Posted on

Announcing the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 Technology Adoption Program

Microsoft is currently building the update to System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (ConfigMgr07) titled Service Pack 2. The ConfgMgr Technology Adoption Program (TAP) team is pleased to announce that we are now soliciting participation in the System Center Configuration Manager Service Pack 2 Product validation program.

What's New?
ConfigMgr07 SP2 will include new OS support along with improving on the Intel AMT integration.

New Operating System Support

  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Server 2008 SP2
  • Windows Vista SP2

(Intel) Active Management Technology Integration – Version 2

Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 2 will improve on the Intel AMT (iAMT) integration provided in Service Pack 1. SP2 will add full feature support for computers that have the Intel vPro chip set and iAMT firmware versions 4 & 5. In addition to providing feature parity with SP1 and iAMT firmware versions 3.2.1, 4.0 and 5.0, support for the below new features are being added:

OOB Wireless Management: Wireless Profile Management (mobile ONLY)

  • Provide configuration of up to eight (8) wireless profiles per site that are available to AMT clients assigned to that site
  • Set the wireless information during AMT provisioning and configure all required profile settings (SSID, key management, encryption, etc.)
  • Send wireless profile operations to the Intel translator on AMT systems with revisions earlier than 3.2.1

End Point Access Control: 802.1x support

  • Provision 802.1x settings on AMT wireless clients during AMT provisioning
  • Send 802.1x settings operations to the Intel translator on AMT systems with revisions earlier than 3.2.1

Persistent Data Storage: Non Volatile Memory or Third Party Data Store (3PDS)

  • Write string data into 3PDS on AMT through OOB management console

Access Monitor: Audit Log

  • Enable or Disable Audit Log (no critical event settings)
  • View Audit Log through OOB Console

Remote Power Management: Power State Configuration

  • Enable configuration of the power policy settings and include in provisioning settings when provisioning an AMT system
Program Description

This program is designed to provide collaboration with your company and Microsoft. The purpose is to validate through lab testing and the deployment of pre-release builds. Your company will have the opportunity to provide design and performance feedback for the product. You can do this through the reporting of bugs and submission of Design Change Requests (DCRs), as well as provide general feedback for product group consideration. This program will provide customers with support from the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager product group, as well as 24×7 support for production deployment issues. The program starts soon and finishes by the end of the calendar year 2009.

Program Requirements
All participants must:
  • Prior to program participation, have a signed TAP Agreement and System Center Configuration Manager SP2 Program Description on file with Microsoft. If you do not have a Master TAP Agreement with Microsoft currently, please work with your Technical Account Manager, Account TS, or other Microsoft representative to get one completed.
  • Commit to providing resources for the duration of the program
  • Commit to timely response of survey and feedback requests from Microsoft
  • Agree to participate in some form of public relations activities as identified in the TAP agreement and the System Center Configuration Manager SP2 Program description
  • Have a Microsoft Premier Support contract which includes a Microsoft Technical Account Manager resource
  • Provide a project plan for deployment
  • Deploy each milestone build of pre-release System Center Configuration Manager Sp2 into your production environment within 14 days of availability
  • Meet the following deployment goals:
    1. Beta – 500 or more clients installed and actively managed by the product
    2. RC – 2,000 or more clients installed and actively managed by the product.
Program Benefits
All participants receive:
  • The opportunity to shape this update to Configuration Manager 2007 through direct feedback to Microsoft
  • Regularly scheduled conference calls with a member of the System Center Configuration Manager Team. Discussions will include deployment planning, feedback, feature review presentations from members of the System Center Configuration Manager Product Group, and other customer driven topics
  • Production certified pre-release builds as well as exclusive access to interim lab-only builds of the product
  • Web-based bug reporting and priority bug resolution
  • Support and deployment guidance from the System Center Configuration Manager Product Group, as well as 24×7 support from Microsoft Beta Customer Support Services for production deployment issues
  • A dedicated Program Manager contact in the System Center Configuration Manager Product Group
  • A head start in the next deployment cycle, taking advantage of new and enhanced features available in System Center Configuration Manager SP2
  • Potential onsite visits by members of the Product Group in order to help with production deployment and feedback.
Nominations

A short nomination survey is located here:

Full link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=EFslbxTQdA6OCgbp_2fg8iNQ_3d_3d

Participant Selection

The number of available slots in the program is limited. The selection is based on a broad set of criteria and not solely on a customer's commitment to fulfill program requirements.

Prioritization will be given to organizations that meet one or more of the following profiles:

  • Are currently in the Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 TAP, *and* have Configuration Manager 2007 deployed
  • Have participated in the Configuration Manager 2007 TAP and are significantly deployed with Configuration Manager in production
  • Have participated in previous SMS or Configuration Manager 2007 TAP and are significantly deployed with Configuration Manager in production
  • Have Intel AMT hardware deployed in production *and* have Configuration Manager 2007 deployed.
  • Are using Configuration Manager Operating System Deployment (OSD) and have a business need to deploy Windows 7 using OSD.
Program Timetable (all dates are estimates and subject to change)

February 2009

Initial Nomination period

Submission of System Center Configuration Manager SP2 Nomination Surveys by or on behalf of interested customers.

March 2009

Customers selected

Customers selected for the program are notified and given information regarding initial participation.

April / May 2009

Readiness/Planning

Online information sessions and conference calls to get familiar with feature set and initiate planning

June 2009

Beta

Deployment in production environment. Product validation and feedback submitted.

Summer

RC

More extensive deployment in production environment. Product validation and feedback submitted.

Win7 plus 90 days

Release to Manufacturing

Upgrade to released build and enterprise-wide deployment.

Please contact sccmtap@microsoft.com with any questions you may have regarding this communication or the nomination process.

Sincerely,

The System Center Configuration Manager Technology Adoption Program team

Posted on

[vpro] Intel(r) vPro(tm) Technology Heartbeat – February 27, 2009

 

 

From: admin@lists.myITforum.com [mailto:admin@lists.myITforum.com] On Behalf Of Gartner, Michele
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 11:17 AM
To: vpro@lists.myITforum.com
Subject: [vpro] Intel(r) vPro(tm) Technology Heartbeat

February 27, 2009

Intel® vPro™ Technology Heartbeat

This heartbeat communication is a bi-weekly summary of key communications. Use the links below to find up-to-date information:

Wikis

·       Activation Cheat Sheet

·       Known Issues, BKMs, & Workarounds

·       ROI Analysis Docs

·       Tools for Activation

·       Use Cases

·       vPro Useful Links

 

Communications

·         Activator LiveCD Utility Now Available

This utility enhances the bare metal configuration capabilities of Intel vPro technology. (2.16.09)

·         “Intel IT and the Economic Environment” by Vice President, CIO Diane Bryant.

In this 5-minute video, Diane discusses ITs strategic role for Intel in a downturn economy and references Intel vPro technology. Diane talks about how Intel ITs client and server refresh strategy is self-funding. (2.13.09)

·         Manageability Developer Tool Kit Release v. 0.6.09037.2 (External)

The download site lists the recent changes, known issues, and overview. (2.11.09)

·         Now Available: Hot fix for Intel® Client Manageability add-on for Microsoft SMS 2003 version 5.0.3

This fix reduces the number of simultaneous connections in redirection flow (W/A for AMT 2.5 firmware issue), fixes SCS discovery flows to prevent simultaneous discoveries, and fixes service stopping failures. (1.28.09)

Training and User Docs

·         Adding Wireless Configuration Support to Microsoft SCCM

This blog post contains a ZIP file that demonstrates how to embed wireless configuration support into Microsoft SCCM. (2.20.09)

·         Intel® Management Engine User Guide for Intel® AMT 5.0

This guide discusses configuration procedures for Basic (SMB), Standard, and Advanced (Enterprise) provisioning models for the McCreary platform. (2.19.09)

·         Intel® AMT: What you need to know about SOL/IDE-R and SMB

This blog post discusses the SCS Lite tool and how it affects provisioning. (2.19.09)

·         Troubleshooting Guide for Deploying Intel vPro Technology with Microsoft SCCM 2007

This guide contains tips gathered over seven months of deployment projects. (2.17.09)

·         Updated: Known Issues and Best Practices

Q&A on customized Intel® AMT firmware (2.20.09)

 

feedback

 

 

 

 

© 2009 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

*Legal Information |Privacy Policy
*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

 

 

 

 

Michele Gartner

Digital Office | End User Platform Engineering

Activate! http://www.intel.com/go/vProActivate

Hear it from the vPro Experts: Blogs | Tools | Known Issues & BKMs

Published with BlogMailr

Posted on

Outlook 2007 February Cumulative Update

 

 

From: admin@lists.myITforum.com [mailto:admin@lists.myITforum.com] On Behalf Of Moolraj, Ricky
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 11:52 AM
To: 'mssms@lists.myitforum.com'
Subject: [mssms] OT: Outlook 2007 February Cumulative Update

Got this from my TAM today, it’s worth installing. Noticed a significant difference.

 

Hi All,

 

I wanted to make you aware that a cumulative update for Outlook 2007 which covers performance and calendar improvements has been released. The Outlook February Cumulative Update contains a large set of the fixes that release as part of the 2007 Microsoft Office suite Service Pack 2 (SP2), a full description of the Outlook 2007 improvements in the cumulative updates is here  – http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=968009

 

Get the Outlook 2007 hotfix package (Outlook.msp): February 24, 2009 – http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=961752.

After reviewing the article click the link at the top of the page, you will need to enter your email address, you will then receive an email with the download link and the password for extracting the update.

Please Note After you successfully install the update, the first time you run Outlook there will be a slight one-time delay as Outlook reprocesses your data files. After this initial process, performance will improve as described in this article.

 

Extra Information – there is an outlook team blog and the link to the article for this fix has been included for your reference – http://blogs.msdn.com/outlook/archive/2009/02/25/announcing-the-february-cumulative-update-for-outlook-2007.aspx

 

Thanks

 

 

Regards,

  _____  

Ricky Moolraj

Infrastructure Technology Services

Desktop Engineering UK

Desktop Engineering Analyst

E.ON IS UK

Sherwood Park | Little Oak Drive | Annesley | Nottingham | NG15 0DR

 

Mobex: 777 1108 | Mobile: 07714 200666 | Internal Tel: (06) 181947 | Tel: +44 (0) 2476 181947 | Technical Hunt Group: 180070

 

 

 

___________________________ Disclaimer Notice ____________________This message and any attachments are confidential and should onlybe read by those to whom they are addressed. If you are not theintended recipient, please contact us, delete the message from yourcomputer and destroy any copies. Any distribution or copying withoutour prior permission is prohibited. Internet communications are not always secure and therefore theE.ON Group does not accept legal responsibility for this message.The recipient is responsible for verifying its authenticity beforeacting on the contents. Any views or opinions presented are solelythose of the author and do not necessarilyrepresent those of the E.ON Group. E.ON IS UK Limited, Westwood Way, Westwood Business Park,Coventry, CV4 8LG.Registered in England & Wales No. 5617434 Telephone +44 (0) 2476 192000Fax +44 (0) 2476 42 5432

==============
Missed an email? Check out the list archive:
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/smslist/

Published with BlogMailr

Posted on

Dell Deployment Pack for ConfigMgr (OSD Server Deployment) released today!

 

 

From: admin@lists.myITforum.com [mailto:admin@lists.myITforum.com] On Behalf Of Greg_Ramsey@Dell.com
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 12:22 AM
To: mssms@lists.myitforum.com
Subject: [mssms] Dell Deployment Pack for ConfigMgr (OSD Server Deployment) released today!

http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/Dell+Deployment+Pack+for+Configmgr+%28Server+Deployment%29

 

 

 

Greg Ramsey
Microsoft MVP – ConfigMgr

Global Systems Management Engineering
Toll Free: 1-800-WWW-DELL x7240526
Mobile: 512-750-5205
Email: greg_ramsey@dell.com


==============
Missed an email? Check out the list archive:
http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/smslist/

Published with BlogMailr

Posted on

Packages may try to access a Distribution Point that was removed

 

 

Feed: The Configuration Manager Support Team Blog
Posted on: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 9:10 AM
Author: jchornbe
Subject: Packages may try to access a Distribution Point that was removed

image

If you take a look at all the calls we get here in the SMS/ConfigMgr support group, this one would have to rank right up there in popularity.  What happens here is the Distribution Point (DP) share, or the DP itself, is removed but you still have packages pointing to the missing resource. 

 

Usually you'll know this is what happened because the distmgr.log shows something like the following:

Cannot establish connection to
["Display=\\<server>\<share>\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=<site>"]\\<server>\<share>\ SMS_DISTRIBUTION_M
ANAGER 17672 (0x4508)

Error occurred. SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER 17672 (0x4508)

You'll also notice that the DP share name (or the DP) is listed in the list of available DP's for the
package and is shown as unknown.  So now what do you do?  Here's how you can remove those entries for the nonexistent server/share:


View article…

Published with BlogMailr