lesson 2: Configuring Packages and Programs
Lesson 3: Distributing Content to Distribution Points
Lesson 4: Deploying Programs to Configuration Manager Clients
Lab : Managing Software Deployment by Using Packages and Programs
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Preparing the Infrastructure for Software Deployment
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating a Package and Configuring Programs
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Distributing Content to a Distribution Point
Exercise 4: (Level 300) Deploying a Program to Configuration Manager Clients
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the software distribution process and configure software distribution settings.
Configure packages and programs.
Distribute content to distribution points.
Deploy programs to Configuration Manager clients.
Module 7: Creating and Deploying Applications
The System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager application deployment model improves on the capabilities of packages and programs for delivery of software to Windows operating systems, Macs, and mobile devices. When deploying to Windows and Mac operating systems, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, in addition to packages and programs, uses Configuration Manager applications. These applications are best for deploying modern software, because they provide a more intelligent software deployment model. Using the Configuration Manager application deployment model gives you the ability to create a single deployment for Windows-based clients and mobile device clients that provide different installation options depending on specifically defined conditions. For example, you can install an application locally on a user’s primary device and deploy a virtual version of the application when they are on other devices, all through the same deployment. This is accomplished through features such as requirements, dependencies, and additional features such as state-based reporting and detection methods which help you create intelligent deployments. In this module, you will learn about the application model and the basics for creating, deploying, and managing applications with Configuration Manager. You will also learn how to use Configuration Manager Software Center and Configuration Manager Application Catalog to install available applications.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Application Management
Lesson 2: Creating Applications
Lesson 3: Deploying Applications
Lesson 4: Managing Applications
Lab : Creating and Deploying Applications
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Installing and Configuring the Application Catalog Roles
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating Applications that use Requirements
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Deploying Applications
Lab : Managing Application Supersedence and Removal
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Application Supersedence and Removal
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Uninstalling the Excel Viewer Application
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe application management in Configuration Manager.
Create applications.
Deploy applications.
Manage applications.
Module 8: Deploying Additional Application Types
Windows 8 introduced a new application type named Windows Store App, which is written specifically to run on Windows 8 devices. Windows Store Apps have a new Extension: .appx, which facilitates installation to multiple device types across the internet and within your enterprise. System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager allows you to install Windows Store Apps to Windows 8 devices either by linking to Windows Store Apps or installing .appx files directly.
In many cases you might want your users to have access to an application that is not installed directly on their computer. Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) allows you to install applications in an isolated, non-permanent, environment on a Windows-based computer. Managing virtualized applications with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager is similar in approach to managing other applications.
In this module you will learn about managing deployments of Windows Store Apps and virtualized applications.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Deploying Windows Store Apps by Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
Lesson 2: Deploying Virtual Applications by Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
Lab : Deploying Windows Store Apps by Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Support for Sideloading Windows Store Apps
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configure a Windows Store App
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Deploying Windows Store Apps to Users
Lab : Deploying Virtual Applications by Using Configuration Manager 2012
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring Support for App-V
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating and Deploying Virtual Applications
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Deploy Windows Store apps by using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Deploy Virtual applications by Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Module 9: Deploying and Managing Software Updates
For many organizations, the process of maintaining software updates has become a priority in their standard network management tasks. Software update management helps ensure that computer devices maintain operational efficiency and maintain the security and stability of the network infrastructure.
By using the software updates feature in Configuration Manager, you can implement an end-to-end process for managing the complex task of identifying, deploying, and monitoring software updates to your Configuration Manager clients.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of the Software Updates Feature
Lesson 2: Preparing a Configuration Manager Site for Software Updates
Lesson 3: Managing Software Updates
Lesson 4: Configuring Automatic Deployment Rules
Lesson 5: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Software Updates
Lab : Configuring the Site for Software Updates
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring and Synchronizing the Software Update Point
Lab : Deploying and Managing Software Updates
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Determining Software Update Compliance
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Deploying Software Updates to Clients
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Configuring Automatic Deployment Rules
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe how the software updates feature integrates with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Prepare a Configuration Manager site for software updates.
Configure a site for software updates.
Manage the evaluation and deployment of software updates.
Configure automatic deployment rules.
Monitor and troubleshoot software updates.
Module 10: Implementing Endpoint Protection by Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager provides a number of security-related features that you can use to help protect client computers from malware threats and configure specific Windows Firewall settings for clients. System Center 2012 R2 Endpoint Protection functionality supports the deployment, management, and monitoring of antimalware policies and Windows Firewall settings on client computers.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Endpoint Protection in Configuration Manager
Lesson 2: Configuring and Monitoring Endpoint Protection Policies
Lab : Implementing Endpoint Protection
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Configuring the Endpoint Protection Point and Client Settings
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Configuring and Deploying Endpoint Protection Policies
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Monitoring Endpoint Protection
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe how Endpoint Protection is used to detect and remediate malware and security vulnerabilities.
Configure, deploy, and manage Endpoint Protection policies.
Module 11: Managing Operating System Deployment
You can use the operating system deployment feature in Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager to create images that you can deploy both to computers managed by Configuration Manager and to unmanaged computers. There are several scenarios for deploying operating systems with Configuration Manager ranging from deploying to new systems to upgrading existing systems. Operating system deployment uses both Configuration Manager components and Windows components to manage and deliver operating systems images. The deployment process allows you to customize the image both before capturing the image and after deploying it with post-image steps.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Operating System Deployment
Lesson 2: Preparing the Site for Operating System Deployment
Lesson 3: Building and Capturing a Reference Operating System Image
Lesson 4: Deploying an Operating System
Lab : Preparing the Environment for Operating System Deployment
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Managing Site System Roles Used to Support Operating System Deployment
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Managing Packages to Support Operating System Deployment
Lab : Building and Capturing a Reference Image
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Creating a Build and Capture Task Sequence
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Capturing the Reference Computer
Lab : Performing an In-Place Upgrade
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Preparing the Operating System Image
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Creating a Task Sequence to Deploy an Image
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Deploying an Image
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe operating system deployment.
Prepare a site for operating system deployment.
Capture operating system images.
Deploy operating systems.
Module 12: Managing Compliance Settings and Profiles
One of the more difficult tasks that IT administrators face is to ensure that all the systems in their organization are configured, and stay configured, in an optimal state. IT administrators and team members must have confidence that the systems’ configurations are correct, regardless of whether they are monitoring changes to servers or documenting compliance requirements. The compliance settings feature can play a key role in documenting existing configurations, in quickly discovering systems that have undesired configuration changes, and in automatically remediating some undesired configurations.
This module will detail the compliance settings feature, and how you can use it to manage your systems.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Compliance Settings
Lesson 2: Configuring Compliance Settings
Lesson 3: Viewing Compliance Results
Lab : Managing Compliance Settings
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Managing Configuration Items and Baselines
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Viewing Compliance Settings Reports
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Configuring Remediation in Compliance Settings
Exercise 4: (Level 300) Using Compliance Information to Create Collections
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the compliance settings feature.
Configure the compliance settings feature.
View compliance results.
Module 13: Mobile Device Management Using System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager
As mobile devices become more capable, an increasing number of people use them not only for retrieving e-mail messages, but for working on organizational documents. Because mobile devices are now often used for tasks traditionally performed by desktop computers, many organizations have begun to approach managing those devices as they would traditional desktop computers. In this module you will learn about performing mobile device management through the Exchange Connector for Configuration Manager. You will also learn how to integrate Windows Intune with Configuration Manager for Mobile Device Management (MDM).
Lessons
Lesson 1: Overview of Mobile Device Management with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager 2012
Lesson 2: Managing Mobile Devices by Using the Windows Intune Connector
Lesson 3: Managing Configuration Manager Enrolled Mobile Devices
Lesson 4: Deploying Applications to Mobile Devices
Lab : Managing Mobile Devices Enrolled By Windows Intune
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Preparing Windows Intune and Configuration Manager Prerequisites
Exercise 2: (Level 300) Enrolling and Configuring a Windows Phone 8 Mobile Device
Exercise 3: (Level 300) Enrolling a Standalone Windows 8.1 Device
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Explain the functionality of the Exchange connector.
Describe the functionality of Windows Intune.
Configure the Windows Intune connector for System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Enroll Mobile Devices to be managed by System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Deploy applications to mobile devices.
Module 14: Configuring Wake On LAN, Power Management, and Remote Control
Managing client computers remotely is an integral part of managing a network efficiently and is a key feature in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager. Typically, it is not feasible logistically or financially to travel to a client station to perform minor repairs or assist with software issues. Nor do you always want to have computers running before you deploy software applications or updates. To help reduce energy costs and environmental impact, you may want to monitor and implement corporate-wide power-management policies that you can use to control the state of client computers. There also may be situations in which you need to reconfigure BIOS settings on remote computers, or turn on or off remote computers. System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager supports various types of remote-management tasks through the use of Wake On LAN, power-management policies, Remote-control and out-of-band management features.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Configuring Wake On LAN
Lesson 2: Overview of Out of Band Management
Lesson 3: Configuring Power Management Settings
Lesson 4: Configuring Remote Control
Lab : Configuring Power Management Settings
Exercise 1: (Level 300) Applying a Power Management Plan
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Configure the Configuration Manager Wake On LAN feature.
Describe out-of-band management.
Configure power-management settings.
Configure Remote Control features.