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System Center Configuration Manager [SCCM]
In my short but long lived 12 year tenure here in IT I have seen SMS attempt to install a service pack to computers on the trade floor in the middle of production hours. I’ve seen SCCM reboot a trade floor in the middle of production hours. I’ve seen CM totally destroy AppV configurations on 50 servers because an administrator decided to make a site level change during production hours (not like it would make a difference). I’ve been prompted more than 5 times in one day to reboot because CM or WSUS has installed a patch on my computer. And I’ve lost the OS on a laptop because of a encryption deployment that went array.
 
I’m sure we all have our stories as we have struggled to better understand and make due with the various implementations of the once SMS. But, amidst all of the trouble I still believe there is some good in what’s now called CM. That being said, I’ll first admit I’d rather write my own scripts, code and install procedures but sometimes our daily tasks are two cumbersome and we need the help of utilities like CM.
 
Here are some of the better things CM can do assuming your admin is not a moron and the applications and advertisements (deployments) are configured correctly.
 
  1. Oracle Solaris 10:
    1. Ops Center 2.5 can use SCCM to update windows systems and does not require an agent to be installed.
Some of the disadvantages are evident as well. Why cant I just use Group policy for app deployment and configuration management? You can, but why not just fork over the extra cash for license cost and hardware? Blah blah, with SCCM you can schedule deployments to occur during off-peak times, and stagger your deployments, but we all know how that can end up.
 
  1. Real world scenarios, server 2008 has some nifty features when compared to SCCM… For example, Group Policy is a built-in tool that can be used to deploy applications. SCCM gives additional features such as scheduling and staggering deployments (and randomly blowing up computers). Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is a free Microsoft product that can be used to control how updates are downloaded and deployed to clients (free is the keyword here). SCCM provides better control (this is obviously an opinion) of these updates and how the clients can be audited. Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a free (you see that? Its free and works like a champ) server role that can be added to capture and deploy full operating system images to clients. SCCM can be used to improve (again, this is an opinion) these deployments so that they are Zero Touch Installations (ZTI).
What are my alternatives for patch deployment, software deployment, and configuration management?
 
  1. Altiris, LANrev and FileWave (works with OS X), SCCM (not compatible with mac OS X).