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The next major successor of System Center Configure Manager 2007 R2 is currently known as SCCM v.Next. If you like to try out the lasted version you can download the a beta at Microsoft Download Center here. Microsoft also provides some Virtual Labs to build-up your SCCM v.Next skills.

The following SCCM v.Next Virtual Labs are available:

• TechNet Virtual Lab: Deploying System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Maintaining Healthy Clients in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Introduction to System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Implementing Settings Management in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Implementing Role-Based Administration in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Implementing Software Updates in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Deploying a System Center Configuration Manager v.Next Hierarchy
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Basic Software Distribution in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  
• TechNet Virtual Lab: Advanced Software Distribution in System Center Configuration Manager v.Next
  

To manage your SCCM 2007 environment you will mainly use the MMC snap-in. When you like to manage it remotely from your workstation, you have the ability to install the management console on your workstation by using the setup files. After you have installed you MMC snap-in you will need the appropriate permissions in the SCCM environment. When everything is in place you can start the MMC from your workstation. When started you can expect the following error message:

The ConfigMgr console could not connect to the ConfigMgr site database Verify that this computer has network connectivity to the SMS Provider computer and that your user account has Remote Activation permissions on both the ConfigMgr site server and SMS Provider computers. For more information, see “How to Configure DCOM Permissions for Configuration Manager Console”

Usually this message appears when your user account has no Remote Activation DCOM permissions. Your account should be a member of the local “SMS Admins” group on your SCCM site server. Giving the “SMS Admins” group Remote Activation permissions will solve the problem.

Use the following procedure on your SCCM Site Server and your SMS Provider server (if installed on a different server):

Grant Remote Activation permissions to the SMS Admins group

• 1. From the Start menu, click Run and type Dcomcnfg.exe.
• 2. In Component Services, click Console root, expand Component Services, expand Computers, and then click My Computer. On the Action menu, click Properties.
• 3. In the My Computer Properties dialog box, on the COM Security tab, in the Launch and Activation Permissions section, click Edit Limits.
• 4. In the Launch Permissions dialog box, click Add.
• 5. In the Select User, Computers, or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select (examples): box, type SMS Admins and click OK.
• 6. In the Permissions for SMS Admins section, select the check box to allow Remote Activation.
• 7. Click OK twice, and then close Computer Management.

Reference: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb633148.aspx

Two weeks ago Dell announced that their deployment add-on for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 will be available very soon. See my blog post:
http://www.digitalfreakz.nl/index.php/2009/02/13/dell-deployment-pack-for-sccm-2007/

Well they did not made any false promises and have release their deployment pack yesterday. You can download the add-on and installation guides at the Dell Techcenter Website

I will try to post some hand-on experience with the DDP very soon. Stay tuned!

Dell will soon release a deployment pack for Configuration Manager 2007. This deployment pack will replace the Dell OpenManage Deployment Tool Kit (DTK). It will be fully integrated and extending the OSD function within SCCM 2007.

Dell Deployment Pack Features

Using the ConfigMgr Task Sequence Editor, you can do the following with the Dell Deployment Pack:

• Configure your system’s Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC), Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), and BIOS. You can configure BIOS and RAID using .ini files. You can configure your system settings using the GUI or Command Line Interface (CLI) options. You can also configure RAID using the Array Builder wizard.
• Create a Dell specific boot image that will be used in the operating system deployment.
• Create and apply driver installation packages for specific Dell systems.

 For more information check the Dell Technology Center Web site

It is with great enthusiasm that the Microsoft Application Virtualization product team announces the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) of App-V 4.5!!! App-V 4.5 represents a huge step forward for the product and is the result of many hours of hard work by all of us on the team. Our TAP customers (selected customers who work closely with us to deploy the product into production prior to its final release) and our internal Microsoft IT team have already successfully deployed the product in production to more than 70,000 seats! We are very excited that all of our customers will soon be able to use App-V 4.5 to improve the way that they distribute and run applications in their environments!

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On the 28th of August Microsoft has released Microsoft Configuration Manager Release 2. R2 is available free of charge to customers who have Software Assurance, and it comes with our updated documentation help file (SMSv4.chm). However, everybody can access this latest documentation online from the TechNet Configuration Manager documentation library. The documentation updates include the following:

• Configuration Manager 2007 R2 features (application virtualization, Forefront client security integration, client status reporting, SQL reporting services, operating system deployment enhancements that include support for unknown computers and multicast).
• Updates and corrections to the Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 documentation.

For more information about the new features and changes in R2, see What’s New in Configuration Manager 2007 R2.

For a list of topics that have had a significant technical change since the SP1 release in May, see What’s New in the Configuration Manager Documentation Library for August 2008.

Any topic that has been changed for this release has at the top Topic last updated-August 2008. This includes the topics that have significant technical changes, R2 topics that are new or have been updated for the release (previously preliminary), and also topics that have had minor updates such as non-technical typos and minor clarifications.

You will also find 3 important new topics:

• How to Upgrade the Windows Automated Installation Kit During Site Upgrades to Configuration Manager 2007 SP1
• Troubleshooting Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 Setup
• Step-By-Step Example Deployment of the PKI Certificates Required for Configuration Manager Native Mode: Windows Server 2008 Certification Authority

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While you’ve been getting to grips with the new features and options in Configuration Manager, I’ve been busy learning about yet another great feature coming out in SP1 – out of band management. “Out of band” here means management below the operating system layer – you can manage computers even in the following scenarios:

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