Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Now Available

It's here!  SP1 is now available at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/configmgr/cc562979.aspx.  An overview and some details are below:

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Overview

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 is the next version of Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003. Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 contributes to a more effective IT department by enabling secure and scalable operating system and application deployment and desired configuration management, enhancing system security, and providing comprehensive asset management of servers, desktops, and mobile devices.

Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 now offers full support for management with Windows Operating Systems, which now includes Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008, integrates customer feedback, feature Integration with Intel vPro Technology and enhances Asset Intelligent features.

System Center Configuration Manager provides system management tools for key IT areas:

Operating System Deployment
Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment is a highly flexible, automated solution that allows IT administrators to fully deploy and configure servers and desktops from any previous state, including bare-metal deployments.

Software Distribution
Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Software Distribution simplifies the complex task of distributing applications and updates to desktops, servers, laptops, and mobile devices across enterprise networks.

Software Update Management
Configuration Manager 2007 Software Update Management simplifies the complex task of delivering and managing updates to IT systems across the enterprise. IT administrators can deliver updates of Microsoft products, third-party applications, and custom in-house line-of-business applications, hardware drivers, and system BIOS to a variety of devices-including to desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices.

Asset Intelligence
Configuration Manager 2007 gives organizations better control over their IT infrastructure and assets through asset intelligence technologies that provide IT administrators continuous visibility into what hardware and software assets they have, who is using them, and where they are.

Desired Configuration Management
With Configuration Manager 2007 Desired Configuration Management, organizations can ensure that IT systems comply with desired configuration states to improve systems availability, security and performance network wide.

In addition, Service Pack 1 adds the following functionality:

Full Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 Support:
Deploy and manage Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008—with full support for the latest Windows platforms, from planning through inventory, to deployment, and into operational scenarios such as software distribution, software update management, desired configuration management, and more.

AMT Integration:
Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 integration with Intel Active Management Technology (AMT) enables hardware-based power control (on/off/restart) and delivers many new remote diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities. Configuration Manager can now perform scheduled or on-demand power control operations on Intel vPro enabled systems in the enterprise, enabling higher levels of software update compliance as well as increasing application installation and operating system deployment success rates. The new out of band management console provides direct hardware interaction using Windows Remote Management (the Microsoft implementation of WS-MAN). This enables remote boot control, allows forced PXE boot for operating system deployments, remote network boot for customized remote tasks and diagnostics, and direct inspection of hardware inventory and power state—even if the system is powered off.

Asset Intelligence:
Building on the original release within Configuration Manager, this enhancement to the inventory capabilities of Configuration Manager 2007 provides improvements for stronger inventory of hardware, software, and software licenses in use throughout the enterprise. The enhancements made enable administrators to more easily, and more accurately, inventory and manage hardware and software assets as well as view and manage purchased software license information. By providing this essential information, Asset Intelligence makes it easier for administrators and asset managers to more effectively plan for upgrades, migrations, and software license compliance reporting.

Enjoy!

J.C. Hornbeck | Manageability Knowledge Engineer