Krishnamoorthy V

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Datacenter Configuration Management using System
Center

• Krishnamoorthy V
• IT Infrastructure Architect Tata Consultancy
  Services Ltd

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Session Objective and Agenda

• Asset Intelligence
• Software Update Management
• Desired Configuration Management
• Software Distribution
• Operating System Deployment

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• Asset Intelligence

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Why Asset Intelligence?

• Extend Inventory Capabilities
• Identify and Categorize Software in use
• Ensure business continuity
• Drive compliance integration
• Determine upgrade readiness

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Benefits of Asset Intelligence  

• Asset Intelligence Console Dashboard
• Asset Intelligence reporting class settings
  dialog
• Asset Intelligence catalog updates
• Compatibility with virtualized applications
• Role-based security
• Software license management improvements

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Asset Intelligence Reporting  

• Hardware Reporting
• Identification of Computers that have changed
  since last Inventory
• Cycle
• USB Device Discovery
• Processor Age
• Computer Upgrade Readiness
• Software Reporting
• Software metering capabilities
• Recently-used executables reporting
• Computers where recently-used executables ran
• Categorization of Software
• License Management Reports
• Client Access License tracking (CALs)
• Per-Processor tracking

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Asset Intelligence

• DEMO

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Software Update Management
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Key Improvements - SUM
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SUM - Architecture
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Software Update Process

• Software Updates are Composed of two main parts
• Metadata
• Information about each software update
• Stored in the site server database
• Software Update Files
• Download and run to install the software update
• Three Operational Phases
• Synchronization
• Software update metadata is synchronized
• Compliance assessment phase
• Client computers scan and report their compliance
  state
• Deployment phase
• Admin Selects updates for deployment
• Policy is sent to clients
• Update files are downloaded and installed.

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Software Update Objects

• Update Lists
• Contains set of software updates
• Updates are added to an update list
• Deployment Templates
• Provide Consistency
• Drag and drop an Update List or Update
• Deployment Packages
• Used to download and update the DP
• Shared folder for the deployment package source
  files
• Update Deployments
• Updates are delivered to client computers by
  creating software update deployments

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SUM End to End
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Software Update Management

• DEMO

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Desired Configuration Management
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Overview of DCM

• DCM will enable customers to
• Define corporate configuration standards
• Report on configuration compliance across managed
  Windows systems
• Combine DCM compliance data with other feature
  areas of Configuration Manager to remediate
  clients
• Regulatory compliance reporting
• Define and report against tangible configuration
  policies for regulatory compliance
• Pre- and post- change verification
• Ensure system readiness
• Verify accuracy and efficacy of planned changes

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DCM Terms and Concepts

• Configuration Item (CI)
• Units of configuration
• Application CI
• Operating System CI
• General CI
• Software Updates CI
• Configuration Baseline
• A complex type of CI composed
• of other CIs which are
• Required
• Optional
• Prohibited
• Can be assigned to collections
• for compliance monitoring

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Overview Data Flow
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Compliance

• Compliance is evaluated on a number of different
  levels.
• The levels are
• The compliance of a configuration item
• The compliance of a configuration baseline rule
• The compliance of each configuration baseline
• The compliance of a client computer
• Evaluation happens in the following order
• Applicability
• Detection
• Compliance of objects and settings
• Results
• Not Applicable
• Not Detected
• Compliant or Non-Compliant
• Failed

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Desired Configuration Management

• DEMO

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Software Distribution
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Overview of S/W Distribution

• Controlled deployments
• Use administrator-created collections to target
  systems
• Collections based on inventory data to identify
  systems with similar hardware or operating system
  attributes
• Use different program options to different
  collections
• Provides better deployment success
• Scheduled deployments (including assignments)

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ConfigMgr S/W Distribution

• Identifies an SCCM package (source files and
  programs)
• Moves program source files around the enterprise
• To staging locations (distribution points)
• To remote locations (child sites)
• To target computers (clients)
• Launches a command line program
• Potentially providing administrative rights
• Reporting status of the application deployment

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How the Client Handles S/W Distribution
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DP and Branch DP

• Distribution Points
• Store files
• Function as distribution centers
• Download Access point
• BITS-level Resume
• Branch Distribution Point

• Efficient package distribution
• Assigned packages
• XP workstation / Vista can be a Brach DP
• Depends on a standard distribution point
• Cannot be placed on server shares

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Branch DP Communications
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Maintenance Window

• A collection-based method to enforce scheduled
  changes to managed systems
• Manages changes to systems
• Operating System Task Sequences
• Software Update Deployments
• Software Distribution Advertisements
• Safety Net
• Doesnt impact activities
• Scheduled inventory, baseline evaluation, policy
  polling
• Configuration
• Defined per collection
• Over-rides available
• Best practices around management

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Software Distribution

• DEMO

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Operating System Deployment
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Servers Have unique Challenges

• Hardware Configurations
• Bios Management
• Remote Management Diagnostics
• Utilities and Drivers
• OEM utilities

• Advanced Network Configuration
• Static IP Addresses
• Multiple network adapters
• NIC Load Balance, speed/duplex configuration
• Clustering

• Complex disk configuration
• Driver Management
• Multiple physical disks
• Partition model, design
• RAID array

• Server Role definition post deployment
• Longhorn Server Manager
• SMO Roles
• File and Print
• Location specific

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Whats new in ConfigMgr OSD
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Deployment Scenarios

• New Machine
• Clean install - Wipe and Load. No migration
  considerations
• Wipe-and-load
• Target and install OS to existing H/W. with
  apps
• Side-by-side
• Machine to machine, user and app data migration
  are
• possible
• In-place migration
• Scripted, targeted OS upgrade (not wipe and
  load), sent as
• software distribution package
• Offline with removable media
• Removable media (CD/DVD, USB flash drive)
• PXE boot
• WDS integration, network boot delivered
• OEM
• Partial OS Deployment, support for H/W reseller

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OSD Architecture
? Admin creates Task Sequence and advertises to
collection containing client
? Admin creates OS image and boot image and
replicates to DP.
Site Server
? Client sends status as Task Sequence executes
MP
DP
? Client retrieves Task Sequence from MP and
executes it
? Client retrieves boot image and OS image
referenced in Task sequence
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WDS and ConfigMgr
ConfigMgr Site Server
? Admin advertises task sequence to collection
containing new computer
Site DB
? ConfigMgr provider in WDS looks for computer in
ConfigMgr database
? If computer is found, WDS proceeds. If not
found, WDS tries next provider
ConfigMgr MP
WDS Server
? WDS Server downloads WinPE to new computer
? ConfigMgr code in WinPE contacts MP to get task
sequence that was advertised
? New computer PXE boots
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Operating System Deployment

• DEMO

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References

• System Center Product Family Homepage
• http//www.microsoft.com/systemcenter
• System Center Configuration Manager Homepage
• http//www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/configmgr/de
  fault.mspx
• Configuration Manager Documentation Library
• http//technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb68065
  1.aspx
• Learn more from Configuration Manager Webcasts
• https//www.microsoft.com/events/series/technetmms
  .aspx?tabwebcasts
• id42364

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