August 2009 – Technical Rollup Mail - Manageability
News
Configuration Manager & SMS
Microsoft Extends Support for SMS 2003
Support for Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 and Systems Management Server 2003 R2 will transition from Mainstream Support to Extended Support on January 12, 2010. This update follows the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy for Business and Developer products. The Microsoft policy provides a minimum of five years of Mainstream Support or two years of Mainstream Support after the successor product ships, whichever is longer. Organizations that are currently running Systems Management Server 2003 should note the dates when Mainstream Support and Extended Support end. Customers who are interested in migrating to System Center Configuration Server 2007 can contact a Sales Account Manager or a Technical Account Manager.
https://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean29
IBM Releases Deployment and System Packs for System Center Configuration Manager 2007
The IBM Deployment Pack for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 is used to configure IBM hardware components, prior to deploying Windows using Microsoft SCCM. This kit extends Configuration Manager 2007, providing a convenient integrated user interface that will be familiar to SCCM administrators. The Deployment Pack completes the end-to-end deployment scenario in environments where IBM-specific configuration steps are required, including RAID, RSA2, BMC, and BIOS.
New Dell Whitepaper Today - Using the Dell Driver Cabs with MDT 2008
Deploying Operating System Images on Dell Business Client Systems using Microsoft® Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2008
https://attachments.wetpaintserv.us/Nucs29nRR33L0d73WlFkTw==1095622
Microsoft is pleased to announce the release of the System Center Configuration Manager Extensions for SCAP.
The System Center Configuration Manager Extensions for SCAP are designed for organizations to use with the desired configuration management (DCM) feature in Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007 to scan the computers in your environment and then document their level of compliance with the Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) mandate.
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=113938
Support for ACT 5.5 with the ACT Connector
Microsoft released a new version of ACT, version 5.5. This version changed the database schema which prevents configuring the ACT database from the ACT Connector administrator console. If you upgrade an existing ACT installation to 5.5 which has already been configured in the ACT connector, no additional steps are required. Using this documented workaround ACT 5.5 is supported by Microsoft with the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 ACT Connector.
The Configuration Manager Support Team Blog
https://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/
The Deployment Guys
https://blogs.technet.com/deploymentguys
System Center Configuration Manager Solutions
https://blogs.technet.com/mwiles/
Carlos Santiago's Manageability Blog - SCCM/Softgrid
https://blogs.technet.com/carlossantiago/
Michael Niehaus' Windows and Office deployment ramblings
https://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/
Paul Thomsen at myITforum.com
https://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/pthomsen/default.aspx
Jeff Gilbert's Web blog at myITforum.com
https://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jgilbert/default.aspx
Operations Manager & MOM
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 – Cross Platform Management Pack Authoring Guide
New technical documentation released for Cross Platform Management Pack Authoring in Operations Manager 2007 R2
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/dd919155.aspx
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 – Management Pack Authoring Guide
New technical documentation released for Management Pack Authoring in Operations Manager 2007 R2
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/dd279667.aspx
Security Hardening Guide for Operations Manager 2007 R2 and Windows Server 2008
The Operations Manager 2007 R2 SCW Roles and Hardening guide available.
https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=153917
Windows Server Hyper-V Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007
New Management Pack for managing Hyper-V with Operations Manager 2007 has been released to the System Center Catalog
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/systemcenter/cc462790.aspx
System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 goes RTM!!
By the time you read this Operations Manager 2007 R2 will be general available from the MVLS website. To get started with this release click the link below.
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/dd887701.aspx
Support Policy For Operations Manager 2007 running on hardware virtualization software
Guidance and clarity to running Operation Manager 2007 on virtualization platforms, provided by Clive Eastwood and the Manageability Team. Including KBs.
Windows Server 2003/2008 Group Policy Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007
Windows Server 2003/2008 Group Policy Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 monitors the health, availability, and performance of the Microsoft group policy client component of Microsoft Windows Server 2008. Be sure the read the MP Guide, and your organisations MP deployment methods!
Latest Partner Pack newsletters available on OpsManJam.com
A bi-weekly newsletter focused on Management Pack best practises, including articles and short video bites.
The Operations Manager Support Team Blog
https://blogs.technet.com/operationsmgr/
Other
System Center Virtual Machine Manager
https://blogs.technet.com/scvmm/
The App-V Blog
https://blogs.technet.com/Softgrid/
Steve Rachui's Manageability blog - ConfigMgr/OpsMgr
https://blogs.msdn.com/steverac/
System Center WebLog by Russ Slaten
https://blogs.msdn.com/rslaten/
Documents
Configuration Manager & SMS
Microsoft Security Update Guide
Microsoft Security Update Guide: Helping IT Professionals Better Understand and Maximize Microsoft Security Update Release Information, Processes, Communications, and Tools.
Downloads
Configuration Manager & SMS
System Center ConfigMgr Extensions for SCAP
The extensions enable Configuration Manager 2007 to consume Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) data streams, assess systems for compliance, and generate report results in SCAP format by taking advantage of the compliance checking capabilities inherent in the desired configuration management (DCM) feature.
Operations Manager & MOM
HPC Server 2008 MP for OpsMgr 2007
The Windows HPC Server 2008 Management Pack provides both proactive and reactive monitoring of Windows HPC Server 2008 for a cluster environment.
Windows Server 2003/2008 Group Policy MP for OpsMgr 2007
Windows Server 2003/2008 Group Policy Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 monitors the health, availability, and performance of the Microsoft group policy client component of Microsoft Windows Server 2008.
SQL Server MP for OpsMgr 2007
The Microsoft SQL Server Management Pack for Operations Manager 2007 provides discovery and monitoring of SQL Server 2000, 2005 and 2008.
Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006 MP for OpsMgr 2007
This management pack monitors the performance and availability of ISA Server 2006.
Other
DPM MPSRPT
DPM MPSRPT gathers detailed system status and configuration information from DPM as well as from one or multiple protected servers. This version of the MPS tool collects data to help Support Professionals diagnose error conditions experienced in DPM 2006 and DPM 2007.
Events/Webcasts
Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 On-Demand Webcasts
https://www.microsoft.com/events/series/technetmms.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=42364#42364
Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) On-Demand Webcasts
https://www.microsoft.com/events/series/technetmms.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=42363
Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 On-Demand Webcasts
https://www.microsoft.com/events/series/technetmms.aspx?tab=webcasts&id=42365
TechNet Webcast: Automating Windows 7 Deployments Using System Center Configuration Manager (Level 300)
Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:00 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada)
We focus on automating Windows 7 operating system deployments using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager in this webcast. First, we cover how to automate hardware and software inventory using Asset Intelligence to determine what applications and hardware are needed for deploying Windows 7. Next, we examine deploying Windows 7 packages, and we discuss how to add Windows 7 packages to System Center Configuration Manager and then the deploy packages to bare metal machines and existing Windows Vista clients across the enterprise.
New KB's
Configuration Manager & SMS
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: You cannot customize the ramdisk TFTP block size on a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 site server that has the Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) service point role (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/968718/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: Packages on distribution points are not updated with the latest source version in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 RTM systems
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/970317/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: Restart Coordinator prevents a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1-based client computer from restarting because it incorrectly concludes that a job is running
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/970635/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: Some programs are not executed when the "If an application fails, continue installing other applications in the list" option is enabled in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/970636/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: Prompted queries that are based on customized Hardware Inventory classes do not prompt users for values in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 systems
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/971300/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: The Task Sequence Media Wizard incorrectly calculates the required space and generates many CD or DVD images if the task sequence references multiple programs in the same package in System Center Configuration Manager 2007
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/971689/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: The SMS_Inbox_Monitor or SMS_Outbox_Monitor components may not poll for new content in System Center Configuration Manager 2007
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/972400/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: When using Configuration Manager 2007 R2 together with Service Pack 1, the R2 features are not accessible by using the Admin Console
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/973363/EN-US
Sys Center Config Mnger 2007 AL: Hardware Inventory data files larger than 50MB may fail to process on a ConfigMgr 2007 site server
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/973754/EN-US
Sys Mgmt Svr Ent Ed 2003 EN: When I use the SMS 2003 Operating System Deployment (OSD) Feature Pack to change an existing OSD image, an Error dialog box is displayed (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/938438/EN-US
Operations Manager & MOM
Sys Center Ops Mgr 2007 SP1: Support for running System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 and System Center Essentials 2007 Service Pack 1 on a Windows Server 2008-based computer (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/953141/EN-US
Sys Center Ops Mgr 2007 SP1: Description of the hotfix rollup package for System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 and for System Center Essentials 2007 Service Pack 1: July 25, 2008 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/954049/EN-US
Sys Center Ops Mgr 2007 SP1: Issues that are resolved by the Operations Manager Module rollup update for System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1: June 10, 2009 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/959865/EN-US
Sys Center Ops Mgr 2007 SP1: Management Pack cannot be specified for saving new override of monitor or rule in System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Operations console
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/959867/EN-US
Sys Center Ops Mgr 2007 SP1: The size of the System Center Operations Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 Data Warehouse database may grow if many event collection rules exist within management packs (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/969130/EN-US
Other
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: The DPM protection agent service cannot start in System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/947682/EN-US
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: Error message when you perform various System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 operations after you install DPM 2007 Service Pack 1: "An Unexpected error occurred during a VSS operation" (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/967509/EN-US
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: Description of the hotfix rollup package for System Center Data Protection Manager 2007: April 14, 2009 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/968579/EN-US
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: Description of the hotfix rollup package for System Center Data Protection Manager 2007: June 4, 2009 (Updated)
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/970867/EN-US
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: Error "0x8007200F" when System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 agent installation cannot query Active Directory
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/972726/EN-US
Sys Center DataProtect Mgr 07 EN: Error message when you try to install a System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 update: "DPM installation has failed"