FN-GM Posted March 22, 2012 Posted March 22, 2012 Hi, I am just wondering who is using SCCM please? What where the reasons you decided to go down this route please? Thanks
RabbieBurns Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) I am going to be using it as soon as I can figure out how the hell to get it installed. Ive got a thread on here somehere about my woes trying to get 2012 RC installed. If you manage it I would love some pointers The reasons I want to use it are a) cheaper than ghost which i would like to replace b) software audits c) will hopefull make deployments easier d) required for Forefront Endpoint Protection which I would like to replace sophos with Edited March 23, 2012 by RabbieBurns
FN-GM Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 Have you see the blog posts on here about how to install it? 1
RabbieBurns Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) only for 2007 I havent seen any for 2012 ? edit: Im sure the functionality of it is pretty much the same but I cant even get past the pre-requesite check to even begin getting it installed Edited March 23, 2012 by RabbieBurns
TheScarfedOne Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Hi OP. There is a load of information over on my blog EduGeek.net - TheScarfedOne - Blogs on setup and some of the things you can use it for - to manage your estate basically. Everything from OS, to Apps, to compliance, to audit, to security (Bitlocker), to standardisation....
FN-GM Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 Hi OP. There is a load of information over on my blog EduGeek.net - TheScarfedOne - Blogs on setup and some of the things you can use it for - to manage your estate basically. Everything from OS, to Apps, to compliance, to audit, to security (Bitlocker), to standardisation.... Thanks for the stuff you have uploaded. What was the main selling point for you please?
p858snake Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 only for 2007 I havent seen any for 2012 ? As tehscarfedone has pointed out his blog, But also if your a twitter person, You can always reach out to auteched and they might have a few pointers about it as well.
djwingfield Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 I have used it now for the last year, at a secondary school which I managed. The key reason we implemented it was the saving on anti-virus protection. But it does so much more out of the box, simple OS and software deployment’s with reporting. Personally it has it faults but testing SCCM 2012 these don’t exist anymore.
FN-GM Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 I have used it now for the last year, at a secondary school which I managed. The key reason we implemented it was the saving on anti-virus protection. But it does so much more out of the box, simple OS and software deployment’s with reporting. Personally it has it faults but testing SCCM 2012 these don’t exist anymore. Saving on AV? I didnt know it had one built in?
RabbieBurns Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 SCCM is a pre-requesite for using Forefront Endpoint Protection afaik 1
djwingfield Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Thats correct Rabbie Burns with SCCM 2007, you do need SCCM to manage your FEP clients. But with SCCM 2012 its a role stright out of the box.
sparkeh Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) Yep been using 2007 for a couple of years now at my largest primary and I love it. I initially looked into it when I was looking for a decent way to deploy software rather than gpo but saw that it did so much more. The big seller for me is the power of Task Sequences as there's so much you can do with them. For example you have fine control of how an OS is deployed and apps are installed. Using a TS for software deployments can be a Godsend; I had a particularly awkward bit of software that needed to go on approx 200 machines and needed lots of prerequisites and frequent manual reboots, the TS was scheduled to wake the machines up overnight, then work its way through checking the prereq and installing and rebooting if necessary, then shutting down. In the morning I just checked the report to mop up any problems. Edit: Oh I should also inform that I found it (like most other people I think) and absolute sod to get up and running, but well worth the effort. Edited March 23, 2012 by sparkeh
Davit2005 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) Set it up primarily for Remote Tools as worked out cheaper than VNC for the amount we needed but am aiming to do a hell of a lot more with it when time allows (deployment, hardware/software reports, WSUS etc). Having a remote tool to dial into staff workstations has in itself been a god send and to have a group of usefull tools in one interface is brill. Edited March 23, 2012 by Davit2005
sparkeh Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 to have a group of usefull tools in one interface is brill. I concur, SCCM really does wrap up lots of admin tasks into one interface. Oh and another thing I should mention, throw RAM at it like its going out of fashion
ben604 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 We're testing it at the moment to save on AV as others have mentioned above, and I'm not lying when I say it took me 2-3 days to get it installed and finding clients/deploying the client software. This forum helped me more than most - how can I configure SCCM 2007 SP1 in Windows Server 2008 - www.windows-noob.com Then, use the logs to work out why your client won't deploy (as it probably won't initially!!) the BITS Transfer Log (the BITS bandwidth may need to be increased, it was deploying at 25kb/s for me initially) and the SCCM Log - "ccmsetup" in System32. Once you've cracked it though, it works great.
Davit2005 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Found SCCM 2007 was a lot easier to install than SCCM 2005, remember all the fun I had with BITS install on SCCM 2005, and just trying to get the client deploying. I do seem to have one issue though, I don't want the client installing on every workstaion it finds in AD.
ben604 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Found SCCM 2007 was a lot easier to install than SCCM 2005, remember all the fun I had with BITS install on SCCM 2005, and just trying to get the client deploying. I do seem to have one issue though, I don't want the client installing on every workstaion it finds in AD. You can change the scope of your Discovery Methods in Site Management - Your Site - Site Settings - Discovery Methods and lock it down to certain OUs or Security Groups. 1
Davit2005 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 (edited) You can change the scope of your Discovery Methods in Site Management - Your Site - Site Settings - Discovery Methods and lock it down to certain OUs or Security Groups. Had created a Security Group in AD and added the computers I want SCCM to manage to that group while setting up SCCM, but also had an AD discovery going on aswell. I've deleted a few machines out of the collection both ones not in the security group and ones that belong to the security group. I shall wait with interest till Monday, unless I get completely bored over the weekend and remote in. Edited March 23, 2012 by Davit2005
chazzy2501 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 SCCM Licensing for clients is included in EES but not servers right?
Gatt Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 I swear by SCCM 2007 - its saved me a lot of work in the long run.. Got it running on my home network (sad I know but hey!) and its great for keeping my PCs up to date and for getting softawre to them all. When I worked in the school I got it up and running and used it to great effect - it did everything, Software Distribution, OS Deployments, Software Updates, Reporting, Asset reporting and tracking. This was a godsend when it was up and running as I could schedule OS Builds by adding PCs to a dedicated collection based on the image (EG "Pupil Build - Reboot" would re-image any member machine the next time it was rebooted with a Pupil based image) and all machines could be manually rebuilt via F12. Had a small VBScript that would then remove the PC from that collection when the succes event code was triggered. Would seriously recommend using it in Native Mode - there is a great TechNet article on how to create all the needed certificates, for all other aspects windows-noob is the best website to goto for information and guides.. Happy to help anyone if needed
ben604 Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Just a quick question then - what are the benefits of deploying the OS with SCCM over say, FOG or another imaging solution?
Gatt Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 I'll need to give just a quick overview for now as I need to be getting off for an interview Basically SCCM installs everything from scratch using Task Sequences (OS, Drivers, Pre-App updates, Applications, Post-App Updates, etc) It is Zero Touch meaning you dont need to go anywhere the machine to press F12, etc.. Can't speak for FOG, but WDS is a flat image based (OS Only or a captured image from a machine) installation MDT is similar to SCCM but is lite touch - meaning you still need to get to the PC to press F12. Will go into a bit more detail later tonight
FN-GM Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 Also you can send out apps after the inital install with SCCM.
andydis Posted March 23, 2012 Posted March 23, 2012 Also you can send out apps after the inital install with SCCM. Yes if supported ( silent install / batch files / swicthes / MSI)
FN-GM Posted March 23, 2012 Author Posted March 23, 2012 Yes if supported ( silent install / batch files / swicthes / MSI) Am i also rightin thinking it works like WSUS and you set them to install at a certain time etc? Thanks
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